This week in federal AI policy, Congress continues its focus on AI’s impact on energy, education, competition, health, and safety, as well as ensuring American leadership in AI. The intersection of AI and cybersecurity are a particular focus this week, with President Trump firing the NSA Director and head of the U.S. Cyber Command and Congress reviewing the funding and future of the Cyber Command.

The Department of Energy issued a request for information to help guide possible uses of the DOE-managed land identified for artificial intelligence infrastructure and data center development.

Check out my latest op-ed in the Diplomatic Courier: Build Momentum from the Middle to Find Common Ground on AI

Read more below

Congress

Hearings

• Last week
  • On April 1, the House Oversight and Government Reform Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs Subcommittee held a hearing on America’s AI Moonshot: The Economics of AI, Data Centers, and Power Consumption.
  • On April 1, the House Education and the Workforce Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee held a hearing on From Chalkboards to Chatbots: The Impact of AI on K-12 Education.
  • On April 2, the House Judiciary Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust Subcommittee held a hearing on Artificial Intelligence: Examining Trends in Innovation and Competition.
• This week
  • On April 8, the House Science, Space and Technology Research and Technology Subcommittee will hold a hearing on DeepSeek: A Deep Dive.
  • On April 9, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce will hold a hearing on Converting Energy into Intelligence: the Future of AI Technology, Human Discovery, and American Global Competitiveness.
  • On April 9, the Joint Economic Committee will hold a hearing on Reducing Waste, Fraud and Abuse Through Innovation: How AI & Data Can Improve Government Efficiency.
  • On April 9, the Senate Judiciary Crime and Counterterrorism Subcommittee will hold a hearing on A Time for Truth: Oversight of Meta’s Foreign Relations and Representations to the United States Congress, in which AI is expected to be discussed.
  • On April 9, the Senate Armed Services Cybersecurity Subcommittee holds a hearing on United States Cyber Command in review of the Defense Authorization Request for FY2026 and the Future Years Defense Program.

Legislation

• Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Mark Warner (D-VA) introduced the Promoting United States Leadership in Standards Act that would require the National Institute of Standards and Technology to submit a report to Congress identifying current U.S. participation in standards development activities for AI and other Critical and Emerging Technologies (CETs), create a web portal to help stakeholders navigate international standardization efforts, and establish a pilot program of grants to support standards meetings. (Text)(Press release)

• Sens. Chris Coons (D-DE), Todd Young (R-IN), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), and Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Reps. Haley Stevens (D-MI) and Jay Obernolte (R-CA) introduced the Expanding Partnerships for Innovation and Competitiveness (EPIC) Act to establish the Foundation for Standards and Metrology to utilize public-private partnerships in measurement science foundational to AI advancement. (Text)(House press release)(Senate press release)

• Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Chris Coons (D-DE), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Michael Bennet (D-CO) introduced a bill to prohibit the distribution of materially deceptive AI-generated audio or visual media relating to candidates for Federal office. (Text)

• Reps. Jay Obernolte (R-CA) and Don Beyer (D-VA) introduced the Creating Resources for Every American To Experiment with Artificial Intelligence (CREATE) Act to establish the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) to remove barriers to the essential tools and infrastructure that power artificial intelligence research and development. (Text)(Press release)

• Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM) introduced a resolution of inquiry requesting the President to transmit certain documents relating to the dangerous, unaccountable use of AI by the United States DOGE Service to jeopardize the private information and essential services of the American people. (Text)

• Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) reintroduced the Protect Victims of Digital Exploitation and Manipulation Act to criminalize the creation and distribution of AI-generated deepfake pornography without a person’s consent. (Press release)

Correspondence

• Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Chair Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) sent a letter to Meta Platforms, Inc. requesting information about its alleged work to censor and provide artificial intelligence tools, including surveillance software, for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). (Letter)(Press release)

• Sens. Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Peter Welch (D-VT) sent letters to Character.AI, Chai, and Replika expressing concern regarding the mental health and safety risks posed to children using character- and persona-based AI chatbot and companion apps and requesting information on the implementation, adoption, and efficacy of safety measures, including the data used to train their models and the treatment of strategic personnel. (Letter)(Press release)

• Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) sent a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon regarding the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) proposed plan to replace the Department of Education’s federal student aid call centers with generative artificial intelligence chatbots. (Letter)(Press release)

Publications

• The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform published takeaways from their recent hearing on Salt Typhoon: Securing America’s Telecommunications from State-Sponsored Cyber Attacks finding “Members agreed that the U.S. cannot remain in a reactive ‘damage control’ posture but must take proactive steps to ensure federal agencies responsible for cybersecurity work seamlessly together, and with private industry, to deliver a unified response to emerging threats.” (Press release)

• The Committee also released takeaways from the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs recent hearing on America’s AI Moonshot: The Economics of AI, Data Centers, and Power Consumption, finding “working with the U.S. private sector to strengthen and secure America’s lead in AI is key to maintaining national security and fostering economic prosperity for all Americans and prioritizing American energy production is critical to unleashing the full potential of AI.” (Press release)

Trump Administration

National Science Foundation (NSF)

• On April 28, the NSF will hold a virtual meeting of the Advisory Committee for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships to provide advice to the National Science Foundation concerning implementation of the provisions of the CHIPS (Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors) and Science Act of 2022 and other related policies and activities.

White House and Department of Defense

• President Trump fired NSA Director and head of U.S. Cyber Command Gen. Timothy Haugh.

Department of Energy (DOE)

• DOE announced it has identified 16 potential sites it owns or manages for rapid data center construction and released a for Information (RFI) to inform possible use of DOE land for artificial intelligence infrastructure development. (RFI)(Press release)

Noteworthy Quotes and Events

ADMINISTRATION

Department of Defense (DOD)

• At an Information Technology Industry Council event in Washington, DC, DOD Cyber Command Executive Director Morgan Adamski said, “Anyone that works in cybersecurity, if you’re working on the manual side, a lot of times will say, ‘hey, it’ll take hours, days, weeks to be able to analyze specific traffic, specific lines of code.’ We have now been able to leverage AI to be able to get through that in minutes and hours.” (AIScoop)

Federal Reserve

• Fed Governor Michael Barr delivered remarks on AI, Fintechs, and Banks at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco in which he said, “Today, banks appear to be moving cautiously with their Gen AI use, which reflects the current state of the technology, as well as banks’ internal organizational structure and the highly regulated environment in which they operate. At the same time, Gen-AI offers enormous potential to significantly alter the business of banking, provided that the risks are managed appropriately. Given rapid advances in Gen AI every quarter, in the not-too-distant future, we may approach a point at which Gen AI becomes an imperative—a competitive necessity—in banking. To prepare for that point, it is useful for regulators and banks to think about the channels through which this competitive necessity may arise. Today, I want to focus on one of those channels, and that’s the bank–fintech relationship. Fintechs are well positioned to integrate Gen AI into their products and services, and banks have valuable data on customer behavior on which the Gen AI models can be optimized. Given these synergies, competition and cooperation between banks and fintechs will likely spur innovation and accelerate the integration of Gen AI into banking.” (Remarks)

CONGRESS

• Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) delivered remarks on “Big Tech’s monopolistic tendencies and the future of AI policy” at the Little Tech Competition Summit in Washington DC in which he said, “We’ve got to figure out a path forward that is liberty and prosperity-enhancing. Where we can say–honestly–to the middle class in this country, this is going to be good for you and your family. Where we can say–honestly–to blue collar workers, this is going to be good for you and your family. It’s going to make you more prosperous, more free, [and] we’re going to protect your rights.” (Press release)

• At an Information Technology Industry Council summit, Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-CA) said, “If you look at the risk management framework that NIST put out last year — which has been acknowledged as probably the most useful document for analyzing the potential risk of AI deployment that’s been produced anywhere in the world — what the report makes clear is that the risks of deployment are highly contextual, so it matters very much what you’re going to do with the AI when you evaluate what the risks are. And that’s incredibly important, because that means that something that’s unacceptably risky in one context might be completely benign in another context.” (NextGov)

• Obernolte also said, “If we fail to take action in Congress, we are running the risk that all the states are going to get out ahead of us, as they have on digital bank accounts, and, in short order, we’re going to have 50 different standards for what constitutes safe and trustworthy deployment of AI. That’s very destructive, not only for our ability to innovate with AI, but also … to entrepreneurialism.” (NextGov)

• Obernolte added, “We can’t expect all of our sectoral regulators to be experts on AI and the different risks and failure modes that come with it. So we need to equip them with a toolbox of not only testing and evaluation methodologies, but regulatory sandboxes for testing … potentially malicious AI, [in addition to] pools of technical talent that they can rely on and draw on to give them the expertise that they might not have, so that they don’t have to reinvent the wheel in each of our different agencies.” (NextGov)

• Regarding last Congress’s House Bipartisan AI Working Group, Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA) said, “Hopefully, we reinstate the [task force] because the more questions we ask, the more questions come up.” (Politico)

• Rep. Gabe Amo (D-RI) joined the Regulating AI podcast to discuss the need for AI literacy, responsible regulation, and combatting misinformation, saying, “If we wait until one is at deployment of the technology in the workforce setting… it’s too late.” He added, “We need to name the problem. Problem identification is how you get to a solution. Having the right people at the table and setting broad goals around inclusion are crucial to harnessing AI’s potential in areas like public health and education…The best thing we can do is isolate the noise, focus on objectivity, and ensure clear alignment on truth and facts. With responsible AI development, we can build a future where technology enhances democracy rather than undermines it.” (American Bazaar)

• In remarks at the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust Hearing on Artificial Intelligence: Examining Trends in Innovation and Competition, Subcommittee Chair Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI) said, “When government inserts itself too early, it locks in incumbents, drives up costs and freezes the market. Startups get squeezed. The rules benefit the insiders and innovation slows to a crawl. Meanwhile, our competitors — especially in China — aren’t waiting around.” (Politico)

• In opening statements at the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Administrative State,Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust Hearing on Artificial Intelligence: Examining Trends in Innovation and Competition, Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-MD) said, “It’s hard to think of an antitrust matter more pressing than concentration in the AI market. The dominance of a handful of AI companies presents a long-term threat to our national security, our democracy, our privacy, and basic fairness in the marketplace.” (Press release)

• In opening statements at the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Administrative State,Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust Hearing on Artificial Intelligence: Examining Trends in Innovation and Competition, Subcommittee Ranking Member Jerrod Nadler (D-NY) said, “As we examine innovation and competition with respect to artificial intelligence, we must keep in mind three simple truths: First, there is no artificial intelligence exception to the antitrust and consumer protection laws. Second, there is no DOGE exception to federal privacy protections. And finally, there is no presidential exception to following federal laws. It is a sad comment on the times we find ourselves in that these undeniable and basic propositions must be continually affirmed.” (Press release)

• Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA) said, “I appreciate some of the discussion today, and I think I understand that data storage is more important than ever, as we have AI and blockchain becoming more prevalent and accessible. But, I want to tell you a cautionary tale about my community. My district is home to more data centers than any other district in the country; in fact, if my district were a country, it would have more data centers than almost every other country in the world. If you look at this, ten data centers usually use more power than all of D.C., and we have more than 200, with another 100 planned. Many years ago, when these data centers were approved, they seemed like a great idea at the time, talk about lower property taxes and revenue for the counties, but our community is paying the price now. We are a cautionary tale for the rest of the country. The power needed for these data centers is creating a huge problem for our community… So, what I’m asking today is let’s be smart about how we’re deploying data storage as AI and blockchain become the norm. I’m calling for a national strategic plan on how we deploy more data storage that takes into account the impact on communities. It needs to be thoughtful—we need to be thoughtful about how we handle the unintended consequences on communities like how it will affect costs, and people’s utility bills? How will it impact our environment? How do we ensure that the security of these data centers is sufficient? We need to be thoughtful about data centers and data storage and their long-term impacts. One can support innovation, but it doesn’t have to come at the cost of our communities.” (Press release)

• On the Senate floor, Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) said, “We haven’t kept pace with changes in the nature of work, changes that are going to accelerate with artificial intelligence, changes which have meant that over the last several decades as the country has become more productive, that prosperity has not been shared with the people who made it possible. And I think economic anxiety, which is felt all over the world with these global changes in the marketplace, have put great stress on the whole Democratic experiment.”

• In an interview with Punchbowl News on AI policy, Rep. Laurel Lee (R-FL) said, “I do think Congress plays an important role in talking about things like workforce and being sure that we are prioritizing the workforce and education programs to emphasize STEM, think about the workforce that we need for tomorrow, support the development of that kind of curriculum in our communities.” She added, “There are a lot of things that we need to continue to study and look at as leaders in Congress while also ensuring that we’re not stifling innovation. We want the United States to continue to lead, and so we need to encourage that type of development and growth, as opposed to stifling it.” (Punchbowl News)

• About her interview, Lee tweeted, “’I am a big believer that artificial intelligence is going to enhance the American workforce and be a tool for the American worker to help us perform jobs with greater efficiency and speed.’ ICYMI—Check out my recent interview on advancing AI with PunchbowlNews.”

• Sen. Dave McCormick (R-PA) tweeted, “The race to develop and support the proliferation of AI is one that America can win, and Pennsylvania can lead. To do that, we need large, secure data centers and the ability to quickly ramp up energy production to support these centers. My team learned all about the national security, economic, and job growth benefits of expanding these sectors during a tour of Iron Mountain Data Center in Boyers, PA, hosted by PA State Rep. Stephenie Scialabba.”

• Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ) tweeted, “The AARP just backed RepEricSorensen’s and my bipartisan QUIET Act—a bill to crack down on AI scam robocalls. This bill will boost penalties for fraud & requires AI use to be disclosed—protecting our seniors from being targeted.”

• Rep. Yassmin Ansari (D-AZ) tweeted, “Phoenix is home to one of the fastest growing data center hubs in the country. We need to be global leaders on data and AI but we have to do so in a way that’s smart and sustainable.”

• Energy and Commerce Committee tweeted, “Under President Trump’s leadership, ENERGY is working to reopen shuttered nuclear power plants, restoring much needed baseload power. This will strengthen America’s edge in the AI race and help us lead in manufacturing.”

• Energy and Commerce Committee also tweeted, “’Developing AI and securing our power grid are two of our best tools to respond to the aggression of adversaries such as the CCP.’ -Chairman RepGuthrie. HouseCommerce is helping to ensure that America leads in AI and becomes energy dominant.”

• Energy and Commerce Committee also tweeted, “Today, Chairman RepGuthrie joined ITI_TechTweets to discuss the work HouseCommerce is doing to help the United States lead in the global AI race including meeting our own growing energy demands.”

• Energy and Commerce Committee also tweeted, “At last week’s Energy Subcommittee hearing, every single witness said we need more—not less energy. American energy dominance will ensure that we have the power we need to win the AI race and lead the world in manufacturing.”

• Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) tweeted, “As the use of AI chatbots grows more popular, I am pushing for answers from leading tech companies on how they are ensuring their products are safe to use––especially for children.”

• Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA) tweeted, “You can’t make this up: Trump’s team may have used AI chatbot math to set tariffs—dividing trade deficits by exports and halving it. The economist who figured it out called it “extraordinary nonsense” and he was exactly right!”

• Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA) tweeted, “I enjoyed speaking at POLITICO’s Health Care Summit to discuss the integration of AI into our health care system. As a doctor, I’ve seen how the right tools can improve patient outcomes and reduce provider burnout. AI holds real promise—but Congress must act to ensure we have the right safeguards in place. Last Congress, I served on the House Bipartisan Task Force on AI, which released a report outlining key opportunities and challenges for responsible AI use. It’s important we build on that work. We need thoughtful, bipartisan solutions to ensure that AI is deployed as a force for good in health care.”

• Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-CA) tweeted, “Artificial intelligence is one of the most transformative technologies of our time, but currently the tools needed to develop it are out of reach for most Americans. I’ve introduced the CREATE AI Act with RepDonBeyer to democratize access to cutting-edge AI resources by establishing a shared national infrastructure for research and experimentation. By empowering students, universities, startups, and small businesses to participate in the future of AI, we can drive innovation, strengthen our workforce, and ensure that American leadership in this critical field is broad-based and secure.”

• Oversight Committee Democrats tweeted, “NEW: Rep_Stansbury & Oversight Democrats introduced a resolution to compel Musk & Trump to answer for their use of AI to dismantle the government. ‘The American people demand to know why Elon Musk & DOGE are hacking our private and sensitive data & what they are doing with it.’”

• Rep. Chuy Garcia (D-IL) tweeted, “The Trump administration and its billionaire overlord Elon Musk are weaponizing AI to carry out their lawless and dangerous agenda targeting immigrants, workers, and consumers. Meanwhile, my Republican colleagues remain silent.”

• Rep. Ben Cline (R-VA) tweeted, “Overregulating AI won’t make America stronger. It will only slow our progress and give China the upper hand. We should be focused on freedom and innovation, not more government control.”

• House Judiciary Dems tweeted, “RepHankJohnson raises concerns about Elon Musk’s special access – without any oversight – to sensitive government databases full of data that could benefit his private AI venture and give him a huge edge over his competitors.”

• House Judiciary Dems also tweeted, “Ranking Member RepRaskin delivers remarks at today’s hearing on AI competition and how Trump’s actions have weakened our ability to confront the risks AI poses to consumers and our democracy.”

• House Judiciary Dems also tweeted, “When AI enables landlords to collude and raise rents, or to illegally deny patients medical care, that’s not innovation – it’s exploitation. RepBeccaB on the need for reasonable guardrails to protect people’s rights, without stifling innovation.”

• House Judiciary Dems also tweeted, “Ranking Member RepJerryNadler delivers opening remarks at today’s hearing on AI competition, highlighting how Trump dismantled key safeguards and left Americans to the growing dangers of unchecked AI power.”

• Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI) tweeted, “The U.S. must remain the best place in the world to build, test, and deploy AI. That means making room for new entrants, protecting free speech, and making sure American entrepreneurs—not unelected regulators—shape its future. Fear shouldn’t drive us into giving up control to Washington, Brussels, or Beijing. The American model has always been the best—let’s stick to it.”

• Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA) tweeted, “AI, tech centers, computer chips, and the grid…”

• Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA) tweeted, “Today I chaired an important hearing on the use of AI in education. Simply put, the possibilities are limitless. AI has the potential to give every child in America a richer educational experience than any child had just a few years ago.”

• Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT) tweeted, “The Office of Education Technology at the Dept of Education assists states with implementing AI tech safely & fairly in schools. Without the resources & expertise they have historically provided, states & school districts will not be equipped to navigate emerging technology on their own.”

• Rep. Mark Harris (R-NC) tweeted, “AI bots are pushing Left-wing propaganda When asked if a white Christian should be ashamed, Gemini responds with divisive buzzwords. But when asked if a black lesbian should be ashamed, it says ‘absolutely not’ DEI lost at the ballot box – it shouldn’t be allowed in schools”

• Rep. Mark Messmer (R-IN) tweeted, “States are not just laboratories for democracy, but for innovation in education as well. Indiana is laying the groundwork for embedding AI into the classroom, bringing outdated educational models into the 21st century!”

• House Committee on Education and Workforce tweeted, “At today’s hearing on the impacts of AI on K-12 education, RepMichaelRulli asked how AI tools can help students of all ages — including those with learning disabilities.”

• Oversight Committee Democrats tweeted, “AI innovation offers exciting possibilities for the future but also poses real concerns. RepMaxwellFrost emphasizes that safeguards are needed to ensure that AI benefits all Americans, not just billionaires and corporations.”

• Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT) tweeted, “AI shouldn’t replace teachers or critical thinking in the classroom—it should strengthen both. Integrating AI effectively will require us to keep the innovation local, the decision-making in the hands of parents and educators, and the learning human.”

• Sen. John Husted (R-OH) tweeted, “DeepSeek lies to its users, exposes their data to the Chinese Communist Party, and may even exploit American innovation to undermine our economy. There’s no defense for allowing this hostile AI bot to burrow into U.S. government devices.”

• Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) tweeted, “Russian propaganda network Pravda tricks 33% of AI responses in 49 countries”

• Rep. James Comer (R-KY) tweeted, “Over the next decade, artificial intelligence has the capability of detecting trillions of dollars of waste and fraud in the federal government. President Trump and Elon Musk recognize that AI is the new frontier. Congress can’t afford to get caught flat-footed.”

• Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ) tweeted, “The artificial intelligence arms race will drastically reshape the global playing field. America must dominate this new frontier to safeguard our critical systems from devastating attacks. We can’t risk falling behind as our adversaries strengthen their hacking capabilities.”

Highlights of the Week

• I published Build Momentum from the Middle to Find Common Ground on AI in the Diplomatic Courier, which concludes, “Polarization may be a challenge, but it is not insurmountable. The future of AI policy depends on our ability and willingness to work together—to create momentum through points of consensus. By centering on shared goals, we can ensure that AI policies and standards do not fall further behind the pace of innovation.”

What I’m Reading This Week

• How the U.S. Public and AI Experts View Artificial Intelligence, Colleen McClain, Brian Kennedy, Jeffrey Gottfried, Monica Anderson, and Giancarlo Pasquini, Pew Research Center

• Rebooting Copyright: How the UK Can Be a Global Leader in the Arts and AI, Jakob Mökander, Amanda Brock, Mick Grierson, Kevin Luca Zandermann, and Joseph Bradley, Tony Blair Institute for Global Change

• Speak Softly and Carry a Bag of Carrots: Soft Power in the Age of AI, Louisa Tomar, Diplomatic Courier

• Power, Peril, and AI’s Governance Challenge to Democracy, Aida Ridanovic, Diplomatic Courier

• Navigating the Many Headed Hydra of Global Tech Regulation, Andrea Bonime-Blanc, Diplomatic Courier

About Zero One Strategies

Zero One Strategies is a boutique government relations practice dedicated to navigating the complex landscape of U.S. federal policy in emerging technologies. As advancements in technology continue to outpace regulatory frameworks, Zero One Strategies aims to provide strategic guidance and bipartisan advocacy for innovators and businesses operating at the forefront of technological development.

The practice focuses on key areas such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, decentralized technologies, cybersecurity, data, and digital infrastructure, as well as the multiple policy issues impacting these sectors, including tax and financial services.

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