Congresswoman McBath Opening Remarks at Field Hearing on Protecting Workers from AI

Congresswoman McBath Opening Remarks at Field Hearing on Protecting Workers from AI

AUGUSTA, GA - Congresswoman Lucy McBath (GA-06) delivered the following remarks at today's full committee hearing entitled "Building an AI-Ready America: How AI Is Creating Opportunities Across America's Workforce."

"And thank you, everyone, for joining us today.

"It's so nice to be down here on this side of Georgia, since I'm usually up on the other end of Georgia. So, I feel very welcomed to be here. I appreciate the opportunity to discuss this important issue that is affecting our community with our community.

"Right now, our communities are being pushed to the brink by an economy that works for those already doing well but not for regular people. You should not have to already have money to make money in the United States of America. We cannot allow that to become the norm for an economy that prides itself on the idea of the American Dream and opportunity for all.

"Despite working harder and producing more than ever before, American families cannot afford necessities like groceries, gas, and health care. If we want to make life easier for working people and their families, we must build a future that empowers them to protect themselves against these rising prices. Artificial intelligence, or AI, as we know it, will be a part of that future, as my colleague Rep. Allen has stated. But we must act with caution and responsibility to ensure that these new technologies are working for regular people, working for all people, not making it more difficult for them to get good jobs and to keep those jobs.

"AI has rapidly been introduced in our lives. While some uses of this technology in the workplace are absolutely without a doubt going to benefit people, it also can pose significant concerns. Some employers have used AI as a weapon in retaliation against workers who are unionizing or to lower wages. The unrestricted use of AI can also infringe on workers' privacy and make it harder for workers to prove that their gender, race, age, or disability status were used to discriminate against them- which, despite all of the progress we have made in this country, unfortunately still happens every day.

"As AI becomes more common, and yes, it will, we've begun to see some employers use sophisticated technology to actually monitor and evaluate workers. This includes tracking workers' on-the-job physical activity, such as bathroom breaks, using facial recognition to assess their attention to computer screens, and other tasks. That is a level of surveillance and control that Members of Congress would never accept for ourselves, and we shouldn't expect that of the American people.

"Congress must also not ignore the very real concerns that families across our country and in Georgia have about the expansion of data centers. Ansley Brown and her family in Coweta County were one of many forced to sell their family home- which will be demolished to make way for a power line to feed AI data centers. As AI continues to grow at a rapid pace, we have a responsibility to ensure that innovation- yes, we need innovation- but we have a responsibility to ensure that it does not come at the expense of the people it is meant to serve. The future of AI is definitely promising, but it must also be guided by fairness, respect for people's homes, and a commitment to protecting families in Georgia and the communities they have built and lived in for generations.

"It is critical that the implementation of AI be a community-led effort. This begins by ensuring that workers and their unions have a seat at the table in the development and implementation of AI in America's workplaces. And it is the role of local, state, and federal governments to implement safeguards to prevent employer abuses, protect people's homes, and address privacy concerns.

"Congress has a responsibility to rein in big tech companies so that AI can be used for Americans instead of being used against them. Many cities and states have put sensible guardrails in place to protect people and ensure AI is being used and expanded appropriately.

"It is concerning that some Republicans recently attempted to pass a moratorium on state and local AI regulations in the 'One Big Beautiful Bill'- a move that generated so much bipartisan opposition that seventeen Republican governors, including the governor of Georgia, Governor Kemp, wrote to the U.S. Senate in opposition, warning that 'people will be at risk until basic rules, just basic rules, ensuring safety and fairness can be put into effect.'

"We don't need another tool that will funnel profits to the top at the expense of the regular Americans doing the work to create those profits. We don't need another reason for large companies and governments to use eminent domain to force Georgians like Ansley Brown into abandoning their childhood homes. What the American people do need is for Congress to take an active role in shaping how AI is integrated into our daily lives and in developing thoughtful regulations that balance protecting people with the need for economic growth.

"I hope that today's discussion will definitely be a bipartisan path forward to ensure that Congress strikes the appropriate balance on artificial intelligence.

"And I yield."

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