US House leader cancels votes as senators and foreign officials press for AI oversight

House speaker pulls the plug on Thursday votes

Republican Speaker Mike Johnson announced on Wednesday, September 16, that the House would adjourn a day early, effectively cancelling Thursday’s scheduled votes. The most high‑profile item affected was Rep. Thomas Massie’s resolution to impeach Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. Johnson framed the change as a routine schedule adjustment, telling reporters the chamber had "done its work" and that members should return to their districts before the midterm recess begins on Friday.

Democrats slammed the move as political theatre. Representative Pramila Jayapal called it "cowardice" and suggested the speaker was avoiding a bipartisan vote that could damage the Republican image. More than 100 House Democrats had signed a letter urging Johnson to keep the floor open so they could draft AI‑safety legislation spurred by recent industry warnings.

Senator Blumenthal pushes for targeted AI oversight

In Washington, senior Democrat Richard Blumenthal (Conn.) used a CNBC interview to press for a new oversight framework. He warned that without "objective review" of emerging AI products, the United States could lose grip on the technology’s trajectory. Blumenthal, who has introduced bipartisan legislation on AI safety, likened the needed oversight to the Food and Drug Administration’s review of medicines, noting that Congress lacks the technical expertise to police AI directly.

"We’re on the verge of losing control completely," he said, adding that any regulation must balance safety with the need to stay competitive against China. Blumenthal also pointed to recent alerts from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and OpenAI founder Sam Altman, who have called for a slowdown in model development.

China’s defence minister joins the call for global rules

Across the Pacific, China’s defence minister issued a statement urging all nations to step up AI oversight. The minister argued that unregulated AI could become a destabilising force, potentially threatening regime stability. While the exact name was not disclosed in the source, the call aligns with Beijing’s broader push for international standards on emerging technologies.

The broader political backdrop

President Donald Trump, meanwhile, dismissed AI‑safety concerns as a "hoax" and a "scam," insisting that beating China in the AI race is an "all‑important goal" for U.S. prosperity. The contrast between the administration’s stance and the warnings from legislators and foreign officials highlights a growing rift over how to manage the technology’s rapid evolution.

With the House recessed and a midterm election looming, lawmakers are likely to reconvene in November with a packed agenda that includes the Hegseth impeachment resolution and, more crucially, a suite of AI‑regulation proposals that could shape the industry for years to come.