Cybersecurity Policy Report, AI ‘Kill Switch’ Bill Offered in Senate; Request for Immediate Adoption Blocked, (Sep 17, 2026)
AI (artificial intelligence) developers would have to install “kill switches” to enable them to shut down advanced models that misbehave under legislation introduced yesterday by Sen. John Kennedy (R., La.).
After introducing the AI Emergency Button Act (S.B. 5417, 119th Cong. (2026)), Sen. Kennedy sought to win its immediate passage in the Senate through unanimous consent, but he was blocked by Sen. Rand Paul (R., Ky.).
The two-page bill would require AI developers to “ensure that the advanced artificial intelligence system developed or operated by the covered entity includes a technical capability for a human operator to shut down the system,” according to its text. It would give the Department of Homeland Security 90 days to develop regulations to implement its provisions.
“It basically says that if you're going to sell an advanced AI model in the United States of America, it's got to have a kill switch. Doesn't put the federal government or any government in charge of the kill switch. It puts the companies who own the model in charge of the kill switch,” Sen. Kennedy explained on the Senate floor.
He cited recent disclosures from AI developers about out-of-control AI agents that went on hacking sprees. “AI is supposed to be a tool that the human beings have control of to make our lives better. But what happens if the AI model—through what's called recursive self-improvement, which basically means it's learning on its own—no longer becomes a tool? It becomes an independent species, separate and apart from human beings, that we can't control,” he said.
“I don't want to stop AI innovation. I don't want to allow China to get ahead of us. I'm not ready to talk about how, if at all, the federal government should regulate AI,” Sen. Kennedy added. “All I want to do is say if you're going to sell one of these AI models that can take on a life of its own, then you have to have a kill switch to reassert human control.”
But Sen. Paul objected to the haste with which Sen. Kennedy sought to advance his bill. “It's imperative that AI systems are safe, and that humans remain in control. But if Congress acts hastily before the technology is understood, Congress risks killing innovation and setting this technology back decades,” he said.
“I don't oppose the spirit of this bill, but I do ask that we make sure that we have all the information. We should not impose new regulations on AI throughout our whole economy without studying, without debate, without a single committee hearing,” he said.
Sen. Paul sought unanimous consent to replace the text of the AI Emergency Button Act with an amendment that would establish a committee comprised of three Republicans and three Democrats to develop legislative solutions for AI security.
“We would require them to report back the solutions to the Commerce Committee where they would be debated by Republicans and Democrats to make sure we don't do anything rash—to make sure we don't destroy something before it has a chance to even blossom,” he told the Senate.
Sen. Kennedy objected to Sen. Paul’s request. “I would rather be condemned to listening to O.J. jokes for the rest of eternity than to replace my suggestion that we do something with a committee,” he said. “That's the weenie way out.”
Sen. Kennedy’s bill, which has no co-sponsors, was referred to the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.
MainStory: TopStory FederalLegislation DataSecurity AINews