# Rep. Chip Roy says Congress should oversee AI but not regulate it

Digest AI · Policy & Regulation · published 2026-09-18T14:20:46Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/rep-chip-roy-says-congress-should-oversee-ai-but-not-regulate-it

## Summary

Republican Representative Chip Roy, a Texas hard‑liner, told CNBC’s Squawk Box that he believes Congress has a role in overseeing artificial intelligence, but he does not want to impose regulation. Roy said he would support hearings where AI CEOs explain how they address safety concerns, describing the oversight function as “perfect” for the federal government’s republican form. 

Roy, who will leave the House at the end of the year after an unsuccessful run for Texas attorney general, joined a mixed panel at a Future of Life Institute event that also featured progressives such as Senator Bernie Sanders and Rep. Greg Casar, as well as former White House strategist Steve Bannon. The discussion comes after Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei published an essay urging more regulation, a view echoed by OpenAI’s Sam Altman and xAI’s Elon Musk. President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson have warned that slowing AI could let China take the lead, with Trump dismissing AI threats as a “hoax.” The Senate remains in session for two more weeks before a pre‑election recess.

## Key points

- Roy wants AI CEOs to testify before Congress but opposes any regulatory legislation.
- He will exit the House at year‑end after losing the Texas attorney‑general primary.
- Anthropic, OpenAI and xAI leaders have called for regulation, while Trump calls AI threats a hoax.

## Why it matters

The stance highlights a split in U.S. politics between oversight without regulation and calls for stricter AI rules, shaping future governance.

## Sources

1. [Rep. Chip Roy doesn't want to regulate AI, but says Congress should have an oversight role](https://cnbc.com/2026/09/18/chip-roy-ai-congress-regulate.html) (CNBC Technology, 2026-09-18)

Part of the developing story: [Congress Navigates Artificial Intelligence Oversight](https://digestai.news/thread/house-speaker-mike-johnson-calls-early-recess-amid-ai-regulation-push) (2 stories)

## Cite

Digest AI, "Rep. Chip Roy says Congress should oversee AI but not regulate it", 18 September 2026, https://digestai.news/story/rep-chip-roy-says-congress-should-oversee-ai-but-not-regulate-it

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