In defense of the moratorium, Republican lawmakers argued that regulations across 50 states pose too great a challenge for federal rules around artificial intelligence to be effectively developed.

House Republicans have proposed banning states from regulating AI for the next ten years. The sweeping moratorium, quietly tucked into the Budget Reconciliation Bill last Sunday, would block most state and local governments from enforcing AI regulations until 2035 if passed.

The new budget reconciliation bill being proposed by Republicans would give AI developers a decade to operate without regulation.