FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez stated on October 19, 2026 that the FCC could act on the petition at any time following the public comment period's close.

Overview Debates Related claims Topics Sources

Representative Rashida Tlaib introduced the 'Get the Flock Out of Our Communities Act' on October 14, 2026, to prohibit federal funding for automated license plate readers like Flock and mandate state divestment.

Missouri Senator Josh Hawley introduced the 'Stop Flock Abuse Act' last month to regulate automated license plate readers through stricter limits on data, security, and search functions.

Michigan House Bill 5492 and Senate Bill 1131 propose requiring law enforcement to obtain a warrant or request before accessing government or private ALPR data.

Representative Pat Harrigan's bill creates a civil cause of action allowing individuals to sue for Fourth Amendment ALPR search violations for at least $1,000 per violation.

Michigan Representative Pat Harrigan's federal ALPR bill would withhold 10% of certain federal criminal justice funding from states that fail to adopt qualifying privacy protections.

Representative Pat Harrigan's bill prohibits automated license plate readers from searching or categorizing vehicles by political or religious bumper stickers, flags, or expressive attributes.

Representative Pat Harrigan, R-N.C., introduced a bill on October 15, 2026, to restrict automated license plate readers, requiring probable cause warrants for most searches and deleting records within 24 hours.

If Democrats take control of Congress in the 2026 midterms, committee leaders plan to press AI executives on research tax credits for data centers and recent hacking incidents.

An FCC spokesperson stated on October 19, 2026 that there are zero plans or interest within the agency to move forward with an order approving the petition.

Chuck Schumer cited the 2024 New Hampshire primary robocall imitating President Joe Biden, which resulted in a proposed $6 million FCC fine against the responsible political consultant.

Club for Growth President David McIntosh argued that current FCC rules restrict First Amendment-protected political speech and expose good-faith callers to lawsuits of $500 to $1,500 per call.

Club for Growth proposed restricting political calls to cellphones to three calls per recipient within 30 days, alongside automated opt-outs and caller-specific do-not-call lists.

David McIntosh stated the FCC should treat political speech on cellphones with the same regulatory allowances as wireless calls regarding package deliveries, bank accounts, and medical appointments.

Louisiana, Tennessee, and Vermont enacted state laws in 2026 requiring formal disclosures for AI-generated campaign phone calls.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer filed a letter on October 19, 2026 urging the FCC to reject Club for Growth's petition to allow unsolicited AI political robocalls.

Public comment on the FCC's public notice regarding the Club for Growth petition closed on October 19, 2026.

The conservative group Club for Growth filed an August 31 petition requesting the FCC waive rules prohibiting political artificial or prerecorded voice calls to cellphones without prior consent.

The Department of Homeland Security warned that DeepSeek models pose multiple threat vectors, could produce actionable intelligence on U.S. persons and agencies, and may contain malware or security vulnerabilities.

The Department of Homeland Security ordered federal civilian agencies on October 19, 2026 to remove DeepSeek products and third-party services using its AI models from government IT systems and bar new purchases or acquisitions.

Prior to the October 19, 2026 federal directive, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Navy had already banned DeepSeek on government-issued devices.