Baldwin Calls Out Republicans for Refusing to Act on AI, Demands Congress Protect Families and Workers
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) released the following statement as Washington Republicans are refusing to act to protect Americans from Artificial Intelligence (AI) before the November 2026 elections, despite repeated warnings about the largest AI companies losing control of the technology they are creating. This comes as the Republican-controlled House of Representatives cut their work in Washington short, Senate leadership has yet to prioritize AI regulation before the midterm elections, and President Trump said the threats AI poses are a “hoax” and opposes Congressional action.
“Americans need to have a say in how artificial intelligence is used in their lives, where it belongs and where it does not. But right now, too many of those decisions are being made inside a few companies run by a handful of billionaires and Big Tech executives, while workers, families and communities are expected to live with the consequences.
“AI comes with great opportunity that we need to harness and also tremendous risks for our workforce and safety that we need to protect against. But right now, we are staring down all sorts of dangers, and Republicans, who control the White House, Senate, and House of Representatives, are refusing to act. I hear the calls from Wisconsinites who want some assurance that AI will not become capable of operating beyond human control. The time to act is now because we cannot trust Big Tech to do the right thing on their own, and the public should not bear the consequences when they get it wrong.
“In the short term, we must act to pump the brakes on these frontier models. We need an independent cop on the beat with the expertise and authority to stop deployment unless rigorous, independent testing shows that a model can be operated safely and kept under human control. Companies must disclose serious risks and incidents. We can and must both drive innovation and keep people safe. We’ve done it before, and we can do it again.
“As we look further down the road, my priority is making sure Wisconsin workers are at the center of the conversation. AI is already changing the way a lot of Wisconsinites work and will change more workplaces in the future. We have a responsibility to protect workers from being displaced, provide opportunities for skills training for folks in the middle of their career, ensure the workers of tomorrow have the technical know-how and knowledge they need for the changing economy, and fight for workers to have a say in how AI is used. I look forward to working with Wisconsinites – including small businesses, manufacturers, educators, unions, and workers – to map out what comes next and ensure workers will have dignity and more opportunity in the future.
“Wisconsinites are expecting we roll up our sleeves and get to work – and my Republican colleagues need to hear that urgency and join me, not cave to Donald Trump or Big Tech. The bottom line is that AI needs to work for Wisconsinites and Americans should be in control of AI, not the other way around.”
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
Mentioned in This Press Release
Recent Press Releases by U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin
Baldwin, Scott Lead Bipartisan Call for Investigation Into Amazon and Walmart for Hiding Made in America Goods
Sep 17th, 2026 by U.S. Sen. Tammy BaldwinAmazon, Walmart AI shopping tools steer Americans away from American-made products and fail to report fraudulently labeled products, undercutting American businesses
