Lawmakers and Trump Launch Bipartisan AI Regulatory Frameworks

Representatives Jay Obernolte and Lori Trahan released a discussion draft of the Great American Artificial Intelligence Act of 2026 on June 4. The bipartisan bill establishes a federal framework for frontier AI, requiring developers with over $500 million in annual revenue and massive compute capacity to undergo semi-annual independent audits and report critical incidents. A central point of contention is a provision that would prohibit states from regulating AI model development for three years to prevent a patchwork of state laws, though states could still regulate AI deployment in sectors like healthcare.

Simultaneously, President Donald Trump issued an executive order on June 2 creating a voluntary evaluation process for frontier models. The order allows federal agencies, including the National Security Agency and Department of Defense, to assess models for cybersecurity vulnerabilities for up to 30 days before public release. This voluntary approach follows the administration's decision to abandon stricter mandates after lobbying from tech leaders and internal concerns regarding the capabilities of Anthropic's Mythos model.

OpenAI announced its compliance with the executive order but has proposed a more rigorous federal governance framework. While the company supports mandatory pre-release evaluations conducted by the Center for AI Standards and Innovation, it maintains that developers—not regulators—should have the final authority to block or approve deployments. The legislative draft faces criticism from the House Democratic Commission on AI and the Innovation Economy and Americans for Responsible Innovation, who argue that preempting state laws weakens consumer protections.