Virginia Gov. Spanberger urges Congress to establish federal AI guardrails
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger is calling on Congress to establish federal guardrails for artificial intelligence, arguing that the technology’s rapid development is creating risks states cannot address on their own.
In a letter sent to congressional leaders Tuesday, Spanberger cited concerns about data privacy, workforce displacement, cybersecurity and the large amounts of energy and other resources required to power AI systems. She argued that a national framework is needed rather than leaving oversight primarily to individual states or technology companies.
“The potential impacts of AI are too great to leave the regulation of this technology solely in the hands of private entities, especially when the CEOs of those same companies are also sounding the alarm on the significant risks presented by uncoordinated regulation,” Spanberger wrote. “Our country is at a turning point. The federal government needs to play a much larger role in regulating this emerging technology to ensure its safe development and the protection of people and their livelihoods.”
The request comes as calls for federal AI regulation have intensified in recent weeks.
Earlier this month, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei published an essay outlining the need to slow down frontier AI development and increase industry oversight. Sam Altman of OpenAI and Elon Musk of xAI quickly expressed their agreement and called for mandatory national safety requirements.
Despite the urgency from both state leaders and AI developers, federal action remains uncertain. Senators John Hickenlooper and Cory Booker have separately urged Congress to take up AI legislation, while lawmakers from both parties have pushed proposals addressing AI safety and oversight. House Speaker Mike Johnson has said Congress should not lead on AI safety regulation, which supports President Donald Trump’s opposition for broad AI regulations.
In her letter, Spanberger said Virginia will continue developing its own policies while Washington considers its approach. Last week, she unveiled a Data Center Accountability Framework and signed an executive order creating an AI Task Force focused on workforce impacts, privacy and cybersecurity.
“In the absence of federal action, states are leading within their more limited areas of jurisdiction,” Spanberger wrote. “The well-being and security of Virginians must always come first, and the Task Force’s actions will be guided by that foundational principle.”
Virginia is not alone. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has ordered state officials to accelerate the rollout of a new system for independently auditing the safety of artificial intelligence models, while exploring additional requirements for companies developing the most advanced AI systems.
Newsom also signed legislation earlier this month creating California’s framework for independent AI verification organizations and a registry of AI auditors, part of a larger state strategy covering AI safety, cybersecurity, privacy, children’s online safety and government use of the rapidly advancing technology.
“We’re not waiting to act – we’re going to speed up our work on substantial and responsible AI oversight before it’s too late,” Newsom said in a statement last week. “We’re going to do this thoughtfully but with urgent velocity; the stakes are too high to wait or delay action.”
The National Association of State Chief Information Officers has also urged Congress to preserve states’ authority to regulate AI, reflecting concerns among state CIOs about federal policies that could override existing state rules.
Spanberger said federal and state governments can support AI development while also establishing safeguards, arguing that the two goals do not have to conflict.
“The notion that the United States must choose between AI safety and AI leadership is a false
dichotomy. America can do both,” Spanberger wrote. “ Our country cannot afford for the federal government to abdicate its oversight responsibility. Congress must immediately and seriously consider how to best grapple with how AI’s emergence creates opportunities and challenges for our safety, well-being, and collective future.”
