Carter Says at Least 60 CBC Members Would Back AI Guardrails

Congressional Black Caucus Vice Chair Rep. Troy Carter said at least 60 of the caucus’s 62 members would vote for federal AI guardrails with human-safety guidelines. The estimate puts the influential House caucus firmly behind a regulated approach to AI, even as it works through a separate data-center policy.

Carter said the caucus supports AI regulation, transparency and protections for communities affected by the technology. Members are seeking internal consensus on data-center policy before the next Congress begins in January, placing the physical infrastructure behind AI alongside the debate over the systems themselves.

Carter argued that the U.S. should continue advancing innovation and technology while protecting Americans’ rights. He said competition with China should not drive AI legislation, framing safeguards as part of, rather than an alternative to, continued development.

Data centers sharpen the local stakes

Industry representatives at the CBC gathering emphasized the economic case for more computing infrastructure. Meta President and Vice Chair Dina Powell McCormick promoted the benefits of data centers and the AI buildout they power. Meta is building its Hyperion project in Louisiana, while Alphabet, Amazon and Microsoft are also expanding data-center capacity.

The caucus discussion also turned to who could feel that expansion most directly. Exelon Chief Executive Calvin Butler said the utility is in ongoing talks with lawmakers about data centers’ potential effects on energy prices and residents’ quality of life. Those remain potential impacts, but they are central to the caucus’s search for a policy position.

A wider House push for safeguards

The CBC stance comes as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has asked the House to remain in session to pursue AI-safeguard legislation. Carter’s estimate signals substantial caucus support for that direction, while the January target leaves the data-center questions unresolved.