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0:51

Speaker B

25:49 - 26:41

"I believe we must pass a federal AV framework to harness the safety benefits of this technology, ensure that it is deployed responsibly, and cement U.S. leadership in the development, manufacturing, and deployment on our roads."

“I believe we must pass a federal AV framework to harness the safety benefits of this technology, ensure that it is deployed responsibly, and cement U.S. leadership in the development, manufacturing, and deployment on our roads.”
Speaker
Speaker B
Community
Alaska News
Captured at
June 9, 2026

From the transcript

For years, I have said that Congress cannot continue to stand on the sidelines when it comes to these AVs. I believe we must pass a federal AV framework to harness the safety benefits of this technology, ensure that it is deployed responsibly, and cement U.S. leadership in the development, manufacturing, and deployment on our roads. But autonomous vehicles are only one piece of the technological puzzle. When I first came to the Senate, I helped push for positive train control technology that is now deployed across the rail system to prevent collisions and high-speed train derailments. Last Congress, after the East Palestine derailment, we saw firsthand the importance of wayside detection technology, and this committee authored the Railway Safety Act in response.

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Cover image for article: The federal autonomous vehicle framework Congress is debating would apply to Alaska's roads — but Alaska wasn't part of the conversation