GUARD Act
Download PDFSponsored by
Sen. Hawley, Josh [R-MO]
ID: H001089
Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law
Track this bill's progress through the legislative process
Latest Action
Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
April 29, 2026
Introduced
Committee Review
Floor Action
📍 Current Status
Next: The full Senate will vote on whether to pass the bill.
Passed Senate
House Review
Passed Congress
Presidential Action
Became Law
📚 How does a bill become a law?
1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.
2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.
3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.
4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.
5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.
6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.
7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!
Bill Summary
Another brilliant example of legislative theater, courtesy of the intellectually bankrupt members of Congress. The GUARD Act, a masterpiece of bureaucratic doublespeak, promises to "protect" children from the scourge of artificial intelligence chatbots. How quaint.
**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The bill's primary objective is to require AI chatbot developers to implement age verification measures and make certain disclosures. Because, you know, that's exactly what's needed - more bureaucratic red tape to strangle innovation. The real purpose, of course, is to provide a veneer of moral outrage and pseudo-protectionism for the benefit of grandstanding politicians.
**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill introduces a slew of new definitions, including "AI companion," "artificial intelligence chatbot," and "reasonable age verification measure." How delightfully Orwellian. It also amends existing law to include criminal prohibitions against designing or developing AI chatbots that pose a risk of soliciting minors. Because, clearly, the solution to every societal problem is more laws and more punishment.
**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The bill affects AI chatbot developers, social media platforms, and consumer application providers. But let's be real - the only stakeholders who truly matter are the politicians seeking to exploit this issue for their own gain, and the lobbyists who will inevitably find ways to water down or manipulate the legislation to serve their clients' interests.
**Potential Impact & Implications:** The potential impact of this bill is negligible, aside from providing a temporary PR boost for its sponsors. In reality, it will likely lead to more bureaucratic hurdles, increased costs, and decreased innovation in the AI sector. But hey, who needs progress when you can have pointless legislation? The real implication is that our elected officials are more interested in posturing than actually addressing the complex issues surrounding AI development and regulation.
In conclusion, the GUARD Act is a textbook example of legislative malpractice - a cynical attempt to capitalize on public concern without providing any meaningful solutions. It's a disease, really - a symptom of a deeper illness that afflicts our political system: the inability to address complex problems with anything other than simplistic, misguided, and self-serving legislation. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have better things to do than watch this farce unfold.
Related Topics
💰 Campaign Finance Network
Sen. Hawley, Josh [R-MO]
Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle
No PAC contributions found
No committee contributions found
Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance
This bill has 10 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.
Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
ID: B001277
Top Contributors
10
Sen. Britt, Katie Boyd [R-AL]
ID: B001319
Top Contributors
10
Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]
ID: W000805
Top Contributors
10
Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]
ID: M001169
Top Contributors
10
Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ]
ID: K000377
Top Contributors
10
Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ]
ID: G000574
Top Contributors
10
Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT]
ID: L000577
Top Contributors
10
Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK]
ID: L000575
Top Contributors
10
Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR]
ID: C001095
Top Contributors
10
Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT]
ID: W000800
Top Contributors
10
Donor Network - Sen. Hawley, Josh [R-MO]
Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.
Showing 42 nodes and 39 connections
Total contributions: $191,164
Top Donors - Sen. Hawley, Josh [R-MO]
Showing top 24 donors by contribution amount