Ted Cruz Doubts 60 Votes for Blackburn AI Bill as Trump Withholds Backing

1 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Jul 21

Ted Cruz said he expects to put Sen. Marsha Blackburn’s kids online safety proposal into a Senate Commerce AI markup, but warned Tuesday it is "not clear" the package can reach the 60 votes needed on the floor.
Monday’s Oval Office meeting did not resolve that uncertainty: Blackburn pitched a broader package pairing the Kids Online Safety Act with provisions pre-empting state AI laws, while Trump declined to endorse it.
The proposal could also fold in the NO FAKES Act on AI deepfakes and the App Store Accountability Act requiring parental consent for minors’ app downloads, according to a person familiar with the talks.
July 29 is the tentative markup date, but Blackburn may not introduce the bill in time and even Commerce Committee members from both parties said Tuesday they still had not seen a final agenda.
Blackburn said Monday she would keep building consensus to move the legislation by year-end, underscoring how unsettled the Senate path remains even before committee debate begins.