Trahan, Lori RSS Articles

Trahan Unveils CLAIM Act Discussion Draft to Hold AI Developers Accountable for Harms Caused by Their Agents

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, released a discussion draft of the Clear Liability for Artificial Intelligence Misconduct (CLAIM) Act. The legislation would give those harmed by AI agents a clear path to recovery by holding developers responsible when their systems engage in conduct that would be unlawful if committed by a person.

“When someone breaks the law and hurts you, you can take them to court. That shouldn't change just because the wrongdoer is an AI agent,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “Developers have already built systems capable of acting on their own and causing real damage. The CLAIM Act makes sure they answer for what their systems do.”

Specifically, the CLAIM Act:

Holds developers liable for AI misconduct. If an AI system injures a third party through conduct that would constitute negligence, an intentional tort, or a crime if committed by a person, the developer is liable. Liability does not apply where the user or a company that modified the system intended the conduct or was negligent.
Resolves uncertainty around AI and intent. Courts would presume an AI system acted with the state of mind a person taking the same actions would have had. Developers could not argue that AI is incapable of intent.
Establishes a federal cause of action. Injured parties may bring claims in federal or state court.
Preserves state law. The bill sets a federal floor and does not preempt any state law. Existing state claims and state AI laws remain fully available.

The risks the CLAIM Act addresses already exist. In July, AI agents undergoing an evaluation by OpenAI escaped their test environment and hacked into Hugging Face, another AI company. No one instructed them to do so. Leading experts have called the incident a warning shot for a future of increasingly capable AI agents acting outside their users’ control.

Under current law, third parties harmed by a misaligned AI agent face significant hurdles. Many serious harms, including hacking and fraud, require proof of intent, and courts have not settled whether an AI system’s conduct can meet that standard. Negligence and product liability claims typically require showing that a company failed to take a specific precaution or ignored a safer design. Because AI alignment remains an unsolved technical problem, developers can argue the harm occurred despite their best efforts, leaving injured parties without a remedy.

The CLAIM Act complements the bipartisan FRONTIER Act, which Trahan introduced with Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-CA) to address catastrophic risks from the most advanced AI models. FRONTIER establishes transparency, independent verification, and incident reporting requirements. The CLAIM Act adds a robust liability regime that rewards developers who invest in making their systems safer.

Trahan is releasing the CLAIM Act as a discussion draft and welcomes feedback from experts, industry, advocates, and the public. In addition to comments on the draft legislation, the office welcomes answers to important questions related to the CLAIM Act and AI liability located HERE.

Comments can be submitted to MA03Leg@mail.house.gov.

A copy of the bill text can be accessed HERE.

A one-pager is available HERE.

Trahan, Massachusetts Delegation Statement on Mass General Brigham Nursing Contract Negotiations

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03), Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representatives Richard E. Neal (MA-01), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Katherine Clark (MA-05), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08), and Bill Keating (MA-09) issued the following statement urging Mass General Brigham (MGB) and the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) to continue their negotiations to avert a strike at Brigham and Women’s Hospital:

“Nurses are the backbone of our healthcare system—our loved ones and communities rely on them each and every day. Our nurses deserve fair contracts that reflect that standard of care. Their voices must be heard.”

“The nurses at Brigham and Women’s Hospital have demonstrated their willingness to continue negotiating with Mass General Brigham leadership to arrive at an agreement that works for nurses, patients, and our hospitals. A strike has the potential for serious impacts on our communities, patients, and healthcare workers, which we know no nurse or patient wishes to experience.”

“We call on Mass General Brigham to remain at the bargaining table with the Massachusetts Nurses Association and work to reach a good faith agreement that addresses the needs of nurses, patients, and our constituents. Massachusetts is renowned for its healthcare system, in which Mass General Brigham and its nurses are crucial partners, and we hope the parties can reach an agreement.”

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Trahan, Warren, Lynch, Lead Demands to Trump Administration to Provide Relief for Skyrocketing Winter Heating Bills Amid Iran War

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 04:00:00 GMT

LOWELL, MA – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03), Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Congressman Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08) led 24 of their colleagues from Northeastern states in pressing the Department of Energy (DOE) to take immediate action to address the rapidly rising cost of heating oil, which has surged around 60 percent since the start of President Trump’s war in Iran. In their letter, the lawmakers urged the DOE to support an immediate end to the war and prioritize lowering energy costs for the winter, warning that rising prices will force families to choose between heating their homes and paying for basic necessities.

“Heating oil costs for the upcoming winter are projected to reach record levels, and families throughout the northeastern United States will likely bear the brunt of these costs,” wrote the lawmakers.

The President’s war in Iran has played a large part in driving up the price of heating oil. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has pushed crude oil from $72 to over $100 a barrel, causing a massive increase in heating oil costs in the United States. American families that rely on heating oil are projected to pay about $600 more to keep their homes warm this winter than last year.

In addition to increasing the cost of heating oil, the Trump administration has made or attempted to make heating costs for the upcoming winter even higher by:

Attempting to eliminate the $4 billion Low-Income Heating Assistance Program (LIHEAP) that supports families with high energy bills.
Effectively increasing taxes on solutions to the heating cost crisis by eliminating four tax credits and deductions that supported residential and commercial building energy efficiency upgrades.
Cutting more than $20 billion in clean energy and grid modernization funding for hundreds of energy projects across the country that would have decreased costs for families.

“As Americans face immense difficulty with keeping the heat on, the administration appears to be cutting off all avenues for meaningful relief, handing out tax cuts to billionaires, spending tens of billions of dollars on an unnecessary foreign war, and jacking up costs for struggling families,” the lawmakers continued.

“To address these costs for American families, we urge you to reverse course on the senseless war in Iran, undo the administration’s cuts to clean energy and grid modernization programs, work with Congress to repeal the tax increases imposed on energy efficiency upgrades and other ways to lower heating costs, and end the administration’s attacks on LIHEAP,” the lawmakers concluded.

The lawmakers were joined by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.); and Representatives Gabe Amo (D-R.I.), Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), Becca Balint (D-Vt.), Joe Courtney (D-Conn.), Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.), Bill Keating (D-Mass.), Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.), John Mannion (D-N.Y.), Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Richard Neal (D-Mass.), Chris Pappas (D-N.H.), Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), and Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.).

A copy of the letter sent today can be accessed HERE.

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Trahan, Obernolte Statement on White House AI Accord

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03) and Congressman Jay Obernolte (R-CA-23), authors of the bipartisan FRONTIER Act, issued the following statement on the White House Accord signed by leading AI companies on Tuesday:

“This week, America's leading AI companies signed the White House Accord, an important step toward ensuring that the most advanced AI systems are developed responsibly. The Accord embraces several principles at the heart of our bipartisan FRONTIER Act: robust internal risk management, strong corporate governance, and independent third-party evaluation. It shows that the industry's leaders see real value in these safeguards, and we look forward to each company expeditiously following through.”

“The FRONTIER Act would build on this foundation and make it durable. It sets clear, risk-based national standards for the largest developers and most advanced models. It gives independent verifiers a common standard to assess against, with federal oversight to back it up. It establishes uniform transparency and incident reporting, and emergency authority to stop a catastrophe before it happens. Importantly, the FRONTIER Act does this while keeping America at the forefront of AI innovation. We look forward to working with the President, our colleagues in both chambers, and American innovators to advance this bipartisan framework.”

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Trahan, Pappas Lead Bipartisan Calls for RFK Jr. to Distribute Energy Assistance Funding Amid Rising Heating Costs

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), led dozens of colleagues in a letter to U.S Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. demanding that funding from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) be distributed to states no later than November 1, 2026, as required by the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act for FY 2027, in preparation for the coming colder season.

“With a history of repeated funding delays by HHS to states, we are especially concerned for households facing high energy prices this winter who rely on LIHEAP. We appreciate the agency’s responsiveness to Congressional requests for expeditious LIHEAP fund releases over Fiscal Year 2026, but with households facing skyrocketing high energy costs, it is of the utmost importance that the agency ensures funds are released on time and without congressional intervention through Fiscal Year 2027,” the lawmakers wrote.

Since February, crude oil prices have significantly increased, topping significantly more than $100 per barrel at its peaks in April 2026 and recently on September 15, 2026. These price spikes impact home heating oil prices especially, as it is refined from crude oil. While states do what they can to protect households with utility shutoff moratoriums throughout the coldest months out of the year, these moratoriums do not protect households who rely on home heating oil and face large upfront costs early in the season to fill their home heating oil tank,” the lawmakers continued.”

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps low-income Americans pay for heating or cooling bills as well as receive emergency services during an energy crisis. During the winter season, home heating can average $2,300. Since the start of the Iran war, energy bills have risen for families across America. In the Commonwealth, home heating oil prices jumped nearly 75% from a year ago. Over the past year, Massachusetts has received $163,276,528 in LIHEAP funding, including $6,492,479 from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The letter sent today requests that funding for the upcoming fiscal year, which starts on October 1st, be released expeditiously.

The LIHEAP program has historically been underfunded, with just 20 percent of eligible households currently receiving assistance through the program each year on average. Despite a temporary increase in funding in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the program still hasn’t met the need in states across the country. In 2023, Trahan spearheaded an effort to increase federal LIHEAP funding.

A copy of the letter sent today can be accessed HERE.

Trahan, Lofgren Introduce the bipartisan American Leadership in Fusion Act

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03), Co-Chair of the bipartisan Congressional Fusion Energy Caucus, joined Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-18), Ranking Member of the House Science, Space, and Technology, as original co-sponsor of the American Leadership in Fusion Act. The legislation would provide $10 billion in direct investments to accelerate the commercialization of fusion energy.

“At a time when families across the country are struggling with rising energy costs, fusion energy offers the promise of delivering clean, reliable, and affordable power. However, turning that promise into reality requires sustained investment and commitment,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “This legislation will help accelerate the commercialization of fusion energy and strengthen America’s position as a global leader in this critical technology. By investing in the scientists, researchers, and companies developing the next generation of energy technology here in the United States, we can advance our clean energy goals, create good-paying jobs, and strengthen our energy independence. America has always been at its best when we lead the world in innovation, and fusion is our opportunity to lead once again.”

Specifically, the American Leadership in Fusion Act’s invests:

$3.8 billion to build major new test facilities to address fusion materials and fuel cycle challenges.
$3 billion in forward funding for a new milestone-based demonstration program for fusion.
$2 billion for the current milestone-based development program for fusion.
$800 million for fusion materials and fuel cycle research and development.
$300 million to build and operate small and mid-sized test facilities to address research priorities identified in the 2026 DOE Fusion Science & Technology Roadmap.
$100 million for R&D, demonstration, and commercial application activities to establish reliable supply chains for critical fusion energy technologies.

In addition to Trahan and Lofgren, the bill is co-sponsored by Representatives Jay Obernolte (R-CA-23), Don Beyer(D-VA-08), and James Gallagher (R-CA-01).

Last year, Trahan, Beyer, and Obernolte introduced bipartisan legislation to formally establish the Office of Fusion in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced companion legislation in the Senate. In 2024, Congresswoman Trahan’s Fusion Energy Act was signed into law as part of the Fire Grants and Safety Act. The law streamlines the creation of clear federal regulations to support the development of commercial fusion facilities by codifying the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s regulatory authority over commercial fusion energy systems.

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Trahan Secures $180 Million Authorization for MA-03 Sewage System Upgrades

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Yesterday, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) voted to advance the bipartisan 2026 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), reauthorizing federal investments in water infrastructure projects across the country and in Massachusetts. The legislation authorized $180 million in federal funding for communities in the Third District, including $90 million split equally among Fitchburg, Lawrence, and Methuen, plus $90 million for Lowell and Haverhill.

Compared to 2024 funding levels, this legislation would increase Lowell’s authorization from $30 million to $40 million and Haverhill’s from $30 million to $50 million. The additional funding could help address Haverhill’s combined sewer system challenges in the wake of this summer’s main sewer failure.

“For too long, Washington has passed the buck on costly water upgrades to communities like ours that can't afford them. The result is decades of delay while sewage spills into our rivers every heavy storm. Families deserve better,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “This authorization puts real support within reach for our gateway cities. I look forward to partnering with our local, state, and federal leaders to turn this authorization into real dollars for our communities.”

Reauthorized by Congress every two years, the Water Resources Development Act provides an opportunity to ensure federal investments in local water infrastructure and development projects reflect the needs of communities. Lowell alone has invested over $150 million in CSO projects that have reduced the annual volume of overflows from the Lowell system and drastically reduced street flooding.

Many older cities, including communities across Massachusetts, were built with combined sewer systems. During heavy rain or snowmelt, these systems can become overwhelmed, causing untreated wastewater and stormwater to flow directly into rivers and other waterways. These combined sewer overflows (CSOs) are a major source of water pollution in cities with aging water infrastructure.

Following July’s main sewer line failure in Haverhill, Trahan partnered with Senators Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) to introduce the Water Emergency and Technical Assistance Act to authorize emergency assistance and grants during clean water and drinking water infrastructure crises. The legislation would create a new emergency grant program under the Clean Water Act, funded at $50 million annually, to help communities respond immediately to failures in their wastewater systems, including combined sewer overflows and other critical system failures that threaten public health.

Since arriving in Congress in 2019, Trahan has successfully fought to increase WRDA funding for MA-03 and address combined sewer overflow (CSO) problems in the district. In 2022, Trahan secured over $100 million in WRDA investments for the district. This year’s WRDA increases on previous authorization to reflect the current needs of cities and towns in MA-03.

The 2026 WRDA now moves to the Senate. Once law, the community authorizations will be eligible for funding through the appropriations process.

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Trahan, Beyer Lead Bipartisan Push for House Leaders to Act Immediately on Artificial Intelligence

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA-07), a member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, led a bipartisan group of 10 congressional leaders on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in pressing House leadership to take immediate, urgent action to address risks posed by this rapidly advancing technology. The push came in the wake of the OpenAI agent cyberattacks on Hugging Face and subsequent warnings from leaders and researchers at prominent AI companies about the societal and existential risks posed by unrestrained advances in the technology.

In addition to Trahan and Beyer, the letter was signed by Representatives Jay Obernolte (R-CA-33), Ted Lieu (D-CA-36), Scott Franklin (R-FL-18), Sara Jacobs (D-CA-53), Gabe Amo (D-RI-01), Valerie Foushee (D-NC-04), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), and Veronica Escobar (D-TX-16).

“We call for your joint leadership on an urgent Congressional response to recent incidents involving advanced artificial intelligence (AI) models that have profound implications for economic and national security. Congress has a singular opportunity to respond swiftly and effectively to these warning shots before true catastrophes occur,” the lawmakers wrote. “Congress must urgently advance legislation to mitigate the risk of more serious incidents, especially those that could threaten critical infrastructure, our financial system, and other institutions that every American depends on.”

“The House of Representatives could and should immediately take up legislation that would strengthen AI oversight, security, and transparency. There currently exist dozens of bipartisan bills that committees of jurisdiction have reported. Members of both parties have also worked in recent months to fast-track bipartisan legislation that is ready to be considered by committees of jurisdiction. We believe these bills should be carefully and urgently advanced through the legislative process,” the lawmakers continued.

A copy of the letter sent today can be accessed HERE.

In July, Trahan and Obernolte introduced the FRONTIER Act, bipartisan legislation that would set the first federal safety rules for the most powerful AI systems, requiring the companies that build them to be transparent about the risks, submit to independent safety reviews, and report dangerous incidents to the government. The proposal has been endorsed by a broad coalition of independent AI safety organizations, industry stakeholders, and others.

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Trahan Votes to Protect Ratepayers from Data Center Price Hikes

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, voted to pass the bipartisan Ratepayer Protection Act, legislation that gives state utility regulators clear standards to make sure large-load customers, including new data centers or information storage facilities, pay for the infrastructure they need. It requires companies to cover the full cost of any additional grid upgrades over time and provide financial guarantees, protecting ratepayers if a data center scales back its operations or shuts down entirely. Trahan also helped pass the legislation when it was considered in the Energy and Commerce Committee in July.

“Families are being squeezed by rising costs across the board. The last thing they need is a data center driving up their utility bills and making it even harder to make ends meet,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “The Ratepayer Protection Act says that if you build a data center, you pay for the data center, including the infrastructure and utility costs that too often get passed onto residents. Communities across the country have made it clear they aren’t going to tolerate these facilities driving up their utility costs and impacting their quality of life. Congress should build on this progress by codifying Governor Healey’s effort to ensure communities have a real say in if and when these facilities.”

Large scale data centers or information storage facilities that use 100 megawatts or more require extensive cooling systems that are necessary to keep servers from overheating. These cooling systems can account for as much as 40% of a data center's total electricity use. These data centers can use even more electricity during summer months or during heat waves where electric grids are already under strain and electricity is under more demand. Recent studies examining the impact of growing data center demand found that wholesale electricity prices increased by 6% to 29% on average nationwide, with increases of up to 57% in the regions most affected, compared with projected prices without that growth in demand.

“Right now, families across our country are afraid to open up their electric bills. The number keeps climbing, and their paycheck isn't keeping pace. They're doing the math at the kitchen table, wondering what they might have to cut next just to keep the lights on. That fear is real, and too many families have stopped believing that anyone in Washington is listening,” Congresswoman Trahan said when the bill was marked up in the Energy and Commerce Committee in July.

The Ratepayer Protection Act now moves to the Senate for consideration.

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Trahan Tours New Dracut Housing Project Made Possible by Significant Federal Investments

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) toured The Avenue at Greenmont, a new housing development in Dracut featuring 56 newly built apartment homes designed for adults aged 62 and older and non-elderly individuals with disabilities. All units are fully affordable to households earning at or below 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI). The project was made possible in part through nearly $7 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, awarded by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) through its Community-Based Housing program.

“These 56 homes show what's possible when private partners and every level of government row in the same direction,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “Federal resources like ARPA dollars and Low-Income Housing Tax Credits helped make The Avenue at Greenmont a reality, but we can't stop here. We must continue advancing commonsense legislation like the recently passed 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act so more families can afford a home of their own.”

The project also received $3 million from the Town of Dracut's Community Preservation Act, $1.4 million from EOHLC's Housing Stabilization Fund, $825,000 in federal HOME funds, $630,000 through the state's MassWorks program, more than $5.5 million in Massachusetts Housing Tax Credits, and nearly $11.4 million in federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits.

The United States continues to face a severe affordable housing and homelessness crisis. According to experts, the U.S. has an estimated shortage of 3.7 million to 5.5 million homes for rent and purchase. The lack of housing, along with other factors, is driving up costs and making housing the single largest expense for Americans across the country. According to a recent poll, half of Massachusetts residents say housing is unaffordable for their household, making it the single biggest financial pressure point.

In 2021, Trahan supported passage of the American Rescue Plan Act to respond directly to the challenges created and worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. The law invested billions of dollars to expand affordable housing and support Americans experiencing or at risk of homelessness. In Massachusetts, EOHLC put those federal dollars to work through programs like Community-Based Housing, which helped make The Avenue at Greenmont possible.

Earlier this year, Trahan supported passage of the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. The new law, which took effect despite President Donald Trump’s refusal to sign it, makes it easier to build new homes, expand financing opportunities for housing, and provide new protections for renters. The bipartisan legislation also reduces unnecessary regulatory barriers to new home construction, authorizes the use of federal funds to support the development of affordable housing, and establishes a maximum limit for affordable rents.

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WINTERFEST FEB. 21 - 22, 2020

Fri, 21 Feb 2020 05:00:00 GMT

Lowell's annual Winterfest weekend in downtown Lowell is a fun event featuring everything from a carousel and ice-skating to an all-you-can-eat chocolate festival.

Click here to learn more