A letter is being circulated among House members urging Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to "return immediately" and keep the House in session until Congress passes safeguards for artificial intelligence, Axios has reported.
Why this matters
The proposal follows warnings this week from current and former Anthropic researchers who went public saying advanced AI could pose an existential threat to humanity within the next decade. The letter was drafted by Representative Sam Liccardo (D-Calif.) and, according to a copy first obtained by Axios, says "urgent action" is needed "to address catastrophic risk posed by advanced artificial intelligence."
Who signed and how it circulated
The letter is co-signed by Representatives George Whitesides (D-Calif.) and Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), but as of Friday afternoon it was still being circulated among House members.
What the letter requests
The document calls for the House to "return to Washington immediately and remain in session until Congress advances meaningful, bipartisan AI safeguards." It notes the House reconvenes on Monday but is currently scheduled to sit for only one more week before leaving for a roughly six-week recess, returning on November 9.
The letter warns: "You can forgive every American who believes that Congress remains unserious about confronting our nation's most pressing challenges."
Congressional response and context
Despite rising urgency from rank-and-file members to address the alleged existential threat from AI, congressional leadership has mostly remained silent. Speaker Johnson is planning a vote next week on legislation aimed at preventing data centers from driving up Americans' energy costs, but he has not indicated that the House will take up any AI regulations before Election Day. A spokesperson for Johnson did not provide comment.
Bipartisan bills cited
The letter points to several bipartisan bills introduced to regulate AI and argues they "deserve consideration, public debate, thoughtful amendment, and action." It specifically cites the AI Kill Switch Act, introduced by Representatives Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) and Nathaniel Moran (R-Texas), which would require all AI systems to maintain a mechanism for human operators to slow or shut them down. It also references the FRONTIER Act, proposed by Lori Trahan and Representative Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.), which would establish a national framework for the development and deployment of new AI models.
The letter adds: "Whether with these proposals or any other variants, AI experts and leading companies agree that the United States can lead the world in artificial intelligence while establishing reasonable safeguards that protect Americans and our national security."
Closing warning
The letter concludes with a stark admonition: "To our children who will have read a post-apocalyptic history, 'Why Congress Slept' — likely written by agentic AI — our inaction will be inexplicable, and unforgivable."
