House Speaker Mike Johnson said representatives will likely wrap up their work ahead of recess tonight, despite pending debates and votes on artificial intelligence and articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Johnson's decision came shortly after House Democrats stood on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building and vowed to take more action than their Republican colleagues would if they took control of the House in the midterms.
They promised to stop endless wars in the Middle East,” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said. The American people need action, not vacation.” Johnson pushed back against claims the GOP was not acting on the issue Tuesday, arguing that President Donald Trump and other senior Republicans were speaking with tech leaders on the matter. "This is not the time for foolish, knee-jerk reactions," he posted on X Wednesday morning.
"We must handle the advancing technology in a wise, balanced manner to harness its potential while ensuring its safety. We can and will do that correctly." Some votes scheduled for Thursday may now take place Wednesday, before lawmakers are sent home for a weekslong break, Politico reported. The Brennan Center for Justice currently lists a wide range of AI-related bills pending before the House, including some focused on government use and tackling deepfakes.
So far this Congress, the tracker shows over 65 bills have been introduced that either directly or indirectly seek to address concerns around AI. Only a couple have passed into law. This is a breaking news story.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Gabe Whisnant and Sam Wilson.
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