White House AI Policy Framework Urges Congress to Override State AI Laws

White House with AI holographic neural network projected above it at dusk

The White House has published its long-awaited artificial intelligence policy framework, laying out a legislative wishlist that it hopes Congress will turn into federal law. The proposal is a clear signal of the administration's approach: minimal regulation, maximum deference to Silicon Valley, and a firm hand against state-level AI legislation.

What the Framework Proposes

The light-touch framework blends the Trump administration's push for a national AI rulebook with protections for children and teens online. Key provisions include:

  • Federal preemption of state AI laws that the administration says "impose undue burdens" on innovation
  • Age-gating requirements for AI models likely to be accessed by children
  • Parental tools to set up safeguards around children's AI use
  • Codifying Trump's ratepayer protection pledge, requiring tech firms to supply or pay for electricity used by their data centers
  • AI skills training and education legislation
  • No new federal agencies to regulate AI

The Preemption Play

Perhaps the most controversial element is the explicit call to override state AI laws. The framework urges Congress to preempt any state laws that regulate how AI models are developed or that penalize companies for how their AI is used by others. The Trump administration has been pushing for this preemption for roughly a year, arguing that a patchwork of state laws harms AI innovation.

"We have the big investment coming, but if they had to get 50 different approvals from 50 different states, you can forget it because it's impossible to do," Trump said when he signed a related executive order in December.

Congressional Path Forward

Senate Majority Leader John Thune has indicated that a potential bill could be bundled with a larger package including KOSA, the kids' online safety bill, which could attract bipartisan support. Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz hopes to put something forward by the end of April.

However, even Republicans have expressed concerns about overriding state authority. "We've got to figure out how to do this in a way that addresses the concerns that a lot of our members have about not trampling state's rights in the process," Thune said.

The Bottom Line

This framework reads like a tech industry wish list wrapped in "protect the children" language. No new enforcement agencies, preemption of state laws that might actually hold companies accountable, and a "minimally burdensome" approach to regulation. The real question isn't whether Congress will pass it — it's whether this framework will have any teeth at all, or if it's just a permission slip for Silicon Valley to self-regulate.