“We respectfully urge the Administration to incorporate worker-centered guardrails into federal AI policy, guidance, and procurement. We also request that the Administration include labor organizations, frontline workers, and workforce experts as part of ongoing AI policy development. We stand ready to work with you in a bipartisan manner, so that American workers are full partners in shaping the future of artificial intelligence.”
Work in a bipartisan manner to push the Administration to incorporate worker-centered guardrails — including labor organizations, frontline workers, and workforce experts — into federal AI policy, guidance, and procurement, ensuring worker input, human oversight, and recourse when automated systems affect employment decisions.
Occurrences
Evidence
Sen. Kelly said at the Semafor World Economy event that "we've got to make this focused on workers" and described a plan to build a fund supported by AI companies to help workers and called for guardrails and worker input.
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick and Sen. Mark Kelly led a bipartisan, bicameral letter asking the Administration to "incorporate worker-centered guardrails into federal AI policy, guidance, and procurement" and to include labor organizations, frontline workers, and workforce experts in AI policy development.
Bipartisan, bicameral letter (co-led by Sen. Mark Kelly) urging the Administration to incorporate AFL-CIO AI principles and worker-centered guardrails into federal AI policy, guidance, and procurement.
Public remarks reiterating need to center workers in federal AI policy—emphasizing worker input, human oversight, recourse, and a fund supported by AI firms to help workers and communities.
Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick and Senator Mark Kelly led a bipartisan, bicameral letter urging the Administration to incorporate worker-centered guardrails and include labor organizations, frontline workers, and workforce experts in AI policy, guidance, and procurement.
The White House (OMB/OSTP) released revised memoranda and guidance to accelerate federal AI use and streamline procurement, focused on adoption and acquisition efficiencies rather than mandating worker-centered guardrails.
On April 8, 2026, Senator Mark Kelly co-led a bipartisan, bicameral letter urging the Administration to adopt worker-centered guardrails as articulated in the AFL-CIO's AI principles. The letter explicitly calls for the integration of labor organizations, frontline workers, and workforce experts into federal AI policy, guidance, and procurement, with emphasis on worker input, human oversight, and recourse when automated systems impact employment outcomes.
At the Semafor World Economic Summit on April 16, 2026, Sen. Kelly reiterated the need for centering workers in federal AI policy, emphasizing worker input, human oversight, and policy proposals designed to ensure protection for workers amid AI-driven workplace changes.
The OMB/OSTP policy directives released April 7, 2025, prioritize accelerated adoption of AI in federal agencies and streamlined procurement. There is no explicit mention of AFL-CIO worker-centered principles, formal worker inclusion practices, or recourse processes in employment decisions.
Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick and Senator Mark Kelly called on the Administration to incorporate worker-centered principles into federal artificial intelligence policy, guidance, and procurement. The lawmakers said they wanted labor organizations, frontline workers, and workforce experts included in ongoing AI policy development, and they stressed worker input, human oversight, and recourse when automated systems affect job assignments, evaluations, or employment decisions.
Kelly said government should make AI "focused on workers" and that his job in government is to "put the guardrails in place" so millions of people do not lose their jobs. He said workers and community input matter as AI grows and described a plan involving a fund supported by AI companies and data center companies.
The White House said OMB released revised policies on Federal Agency Use of AI and Federal Procurement to remove unnecessary bureaucratic restrictions, allow agencies to be more efficient and cost-effective, and support a competitive American AI marketplace. The release points to M-25-21 and M-25-22 and does not describe adoption of labor-organization consultation, frontline-worker input, or recourse requirements for employment decisions.
OMB directed agencies to accelerate federal use of AI while maintaining safeguards for civil rights, civil liberties, and privacy. The memorandum centers AI adoption, governance, and public trust; it does not require worker organizations, frontline workers, or workforce experts to be incorporated into federal AI policy or procurement decisions, nor does it establish the recourse regime described in the claim.
Assessments
Kelly materially fulfilled the advocacy portion of the promise during his current Senate term by co-leading a bipartisan, bicameral April 8, 2026 letter urging the Administration to incorporate worker-centered AI guardrails into federal AI policy, guidance, and procurement, and by continuing public advocacy for worker input, human oversight, and worker protections. However, the available federal policy evidence shows the Administration's AI use and procurement guidance emphasized acceleration, governance, and procurement efficiency and does not document adoption of the specific labor-organization consultation, frontline-worker input, or employment-decision recourse requirements sought. Because the promised push occurred but the requested incorporation into federal policy is not shown, this is partial rather than delivered.
Sen. Kelly made a clear, bipartisan, and high-profile effort to push the Administration to incorporate worker-centered guardrails into federal AI policy, including co-leading a formal congressional letter and repeated public advocacy. However, there is no evidence that the Administration adopted the specific guardrails, principles, or practices requested. The promise's legislative/advocacy aspect was fulfilled, but the final policy outcome was not realized.
Sen. Mark Kelly co-led a bipartisan, bicameral letter (Apr 8, 2026) urging the Administration to adopt AFL-CIO worker-centered AI principles and publicly reiterated these demands at the Semafor World Economic Summit (Apr 16, 2026). These are documented, bipartisan efforts to push for worker input, human oversight, and recourse. However, available Administration policy (e.g., OMB/OSTP memos released Apr 7, 2025) emphasizes accelerating federal AI adoption and procurement efficiencies and shows no sign that the requested worker-centered guardrails, formal worker inclusion processes, human-oversight mandates, or recourse mechanisms were adopted. Because Kelly made a concrete legislative/executive push but the Administration did not adopt the promised guardrails, the pledge was not delivered.
Sen. Kelly co-led a bipartisan, bicameral letter (Apr 8, 2026) urging the Administration to adopt AFL-CIO worker-centered AI guardrails and publicly reiterated these demands (Apr 16, 2026). These are documented, bipartisan efforts to push the Administration, but there is no evidence the Administration adopted the requested worker-centered guardrails, worker input processes, human oversight, or recourse mechanisms—so the promised outcome was not delivered despite a serious legislative/advocacy attempt.
Sen. Mark Kelly publicly and bipartisanshiply pushed the Administration for worker-centered AI guardrails: he co-led a bipartisan, bicameral letter (Apr 8, 2026) explicitly asking the Administration to incorporate labor organizations, frontline workers, and workforce experts into federal AI policy and procurement, and he reiterated these demands in public remarks at the Semafor World Economy event (Apr 16, 2026). These actions show he worked in a bipartisan manner to push for the stated protections, but there is no evidence the Administration adopted or incorporated the requested guardrails or procurement changes. Therefore the promise is only partially fulfilled (push occurred, policy adoption not shown).