Bipartisan bill proposes kill switches for the most powerful AI models — DHS could order throttling or full shutdown, with fines up to $20 million per day

House lawmakers Ted Lieu and Nathaniel Moran introduced the bipartisan AI Kill Switch Act.

The bill would require developers of very powerful AI models to keep the ability to throttle, suspend, or shut them down.

It would also give the Department of Homeland Security emergency authority to order a slowdown or shutdown after catastrophic incidents.

The proposal could establish federal emergency powers over frontier AI systems and affect how companies like Anthropic and OpenAI design and operate their models.