Senate

Commerce, Science, and Technology (SCST)

Chair: Ted Cruz (R-TX)

Ranking Member: Maria Cantwell (D-WA)

Key Actions: Advanced several AI bills including ones which would give statutory authorization for the AI Safety Institute (AISI).

Jurisdiction: Oversees all interstate commerce, science and technology policy matters, and has oversight over many agencies including the FTC, NIST, NSF, NTIA, and OSTP. Senator Cruz is seeking to make his subpoena powers as chair unilateral, as HSGAC has.

Key Subcommittee: Consumer Protection, Product Safety and Data Security, which has jurisdiction over the FTC, Consumer Product Safety Commission, and the Office of the Secretary of Commerce.

House

Science, Space, and Technology (HSST)

Chair: Brian Babin (R-TX)

Ranking Member: Zoe Lofgren (D-CA)

Key Actions: Advanced several AI bills including the AI Incident Reporting and Security Enhancement Act. It also advanced the AI Advancement and Reliability Act which would give statutory authorization to an entity similar to AISI.

Jurisdiction: Oversees non-defense federal scientific research and development and has jurisdiction over NSF, NIST, and the OSTP. It also has authority over R&D activities at the Department of Energy. 

Key Subcommittee: Research and Technology (chaired by Jay Obernolte (R-CA)), which has jurisdiction over NIST and emerging technology policy.

Senate

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (HSGAC)

Chair: Rand Paul (R-KY)

Ranking Member: Gary Peters (D-MI)

Key Actions: Advanced bills including the PREPARED for AI Act (a risk-based framework for federal agencies’ AI procurement that would include risk evaluations, testing, and prohibitions against unacceptably risky AI systems) and the Preserving American Dominance in AI Act (requiring developers to evaluate and safeguard against chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and cyber threats).

Jurisdiction: Oversees matters related to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as well as the functioning of the government itself. It has oversight over other agencies including CISA and OPM. This committee’s chair can now also unilaterally subpoena documents and witnesses under penalty of contempt, meaning it no longer requires the consent of the ranking member.

House

Homeland Security (HHSC)

Chair: Mark Green (R-TN)

Ranking Member: Bennie Thompson (D-MS)

Key Actions: Held hearings on AI and cybersecurity.

Jurisdiction: Oversees US security legislation and the Department of Homeland Security.

Key Subcommittees: Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection (chaired by Andrew Garbarino (R-NY)) has jurisdiction over the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the cybersecurity missions and operations of other DHS components.

Emergency Management and Technology (chaired by Dale Strong (R-AL)) has jurisdiction over matters pertaining to weapons of mass destruction, health security threats, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Science and Technology Directorate, the Office of Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction, and the Office of Health Security.

Senate

Judiciary (SJC)

Chair: Chuck Grassley (R-IA)

Ranking Member: Dick Durbin (D-IL)

Key Actions: Hosted hearings on AI oversight and advanced the bipartisan Blumenthal-Hawley framework which included an independent licensing regime for sophisticated AI, national security protections against technology transfer to adversaries, and safety brakes for high-risk AI.

Jurisdiction: Oversees the Department of Justice (DoJ) and civil-rights related aspects of Homeland Security (DHS).

Key Subcommittee: Privacy, Technology, and the Law (chaired by Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)).

House

Judiciary (HJC)

Chair: Jim Jordan (R-OH)

Ranking Member: Jamie Raskin (D-MD)

Key Actions: Held hearings about the intellectual property challenges posed by AI.

Jurisdiction: Oversees matters relating to the administration of justice in federal courts, administrative bodies (such as the FTC), and law enforcement agencies (such as the FBI). It also has oversight over the DoJ and the DHS.

Key Subcommittee: Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet (chaired by Darrell Issa (R-CA) has jurisdiction over the U.S. Courts, copyright, patent, trademark law and information technology.

Senate

Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs (SBC)

Chair: Tim Scott (R-SC)

Ranking Member: Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)

Key Actions: Advanced bills including one on regulatory sandboxes
for AI.

Jurisdiction: Oversees matters including banking, export controls, and government contracts. It also has jurisdiction over the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS).

House

Energy and Commerce (HEC)

Chair: Brett Guthrie (R-KY)

Ranking Member: Frank Pallone (D-NJ)

Key Actions: Held hearings on AI’s growing energy needs and its implications for healthcare.

Jurisdiction: Committee has the broadest jurisdiction of any authorizing committee in Congress, including over Departments of Energy and Commerce, as well as the FTC. 

Key Subcommittee: Communications and Technology (chaired by Richard Hudson (R-NC)) has jurisdiction over the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the Office of Emergency Communications in the DHS.

Senate

Armed Services (SASC)

Chair: Roger Wicker (R-MS)

Ranking Member: Jack Reed (D-RI)

Key Actions: Advanced the NDAA FY25 which requires “positive human actions” to deploy nuclear weapons. It also creates a plan to scale up the Department of Defense’s (DoD) AI workforce, so it can effectively vet AI systems.

Jurisdiction: Oversees matters relating to the common defense, military research and development, and the DoD. It has a similar mandate to House Armed Services. 

Key Subcommittees: Cybersecurity (chaired by Mike Rounds (R-SD)) has jurisdiction over information technology base RDT&E, cyber-related operational test and evaluation, RDT&E and procurement supporting cyber capabilities, and combating cyber threats and attacks.

Emerging Threats and Capabilities (chaired by Joni Ernst (R-IA)) has jurisdiction over Army and Air Force RDT&E, the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, Assistant Secretary of Defense (Homeland Defense and Global Security), and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

House

Armed Services (HASC)

Chair: Mike Rogers (R-AL)

Ranking Member: Adam Smith (D-WA)

Key Actions: Advanced its version of the NDAA FY25 (see left column) which tasks the DoD to report, and eventually pilot, an AI-powered program to develop biotechnology applications for national security.

Jurisdiction: Responsible for funding and oversight of the DoD and the US Armed Forces, as well as substantial portions of the DoE, primarily through the National Defense Authorization Act. 

Key Subcommittee: Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation (chaired by Don Bacon (R-NE) has jurisdiction over DoD policy and programs related to AI.

Senate

Foreign Relations (SFRC)

Chair: Jim Risch (R-ID)

Ranking Member: Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)

Key Actions: Held a ‘US Leadership on AI’ hearing and released a report on US-EU cooperation which found that their policies are diverging due to lack of US leadership. 

Jurisdiction: Has a similar mandate to House Foreign Affairs, except it does not have jurisdiction over BIS and has additional justification over confirmation of diplomatic appointees. 

House

Foreign Affairs (HFAC)

Chair: Brian Mast (R-FL)

Ranking Member: George Meeks (D-NY)

Key Actions: Advanced the ENFORCE Act which would empower the President to require an export license for AI systems poseing national security risks, such as those enabling weapons of mass destruction, cyber attacks, or deceptive evasion of human oversight.

Jurisdiction: Oversees the mandate of the State Department, BIS, and matters including the impact of national security developments on foreign policy, treaties, executive agreements, and arms control. 

Senate

Intelligence (SSCI)

Chair: Tom Cotton (R-AR)

Vice Chair: Mark Warner (D-VA)

Key Actions: Advanced the Intelligence Authorization Act FY 2025 which established the AI Security Center within the NSA. 

Jurisdiction: Oversees the intelligence activities of other departments and agencies and oversees appropriations for the CIA, DIA, NSA, and FBI. It has a similar mandate to its counterpart in the House.

House

Intelligence (HPSCI)

Chair: Mike Turner (R-OH)

Ranking Member: Jim Himes (D-CT) 

Key Actions: Introduced a bill to coordinate an AI initiative among the
Five Eyes.

Jurisdiction: Oversees the US Intelligence Community, including the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and intelligence components of various agencies such as the CIA, NSA, NGA, and DIA. It works with Armed Services on intelligence-related components of the defense community.