Rep. Moran Introduces AI Incident Reporting Act to Require Reporting of Critical AI Incidents

Congressman Nathaniel Moran (TX-01) today introduced the AI Incident Reporting Act, legislation that would create a federal framework requiring developers of the most advanced artificial intelligence models to report dangerous capabilities, security breaches, and safety incidents to the Secretary of Commerce.

As AI systems grow more autonomous - capable of modifying their own behavior, evading human oversight, and accelerating their own development - the U.S. has had no clear and formal mechanism to learn when something goes wrong. This bill closes that gap.

Under the legislation, the Department of Commerce would designate which AI models meet capability thresholds sufficient to pose significant risks to national security or public safety. Developers of those models would be required to file reports within seven days of discovering dangerous activity. For the most serious incidents - including evidence that a model can autonomously improve itself or cause serious risk to public safety - Commerce would be required to notify congressional leadership and relevant committee chairs within 48 hours.

Reportable incidents include AI models that attempt to evade human oversight or resist shutdown; unauthorized access to or theft of model weights; capabilities that could enable offensive cyberattacks against critical infrastructure; evidence that a model can autonomously accelerate the development of more powerful AI systems; and other risks including chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive threats.

"AI is a powerful engine of innovation, and I want to see it flourish, but not without accountability and not without human oversight," said Congressman Moran. "The rule of law should apply to this new frontier. This legislation ensures that when something goes wrong with a high-capability AI system, the U.S. Government has the information needed to act quickly."

Brendan Steinhauser, CEO of The Alliance for Secure AI, said: "The capabilities of advanced AI models are increasing by the day, and so are the risks of AI systems gaining the ability to self-improve, evade human oversight, and enabling attacks against our nation's infrastructure. We need mechanisms to identify these risks early so that leaders can respond quickly before incidents become bigger threats. We applaud Congressman Moran for his leadership on this urgent issue, and I encourage his colleagues in the House to join him."

Mark Beall, President of the AI Policy Network, said: "As AI systems grow more and more capable, the government needs a reliable window into powerful AI models developing dangerous capabilities, like launching a cyberattack or helping build a biological weapon. Congressman Moran is leading a new vanguard of AI policy in the Republican Party by proposing legislation to fix that without dictating how companies innovate. The United States leads the world in AI, and this bill extends that advantage while preparing for systems of unprecedented scope and capability. We urge Congress to take it up without delay."

The legislation directs Commerce to develop reporting thresholds in consultation with AI developers, academic researchers, cybersecurity experts, and national security officials, ensuring the framework reflects technical realities and avoids unnecessary burden on industry. Developers would be required to submit initial reports followed by supplemental disclosures as additional information becomes available. The bill includes protections for sensitive, classified, and security-relevant information and permits inter-agency sharing with the intelligence community and law enforcement where appropriate. It also encourages good-faith reporting, allowing companies to file initial disclosures and follow up with more complete information.

To read the bill text of the AI Incident Reporting Act, click here.

###