Congress Moves to Preempt the AI Patchwork

Reps. Jay Obernolte and Lori Trahan released a discussion draft of the Great American Artificial Intelligence Act of 2026 on June 4, 2026. The draft creates a federal framework for frontier AI governance, audits, whistleblower protections, cybersecurity, workforce measures, and CAISI oversight, while preempting state laws that specifically regulate AI model development. The fight is no longer only about how powerful models should be tested; it is about who gets to write the rules.