Cruz blocks a bid to pass an AI safety board bill on the day of the White House lunch

Hours after the White House lunch, Senators Mark Warner, Brian Schatz and Andy Kim asked the Senate on Tuesday 29 September to pass the Artificial Intelligence Risk Management and Security Act of 2026 by unanimous consent. Senator Ted Cruz objected, according to The Hill, which stopped that route.

The sponsors' own release of 24 September sets out what the bill would do. It creates a permanent AI Safety Board in the Commerce Department. Developers would have to give the board access to a model at least 45 days before public release. Civil penalties run up to $250,000 per violation, per day. Incidents would have to be reported within 30 days, or within 72 hours for imminent threats.

The Hill reports that Cruz's concern was that the bill hands the executive branch too much power over private AI companies. Warner, as quoted by Roll Call, said: “I've not talked to a single member on either side of the aisle that doesn't think we need to move.”

Set beside the lunch, the day shows the two routes plainly: a voluntary accord whose own text says it may one day be codified, and a mandatory regime with pre-release access and daily fines that a single senator could stop on the floor. Unanimous consent is a shortcut, not the only path, and the bill can still move through committee.

• Reported Cruz objected on 29 September to the unanimous-consent request by Warner, Schatz and Kim. The Hill via Yahoo
• Claimed The bill requires model access “at least 45 days before public release”, penalties “up to $250,000 per violation, per day”, and incident reports within 30 days, or 72 hours for imminent threats. Office of Senator Andy Kim
• Reported Warner: “I've not talked to a single member on either side of the aisle that doesn't think we need to move.” Roll Call