Republican leaders on the House Science and Technology Committee want the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a comprehensive review of existing federal and state laws that regulate artificial intelligence (AI).
In a letter sent Wednesday to Comptroller General Gene Dodaro, Committee Chairman Rep. Brian Babin, R-Texas, and Research and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Jay Obernolte, R-Calif., requested that GAO identify which current statutes and regulations already apply to AI and where gaps or overlaps may exist.
“In recent years, a variety of federal and state legislation, executive orders, and other forms of guidance have established requirements for the development, deployment, and use of AI,” the lawmakers wrote. “We request that GAO examine the current laws and regulations governing AI at both the federal and state levels. This review should cover laws and regulations that specifically pertain to AI, as well as existing laws and regulations that could be applied to AI.”
The lawmakers pointed to a 2019 directive from the first Trump administration that instructed federal agencies to “consider ways to reduce barriers to the use of AI technologies in order to promote their innovative application while protecting civil liberties, privacy, American values, and United States economic and national security.” That directive also required regulatory agencies to submit plans detailing how they would reduce barriers.
They also cited 2020 guidance from the Office of Management and Budget directing agencies to assess whether AI-specific regulation is necessary before pursuing new rules.
More recently, both the Senate bipartisan AI working group and the House bipartisan AI task force called in their final reports for a comprehensive review of existing federal and state laws, including “technology-neutral” statutes that may already cover AI systems and areas where federal preemption may apply.
Babin and Obernolte’s request follows an executive order from President Donald Trump in December, which preempted state AI laws to avoid a patchwork of regulations that, according to the White House, could hinder innovation. That order also called for a federal legislative framework to regulate AI.
Obernolte, who co-chaired the House bipartisan AI task force, has been a leader in AI regulation and is reportedly working with the Trump administration to draft that framework, which the administration will propose to Congress.
Earlier this month, he said he is seeking bipartisan support for a sectoral approach to AI regulation that would tailor oversight based on the risk profile and deployment context of AI systems.
In 2025, 38 states adopted or enacted around 100 new AI laws, while more than 1,000 bills were introduced across the country, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Many of those measures focus on deepfakes, children’s safety, data privacy, and public-sector uses of AI.
There are currently no federal AI regulations. Federal agencies have instead issued internal governance frameworks, policies, and strategies to guide their use of AI technologies.