January 12: This week in AI federal policy
DC/ai Decoded: A weekly newsletter on developments in artificial intelligence federal policy
This week decoded
The Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI) at NIST has issued a request for information seeking stakeholder input on best practices and methodologies for ensuring the secure development and deployment of AI agent systems. Meanwhile, the SEC has signaled interest in exploring how AI agents could be leveraged for proxy voting and related governance functions.
Looking ahead, federal AI policy is expected to take shape in 2026 as the White House develops a legislative framework to advance the priorities outlined in the Trump Administration’s AI Action Plan, signaling a potential new phase of coordinated federal action on artificial intelligence policymaking.
Read more below
Congress
Hearings
This week
On January 13, the House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee holds a hearing on Maintaining American Innovation and Technology Leadership.
On January 13, the House Financial Services Digital Assets, Financial Technology, and Artificial Intelligence Subcommittee holds a hearing on Delivering for American Consumers: A Review of FinTech Innovations and Regulations.
On January 14, the House Committee on Education and Workforce holds the first hearing in a series examining artificial intelligence on Building an AI-Ready America.
On January 14, the House Foreign Affairs Committee holds a hearing on Winning the AI Arms Race Against the Chinese Communist Party.
On January 14, the House Science, Space and Technology Research and Technology Subcommittee holds a hearing on Assessing America’s AI Action Plan.
Upcoming
On January 21, the House Small Business Rural Development, Energy, and Supply Chains Subcommittee holds a hearing on Empowering Rural America Through Investment in Innovation.
Legislation
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Sens. Todd Young (R-IN), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Steve Daines (R-MT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ted Budd (R-NC), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Mike Rounds (R-SD) introduced the National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization Act to advance the National Quantum Initiative, supporting quantum research and development, workforce training, and supply chain resilience funded through federal science agencies. (Text)(Summary)
Sens. Todd Young (R-IN) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) introduced the AI for Mainstreet Act to amend the Small Business Act to require small business development centers to assist small business concerns with the use of artificial intelligence. (Text)
Reps. Rob Menendez (D-NJ) and Greg Casar (D-TX) introduced the Preventing Rate Inflation in Consumer Energy (PRICE) Act to require data centers to generate their own renewable energy. (Text)
Reps. Rob Menendez (D-NJ) and Greg Casar (D-TX) also introduced the Data Transparency Act to require the Environmental Protection Agency and the Energy Information Administration to collect and update data on the environmental impacts and energy consumption of data centers. (Text)
Sens. John Boozman (R-AR) and Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Reps. Tracey Mann (R-KS) and Sharice Davids (D-KS) introduced the Roadway Safety Modernization Act to help state departments of transportation adopt the use of technologies such as artificial intelligence and telematics to identify faulty or inadequate infrastructure that negatively impacts driver behavior and leads to fatalities. (Text)
Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) introduced a bill to facilitate the export of United States artificial intelligence systems, computing hardware, and standards globally. (Text)
Correspondence
Sens. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Ed Markey (D-MA) sent a letter to Apple and Google requesting they immediately remove the X and Grok apps from their app stores until X Corp’s Chief Executive Officer, Elon Musk, addresses the Grok AI tool being used to generate nonconsensual sexualized images of women and children at scale. (Letter)
Trump Administration
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
The Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI) within NIST is seeking information from stakeholders on practices and methodologies for measuring and improving the secure development and deployment of artificial intelligence agent systems. In the notice, they say, “AI agent systems are capable of taking autonomous actions that impact real-world systems or environments, and may be susceptible to hijacking, backdoor attacks, and other exploits. If left unchecked, these security risks may impact public safety, undermine consumer confidence, and curb adoption of the latest AI innovations. We encourage respondents to provide concrete examples, best practices, case studies, and actionable recommendations based on their experience developing and deploying AI agent systems and managing and anticipating their attendant risks.” The comment period ends March 9. (Notice)
On January 21, NIST will hold a meeting of the Information Security and Privacy Advisory Board to discuss agentic artificial intelligence security, among other issues.
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
In remarks on (Re)Empowering Fiduciaries in Proxy Voting before the New York City Bar Association, the Director of the SEC Division of Investment Management Brian Daly suggested AI agents could be useful for proxy voting, saying, “… I want to insert a plug for artificial intelligence. As advisers grapple with the scale and complexity of proxy voting—especially across large portfolios—AI tools like large language models and agentic AI, offer a compelling opportunity. Imagine an AI agent that can review dozens or hundreds of proxy statements, assess them against your expressed values, and efficiently generate a large quantity of principled voting recommendations. And, pretty much, for free. This isn’t science fiction—it’s a near-term reality. Of course, with great power comes great responsibility. AI agents need to be trained and their output needs to be reviewed. Any adviser’s use of AI in proxy voting would also need to take into consideration principles of transparency, auditability, and consistency with fiduciary duties. But done right, AI can be a valuable tool that enhances—not replaces—human judgment, and that helps advisers better serve their clients.” (Remarks)
Noteworthy Quotes and Events
ADMINISTRATION
White House
At CES in Las Vegas, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Director Michael Kratsios said he and White House AI Czar David Sacks are working on a legislative framework for the priorities outlined in the Trump administration’s AI Action Plan, saying, “Our hope is that we can create a framework that is pro-innovation, but is also one that looks out for America’s youth and children and understands how we have to be responsible in the way that we deploy this technology around the country.” He added, “Sometimes you have to take rules down; other times you have to write new rules that can allow new technologies to thrive.” On data center energy demands, he said, “From an energy standpoint, the press has been very clear: if you want to build a data center, you should … be building your own power to support that. You shouldn’t be drawing from the larger grid and ultimately raising prices for Americans. That’s something that we’re pushing a lot of the folks in the big data center companies to work on, and something we’re gonna be doing for a very long time ahead.” (Meritalk)
CONGRESS
Rep. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) posted “Your electric bills are rising... and AI data centers are a major reason why. While AI innovation is promising, we must ensure it’s not happening at the expense of our communities. That’s why we’re taking action to fix the system, so these data centers - not our families - are accountable for their costs.”
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) posted “Winning the AI race is crucial to our national security, however it can’t mean higher energy prices for Arkansans. My bill will lower energy costs and ensure America can continue to lead in these spaces by eliminating outdated regulations.”
Cotton also posted “American AI dominance is crucial to our national security, however it can’t mean higher energy prices for Arkansans. My bill will lower energy costs while ensuring America continues to lead in these spaces.”
Cotton also posted “American dominance in artificial intelligence and other crucial emerging industries should not come at the expense of Arkansans paying higher energy costs. My bill will ensure that America can continue to lead in these spaces by eliminating outdated regulations.”
Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK) posted “We must be vigilant in curbing China’s influence over emerging AI technologies.”
Brecheen also posted “Recently, RepOgles and I co-chaired a HomelandGOP hearing on the impacts of AI on cybersecurity. Congress must stand alert to the fact that Communist China is actively working to weaponize AI, and other emerging technologies, to harm America. We must work with the private sector stand up against the CCP and mitigate cyber threats to our homeland.”
Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) posted “ICYMI: I introduced the Roadway Safety Modernization Act. We can use innovative technology like AI and telematics to move past the “crash first, fix later approach to improve faulty infrastructure and save lives. Momentum around this bipartisan bill continues to build”
Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) posted “The question isn’t whether America needs nuclear energy, it’s how fast we can build it. China and Russia are racing ahead. If we want to lead the world, we cannot afford to fall behind in AI, and securing our energy future is critical.”
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) posted “I fully support the call for a national AI data center moratorium and look forward to working with SenSanders and others to protect our communities from unaffordable utility bills and increased pollution.”
Rep. Joe Morelle (D-NY) posted “Explicit AI-generated deepfakes are dangerous, abusive, and all too common. If left unchecked, they’ll continue to have devastating impacts. I’ve authored legislation that would establish both criminal and civil penalties for those who produce deepfakes.”
Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA) posted “Federal inaction and the lack of strong guardrails for AI systems are making women and children less safe online. Companies have proven they can’t or won’t do the right thing so Congress needs to set guardrails for AI to protect people’s rights and safety.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) posted “There is an explosion of AI generating explicit images of children. And it’s not just actresses. Across the country, more and more teenage girls are becoming victims of deepfake harassment. Congress must step in and pass my DEFIANCE Act to ensure victims can seek justice.”
Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ) posted “It blows my mind that we have tech to reduce hospital costs and improve care, but old regulations block it. Why can’t an FDA-approved AI help prescribe your meds or manage chronic care? If it cuts costs and saves lives, let’s make it legal.”
Schweikert also posted “For years I’ve led legislation to allow AI to prescribe. In order to lower costs, expand access, and make Americans healthier we must realign incentives and legalize innovation”
House Ways and Means Democrats posted “This is the effect of Republicans’ attack on health care: people turning to AI for care.”
Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) posted “In the absence of a strong federal response to AI, states are wisely taking the lead to create guardrails. Trump’s attempt to undo this progress is prioritizing the profits of powerful tech corporations over the safety of the American people. I’m leading the fight to stop it.”
Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI) posted “China just launched the first ever AI-powered cyber attack against the U.S. And Donald Trump just announced a deal to sell China the most advanced chips that power AI. I asked four leading cybersecurity experts if they think this is a good idea. Spoiler alert: they don’t.”
Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) posted “I’m joining SenMarkey’s bill to block President Trump’s Executive Order, which denies states the ability to regulate artificial intelligence.”
What I’m Reading This Week
Trump Sees A.I.’s Economic Promise, While Dismissing Potential Threats, The New York Times
The Race for Global Domination in AI, Michael Schuman, The Atlantic
White House AI Action Plan: Progress & Policy Changes Since July, Jane Edwards, ExecutiveGov
5 key AI Fights to Watch in 2026, Julia Shapero, The Hill
Look Out For New State And Federal Legislation On AI, John Werner, Forbes
Tech: Players to Watch in 2026, Punchbowl
About Zero One Strategies
Zero One Strategies is a boutique government relations practice dedicated to navigating the complex landscape of U.S. federal policy in emerging technologies. As advancements in technology continue to outpace regulatory frameworks, Zero One Strategies aims to provide strategic guidance and bipartisan advocacy for innovators and businesses operating at the forefront of technological development.
The practice focuses on key areas such as artificial intelligence, digital assets, blockchain, decentralized technologies, cybersecurity, data, and digital infrastructure, as well as the multiple policy issues impacting these sectors, including tax and financial services.
Contact us at Stacey@ZeroOneStrategies.com
