Democrats Explore a House Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence

Reps. Bill Foster (D-Ill.) and Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) met with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) last Tuesday to consider establishing a select committee dedicated to artificial intelligence if Democrats regain control of the House in the upcoming midterm elections. A source familiar with the discussion confirmed the meeting, which Politico initially reported. The proposed committee would serve as a centralized venue for AI-related legislation, reducing the current practice of routing bills through multiple standing committees such as Energy and Commerce and Science, Space and Technology.

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Congress has previously created structures to address AI. In early 2024, the House launched an AI Task Force to gather expert input and draft a comprehensive report on AI impacts and policy options. The Senate formed an AI Caucus in 2019 to develop policy on the technology’s risks and benefits. Select committees, however, differ from task forces and caucuses because they are established by a House resolution that can grant subpoena power, dedicated staff, and a budget—authorities outlined by Michael Hettinger, president of Hettinger Strategy Group and former staff director for the House Oversight Subcommittee on Government Management. Hettinger noted that most House select committees lack direct legislative authority and must coordinate with standing committees to advance proposals.

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Jeffries’ office indicated that a bipartisan model, similar to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence or the House Select Committee on China, would guide the new AI committee’s structure. Hettinger emphasized that such a body could streamline the legislative process for AI, offering tools beyond those available to a task force or caucus. Lawmakers have expressed that a dedicated committee could better address the rapid evolution of AI technologies and associated policy challenges.

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A select committee on AI could centralize oversight, enable more coordinated hearings, and potentially accelerate the development of federal AI regulations. By consolidating jurisdiction, Congress may more effectively address issues ranging from data privacy and algorithmic bias to national security implications, ensuring that legislative responses keep pace with technological advances.

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