Sen. Rounds Proposes NDAA-Style Approach for AI Legislation

Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) wants Congress to regulate artificial intelligence using the same legislative strategy as the National Defense Authorization Act, according to Punchbowl News.

Building Votes Through Addition

Rounds, who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee and co-hosts the bipartisan Senate AI Insight Forums, described the NDAA process as starting with core defense requirements, then allowing lawmakers to add provisions that broaden support.

"We start out with what the armed services need," Rounds said, according to Punchbowl News. "Then we allow other people to add things on as long as it adds to the number of votes."

The NDAA is an annual must-pass bill that sets policy and budget for the Department of Defense. Because it is considered essential legislation, it frequently becomes a vehicle for additional policy priorities that might struggle to pass as standalone bills.

A Pragmatic Path Forward

This approach signals a pragmatic strategy for AI regulation in a divided Congress. Rather than attempting a comprehensive standalone AI bill that could face partisan gridlock, Rounds' framework would establish core requirements first, then expand through political compromise to secure enough votes for passage.

The proposal comes as Congress continues to grapple with how to regulate rapidly evolving AI technology. Rounds has been actively involved in AI policy discussions, including his work on the Senate AI Insight Forums, which bring together lawmakers from both parties to examine AI's implications.

Reporting Note

The details of Rounds' NDAA-style proposal were reported by Punchbowl News, a credible congressional news outlet. The claim has not been independently corroborated by other major outlets including Axios, Politico, or Reuters. Rounds' involvement in AI policy discussions and his committee role have been verified independently.