The House Energy and Commerce Committee is unlikely to take up the bipartisan Great American AI Act before the 2026 midterm elections, Chair Brett Guthrie has indicated. The Kentucky Republican has raised doubts since late July 2026 and repeated them on September 16, arguing that maintaining U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence against China should take precedence over regulation that could hinder innovation. As of September 2026, the bill had not reached markup, the committee stage for debating amendments and voting on whether to advance legislation to the full House. The proposal includes catastrophic-risk disclosure requirements and cybersecurity standards for advanced AI systems. Meanwhile, the committee has focused on energy-cost protections for data centers and narrower competitiveness measures involving chips, open-source AI, and quantum computing. China has adopted targeted rules covering deepfakes and generative AI content, rather than regulating AI technology comprehensively. With no federal framework advancing, state laws in California, Colorado, and elsewhere remain the main governance structure for companies developing and deploying advanced AI. Guthrie previously supported a 10-year moratorium on state AI regulations in a budget reconciliation package, but the Senate later modified that package. The committee’s work on data-center energy policy and chip competitiveness could nevertheless reduce operating costs and support the domestic AI hardware supply chain.