DC-based CDT joins coalition urging Ted Lieu not to preempt state AI laws

The Center for Democracy & Technology, a Washington, D.C.-based digital rights nonprofit, joined a coalition of organizations in a letter to Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) asking him to keep his recently introduced, bipartisan American Leadership in AI Act separate from broader attempts to preempt state artificial intelligence laws.

The letter said the coalition supports Lieu’s goal of advancing bipartisan federal AI policy but urged that the bill not be used as cover for measures that would block state efforts.

The coalition’s letter, sent to Lieu and his staff, raises concerns that tying federal legislation to preemption language could undermine state protections already in development or passed by states addressing privacy, bias, and consumer safeguards related to AI systems. CDT framed its intervention as supporting a balanced federal approach while preserving states’ ability to act where appropriate.

Lieu’s American Leadership in AI Act has been

Rep. Lieu’s American Leadership in AI Act has been discussed publicly as a vehicle for bipartisan progress on AI governance; the coalition’s outreach reflects broader tensions between federal standard-setting and state-level regulatory innovation. CDT’s participation underscores the role Washington-based think tanks play in shaping legislative language and advocating for digital rights during early stages of bill drafting.

The letter does not call for blocking a federal AI framework altogether; rather, it asks lawmakers to avoid packaging federal action with sweeping preemption that could limit states’ regulatory options. CDT’s intervention follows a wave of state activity on AI and renewed congressional attention to the technology this year.