Press Releases
Hawley, Durbin Introduce Legislation Empowering Americans to Bring Liability Claims Against AI Companies
U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) joined Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) in introducing the Aligning Incentives for Leadership, Excellence, and Advancement in Development (AI LEAD) Act. This legislation would classify AI systems as products, allowing for liability claims when an AI system causes harm. “When a defective toy car breaks and injures a child, parents can sue the maker. Why should AI be treated any differently? This bipartisan legislation would apply products liability law to Big Tech’s AI, so parents—and any consumer—can sue when AI products harm them or their children,” Senator Hawley said. “Democrats and Republicans don’t agree on much these days, but we’ve struck a remarkable bipartisan note in protecting children online. Big Tech’s time to police itself is over....
Hawley, Blumenthal Introduce Bipartisan AI Evaluation Legislation to Put Americans First
Today, U.S. Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Ill.) introduced bipartisan legislation to create a risk evaluation program within the Department of Energy (DOE) dedicated to tracking AI safety concerns related to Americans’ national security, civil liberties, and labor protections. The program would ensure real transparency by requiring developers of advanced AI systems to submit product information to the DOE before deploying their new technology. “As Big Tech companies continue to develop new generations of artificial intelligence, the wide-ranging risks of their technology continue to grow unchecked and underreported. Simply stated, Congress must not allow our national security, civil liberties, and labor protections to take a back seat to AI. This bipartisan...
Hawley Expands Investigation, Demands Documents from Big Tech on AI Chatbot Policies after Hearing
Following an explosive Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism hearing that exposed the harm AI chatbots have caused to children, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) issued document requests to Character.AI, Google, Meta, OpenAI, and Snap Inc. demanding they turn over all communications related to their AI chatbot policies. In the letters, Senator Hawley, who chairs the committee, noted the testimony of several parents who lost their children to suicide at the hands of AI chatbots. Senator Hawley wrote, "There is increasing evidence that AI chatbots pose a grave harm to children. And your company’s products are responsible. More than seventy percent of American children are now using AI chatbots, which exposes minors to a host of concerning...
ICYMI: Chairman Hawley Exposes AI Chatbots for Harming Children
'Every Parent's Worst Nightmare' U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, held a hearing to expose the growing harms to children posed by online chatbots like Character.AI, OpenAI's ChatGPT and Meta. The hearing featured new testimony from parents of chatbot victims as well as AI safety experts and psychologists—one of whom recently issued a health advisory for AI chatbots.One mother testifying under the alias 'Jane Doe' stated during her opening testimony, "Character.AI was marketed in the Apple Store as 'fun and safe' with an age rating of 12 plus. My son downloaded the app, and within months, he went from being happy, social teenager to somebody I didn't even recognize... My...
Hawley Secures Commitment from FBI Director Patel to Investigate Anti-Christian Violence & AI Chatbots
Today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) secured a commitment from FBI Director Kash Patel to further investigate the harms of AI chatbots and anti-Christian violence in the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination. "I want to start by talking to you about the tide of violence that we have seen, ideological violence against people of faith, particularly Christians," Senator Hawley said. "Is the FBI investigating the Kirk assassination as part of this broader pattern of anti-religious, anti-Christian violence?" FBI Director Patel responded, "We are investigating Charlie's assassination fully and completely and running out every lead related to any allegation of broader violence, and we're producing results... Unfortunately, it has been...
Hawley Proposes Fort Leonard Wood As Potential ICE Agent Training Facility
U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, promoting Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri as a potential training spot for new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Senator Hawley wrote, "My state is grateful for your efforts to reverse the lawless open borders policy of the previous administration. A central part of these efforts has been the recruitment of thousands of additional Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. To facilitate the swift and effective training of these officers, I wanted to note the potential benefits of utilizing Fort Leonard Wood, a major Army installation in my state." He continued, "Fort Leonard Wood is currently a critical hub for military law enforcement...
ICYMI: Chairman Hawley Sounds the Alarm on America’s Fire Truck Crisis
Chairman Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Ranking Member Andy Kim (D-N.J.) held a hearing in the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Disaster Management that revealed private equity's role in the growing equipment crisis facing fire departments across the country. The hearing featured fire chiefs, union presidents, and industry leaders alike. For the better part of 20 years, private-equity firms have made a business out of buying up independent firetruck manufacturers—to the point where just three major companies command 70-80 percent of the entire fire apparatus market. "Your profits have grown five times over the last five years to 250 million dollars, but nobody can get their equipment," the...
Hawley Introduces Legislation to Display National Motto ‘In God We Trust’ on All Federal Buildings
Today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced the In God We Trust Act, which would require the General Services Administration (GSA) to display the national motto on all federal buildings in the United States. The legislation comes alongside the launch of President Trump's 'America Prays' initiative. "Our national motto goes all the way back to the days of President Lincoln. Congress adopted 'In God We Trust' as our national motto in 1956 during the rise of atheist communism, and it remains our national motto today," said Senator Hawley. "The In God We Trust Act will ensure that the federal government—as well as the American people for whom it works—never forgets the ultimate source of the liberty and prosperity this country enjoys. As...
Senator Hawley Applauds Confirmation of Four Outstanding Missouri Judges
Today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) applauded the confirmation of Missouri’s four district court nominees to the federal bench.“Today is a big day for Missouri as we confirm the last of our four outstanding district court judges to the federal bench,” said Senator Hawley. “These incredible individuals will uphold the Constitution and the rule of law in Missouri. Missourians are grateful to President Trump for putting constitutionalist judges on the bench.”The Senate confirmed the following nominees: Joshua M. Divine, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern and Western Districts of Missouri; Maria A. Lanahan, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Missouri; Zachary M. Bluestone, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern...
Hawley Calls for Investigation into Unsafe, Unsanitary Conditions Reported by Missouri Tenants
U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) sent a letter to Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner, calling for an investigation into the unsafe and unsanitary conditions reported by tenants living at the Villas of Autumn Bend (the “Villas”) in Blue Springs, Mo. "[Tenants] cited sewage overflows, mold, and dirty ventilation systems, among other conditions. Upon invitation by tenants, my staff visited the Villas and confirmed that many units had visible mold infestations, unsanitary ventilation systems, broken plumbing, and sewage backups," Senator Hawley wrote. "The tenants of the Villas of Autumn Bend deserve to live in conditions that meet the basic standards guaranteed by federal law," the Senator insisted. Senator Hawley has...