Capitol Code: Congress Steps In to Govern AI

AI Accountability Hits the Federal Agenda

In a significant step toward formal AI oversight, bipartisan lawmakers on Capitol Hill introduced a pair of complementary bills aiming to modernize how AI systems are deployed and monitored across federal agencies. Spearheaded by Senators Gary Peters (D-Mich.) and Mike Braun (R-Ind.), the Federal Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Act mandates that government agencies use NIST’s AI Risk Management Framework when evaluating or purchasing AI technologies. The bill is part of a broader effort to ensure that federal use of artificial intelligence upholds principles of fairness, transparency, and accountability, addressing growing concerns about algorithmic bias and automation risks in public services.

Centralizing Oversight with the AI Leadership Office

The second bill proposes the creation of a U.S. Artificial Intelligence Office within the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This new AI office would serve as a government-wide hub for coordinating AI policy, procurement guidance, and risk assessment strategies. It would also help standardize ethical and operational standards for AI tools used by federal agencies. This centralized approach reflects increasing consensus among lawmakers that fragmented AI policies across departments could lead to uneven applications and vulnerabilities. With bipartisan traction already building, these legislative efforts mark one of the most concerted attempts to regulate AI implementation at the federal level so far.