Top House Progressive Wants To Make AI Scrutiny A Top Priority In Democratic House

A top House progressive lawmaker is pushing for aggressive oversight of artificial intelligence now that Democrats will decisively take over the House in January.

Democrats should take advantage of their decisive sweep in the midterm elections to force AI executives to testify before Congress and pass AI safety bills, Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Greg Casar said on Tuesday. Congress will likely become much more hawkish against the AI industry compared to the more tech-friendly Republican majorities in Congress.

“The House Democratic majority must make it a top priority to protect Americans’ jobs, freedoms, and lives from AI billionaires,” Casar said in a statement on Tuesday, according to Punchbowl News. “AI company CEOs should be called to testify under oath. Congress should investigate how these companies are putting the jobs, freedom, and lives of Americans at risk. And we should pass bills to protect the people.”

Casar’s office did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

“The revolt against data centers was one of the top issues of the 2026 election, and in a few years we will look back on it as just the early tremor of a much bigger AI earthquake upending American politics,” he added in his statement.

“Voters rejected Republicans in part because they were bought and paid for by AI billionaires. Democrats must hold them accountable instead of cashing their checks,” Casar concluded.

Midterm election exit polling found that Americans have soured on AI and want more safety with regards to the technology.

Roughly two-thirds of voters rejected data center construction in their neighborhoods and 43 percent do not trust either party to handle AI issues, according to early CNN exit polls.

Republicans’ inability to embrace “common-sense” AI safety measures could cost them dearly heading into the next election cycle, according to a poll exclusively obtained by the DCNF.