House Speaker Mike Johnson declared Sunday that Congress will not take the lead on artificial intelligence safety regulation, placing responsibility for safeguards squarely on tech companies themselves as lawmakers face mounting pressure to act before entering a six-week recess.

Johnson told CNN's "State of the Union" that AI developers, not Congress, bear responsibility for ensuring their products are safe. "If we had the solution, I'd recall the House and put AI regulation to a vote," Johnson said. "But we need to understand what we're regulating before rushing into rules."

Democrats Push for Delayed Recess

The Speaker's comments come as a group of House Democrats led by Representative Sam Liccardo is urging Johnson to cancel the chamber's planned recess until Congress passes AI safeguards. The House is scheduled to enter recess at the end of this week and remain out of session through early November, leaving minimal legislative time before the midterm elections.

The Democratic letter warned of "catastrophic risk posed by advanced artificial intelligence" and called for bipartisan AI protections, including transparency and antitrust proposals. Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told NBC's "Meet the Press" that it is "deeply dangerous" for Congress to "sit on its hands" over AI regulation.

China Competition Concerns

Johnson framed the AI debate around international competition, warning that rushed regulation would put the United States at a disadvantage in what he characterized as an arms race with China. "Losing that race would be a threat to every single American," the Speaker said. He proposed a summit bringing together Trump administration officials, congressional leaders, and tech executives as a first step toward eventual legislation.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries agreed Sunday that Congress should start regulatory talks this week, though he did not join calls to delay the recess. The bipartisan recognition of AI risks has not translated into consensus on how to address them. Johnson told reporters Monday that the House would vote on a bill next week to prevent data centers from driving up Americans' energy costs, but offered no indication that the chamber will vote on AI regulations before Election Day.

Industry Self-Regulation

The four largest AI labs endorsed slowing their models' development last week, responding to warnings from researchers and former executives about existential risks if artificial intelligence continues advancing at its current pace. Johnson suggested those companies could act on their own. "AI executives 'pushing the frontier' could slow down if they wanted," the Speaker told CNN. "But Congress shouldn't rush to act."

Johnson is planning a vote on the energy cost bill but has offered no formal AI safety legislation for consideration. A spokesperson for the Speaker did not provide comment on whether he would agree to delay the recess. Congressional leadership has largely offered silence despite growing urgency from rank-and-file members to respond to the potential threats posed by rapidly advancing AI systems.