Cathy McMorris Rodgers
U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) this week recommended that both the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) adopt artificial intelligence (AI) guidance released by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
“I am fully committed to unleashing American innovation and winning the future on emerging technologies,” McMorris Rodgers wrote in separate March 3 letters sent to the FTC chairman and CPSC acting chairman. “Our global race to develop and deploy artificial intelligence (AI) applications based on American values is central to our overall success.”
In adhering to a February 2019 Executive Order that established a national AI strategy and directed collaboration between the federal government, private sector, academia, the public, and international partners, the congresswoman expressed concern that the FTC and CPSC might opt to adopt and follow unnecessary and burdensome regulations, a regulatory approach that she said has failed Europe “time and time again and resulted in their lack of industry leaders in cutting-edge technologies.”
Instead, the representative recommended that the commissions consider using the OMB guidance for the regulation of AI, which sets out policy considerations and lays out principles for the stewardship of AI applications.
And while the FTC and CPSC are independent agencies that generally aren’t bound by OMB guidance, Rep. McMorris Rodgers urged them to follow the OMB guidance in any forthcoming related actions they may take.
“I fully support the Trump administration’s leadership with the recent budget proposal to double funding in AI-related federal spending,” wrote Rep. McMorris Rodgers, who is ranking member of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce.
“However,” she noted, “any gains in U.S. competitiveness from an increase in R&D will be set back by any unnecessary and burdensome regulations.”