Washington Returns, Tech Priorities Reset for 2026

State of Play

The House and Senate are back in Washington following the holiday break. Tech priorities including children’s online safety and AI will top the 2026 to-do list. More on those below.

Following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro late last week, Senior Trump Administration officials led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will brief top congressional leaders and key committees on the capture as Senate Democrats prepare to force a vote requiring congressional approval for any further US military action in Venezuela.
CES, the biggest tech trade show in the world, kicks off this week in Las Vegas, with several high-profile appearances by Jensen Huang of NVIDIA and Lisa Su of AMD, spotlighting next-generation chips, AI-driven industry transformation, and AI transparency and innovation issues in areas like healthcare, content moderation, and the workforce. Franklin Square will be on the ground and keeping you up-to-date on the latest.

AI Conversation Continues: AI will continue to serve as the topic du jour for both Congress and the Administration this year, with several of the usual suspect issues on the list. Following the Administration’s executive order on federal preemption, state AI laws will continue to serve as a point of contention.

It is unclear if congress will work on additional legislative efforts to codify federal preemptions of burdensome state AI laws, but it is likely the Administration will keep implementation of its EO at the forefront.
Efforts on AI export controls will also remain prominent in the new year. Last year’s legislative efforts through the GAIN AI Act were noticeably absent from the FY26 NDAA. The bill would have required US semiconductor companies to prioritize selling advanced AI chips to domestic customers. While largely viewed as a win for the semiconductor industry, China hawk Members will likely revamp these efforts this year.

Children’s Online Safety Tops the Agenda: Children’s online safety initiatives are top of mind for Members in both the House and Senate. On the heels of the House Energy and Commerce CMT Subcommittee markup late last year, Chair Guthrie and CMT Chair Bilirakis have momentum to move key bills including the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and COPPA 2.0.

Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) has been largely leading the charge on KOSA in the Senate, and will continue efforts to move her version of the bill through. It’s prospects remain murky however, to get her Republican colleagues on board.
The clash remains over the two different House and Senate versions as the House version removes duty of care provisions and is largely seen as “weaker” on issuing responsibility to online companies.

FCC Moves to Block Drones, Chinese Surveillance Threats: Over the holidays, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to blacklist all new foreign-made drones and components, citing national security and surveillance risks. The move most heavily impacts Chinese manufacturer DJI, which dominates the global drone market.

The decision places DJI and similar firms on the FCC’s Covered List, blocking approval of new products for U.S. sale or import, while allowing drones already authorized and in use to continue operating.
Brendan Carr said the action responds to growing weaponization of drone technology by criminals and hostile foreign actors, even as businesses and public safety agencies warn of disruption given DJI’s widespread use.
China hawks in Congress, including Elise Stefanik and Senate Republicans, praised the ruling as a major step to protect US security and bolster domestic drone manufacturing.

The Senate Armed Services Cybersecurity Subcommittee to receive a closed briefing on Department of Defense cyber operations and readiness for the fourth quarter of FY 2025 - Tuesday, January 6 at 2:30 PM EST
The House Judiciary Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust Subcommittee holds a hearing on “Full Stream Ahead: Competition and Consumer Choice in Digital Streaming” - Wednesday, January 7 at 10:00 AM EST