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The record  ·  Topic 10 of 15

Testing AI systems before they decide things like loans, hiring, or insurance claims

How much do people want it

78% Republicans 78% · Democrats 82% Ranks 10th of 15 — the higher the rank, the more Americans agree Polling by the Program for Public Consultation, February 2026 — confirmed by a second survey, August 2025

What got approved

Nothing. No federal law requires this.

Republicans and Democrats are within four points of each other on this — 78% and 82%. Congress has not passed a law about it.

This is the only topic on the record measured twice. A separate survey a year earlier asked about it in more detail, naming banks deciding who gets a loan, companies deciding who gets hired, and health insurers deciding whether treatment is covered. It found 79% in favor. Two surveys, a year apart, one point between them.

What could have been

Bills exist. None has been brought to a vote.

While this ranks 10th of 15 for agreement, dozens of bills about artificial intelligence have been introduced in this Congress and none has reached a vote of the full House or Senate.

One would require companies to assess AI systems that make decisions about people and report what they find. Another would require testing and independent checks before an AI system is used to decide loan applications, job applications or medical matters. Both were sent to committee. Neither has moved.

This is a national record. States are passing their own laws on this — the first took effect in January 2026 — and those do not appear here. Why.

Additional notes

The federal approach to artificial intelligence so far has been through presidential orders rather than law. Orders are not counted here, because one president can undo what another did alone. Why.

Where these came from

Every line above is checkable.

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