House Democrats have launched a new commission to develop policy expertise on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and the innovation economy.
The commission, dubbed the House Democratic Commission on AI and the Innovation Economy, will convene throughout 2026 in partnership with the innovation community, stakeholders, and committees of jurisdiction, according to an announcement from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Tuesday.
All Democratic members are encouraged to participate in the commission, co-chaired by Reps. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., and Valerie Foushee, D-N.C., according to the announcement. Additional leadership roles will be held by Reps. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., and Frank Pallone, Jr., D-N.J.
Jeffries said that Democrats who served on the Bipartisan AI Task Force last Congress will hold “key roles.”
“The brilliance and ingenuity of the innovation community has positioned America to lead the world in artificial intelligence and pioneer potentially life-changing breakthroughs in medicine and other fields of human endeavor that will benefit humanity,” Jeffries said.
“At the same time, Congress must consider what policies are needed to prevent bad actors from exploiting this transformative technology and inflicting harm upon the American people,” Jeffries continued.
Jeffries explained that the commission was created after “Republicans abandoned” the AI task force, saying that House Democrats intend to continue similar work by evaluating the impact AI will have on Americans.
Some areas that the commission will examine include privacy and safety, job protections, civil rights, and economic strength, according to lawmakers.
Pallone also pointed to state-level AI laws, more than 100 of which were passed in the past year across 38 states, saying that the commission can make similar efforts to produce policy recommendations.
“Rather than blanket moratoriums, we should be learning from the work of our state and local counterparts to deliver well-considered legislation that provides American businesses and communities the framework and resources to succeed,” Pallone said, adding that “Congress must both support policies that foster innovation and ensure we’re protecting Americans’ privacy and safety.”
The commission’s announcement comes as the Trump administration prepares to issue an executive order this week to preempt state AI laws to avoid a patchwork of regulations across states. No federal regulations are in place to oversee the development and deployment of AI.