Happy Monday! As AI governance, infrastructure demands, and national security pressures continue to collide, this week offers another full slate of developments shaping the technology policy landscape. From the White House’s impending “One Rule” AI executive order to a growing bipartisan push for stricter chip-export controls, policymakers are navigating rapid shifts in innovation, geopolitics, and public sentiment. Meanwhile, environmental groups are escalating their campaign against energy-intensive data centers, federal agencies are testing the limits of automation, and cities like New York are expanding digital tools to improve public access. With Congress convening multiple high-impact hearings—from online child safety to AI in financial services—this week’s briefing will help you track the signals that matter across Washington, the states, and the broader tech ecosystem.

In this week’s Nimitz Tech:

• AI Regulation: The Trump administration is reportedly preparing to sign a national “ONE RULE” executive order this week to impose a single federal regulatory framework for artificial intelligence and overriding a patchwork of state laws.

• Data Centers: Environmental groups urge a moratorium on new U.S. data centers.

• Investing: Silicon-Valley-backed defense firms hit rough patch amid rising scrutiny.

WHO’S HAVING EVENTS THIS WEEK?

Tuesday, December 9th

• Senate Judiciary Committee: “Hearings to Examine Protecting Children Online Against Offenders” at 10:15 am. Watch here.

Wednesday, December 10th

• *House Science, Space, and Technology: “The Genesis Mission: Prioritizing American Science and Technology Leadership” at 10:00 am. Watch here.

• House Financial Services: “From Principles to Policy: Enabling 21st Century AI Innovation in Financial Services” at 10:00 am. Watch here.

• House Oversight and Government Reform: “Using Modern Tools to Counter Human Trafficking” at 2:00 pm. Watch here.

*Will be covered by Nimitz Tech

TECH NEWS DRIVING THE WEEK

In Washington

• President Donald Trump announced that he will issue an executive order this week establishing a single national regulation for artificial intelligence, a move aimed at overriding the patchwork of state AI laws that major tech firms argue hinders innovation and weakens U.S. competitiveness against China. The order—long sought by companies like OpenAI, Google, Meta, and Andreessen Horowitz—would preempt numerous state-level AI restrictions, from bans on political deepfakes to California’s risk-mitigation rules, and is expected to provoke strong bipartisan backlash from governors and attorneys general who insist states must retain authority to protect residents through privacy, consumer-protection, and safety safeguards. Reuters previously reported that the White House is considering both litigation and federal-funding pressure to nullify state AI rules, even as state leaders roll out new guardrails such as Florida’s proposed AI “bill of rights.” Critics warn that Washington cannot simultaneously fail to create federal protections and block states from acting, noting that the Senate overwhelmingly rejected a similar preemption attempt earlier this year.

• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services unveiled a new 20-page strategy to dramatically expand its use of artificial intelligence across operations, positioning the plan as the first step toward modernizing a bureaucracy the Trump administration says has been slowed by paperwork and outdated processes. The strategy promotes a “try-first” culture, wider employee use of tools like ChatGPT, and the development of AI-enabled systems to analyze medical records in real time, accelerate drug development, and improve public health decision-making. While the administration frames the plan as an ambitious push to harness innovation, it raises concerns among experts and even some within Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s own movement, who question how HHS will safeguard highly sensitive health data, especially given past controversies such as sharing Medicaid data with immigration authorities. AI researchers warn that the department’s rapid, pro-innovation posture may lack the rigorous governance, detailed risk-management frameworks, and scientific discipline needed to protect personal and aggregated health information. Still, proponents argue that if implemented with strong guardrails, the strategy could set a precedent for a transformed, highly modernized federal agency, with HHS projecting a 70% increase in AI deployments by 2025.

• The Federal Railroad Administration approved a major industry request allowing U.S. freight railroads to reduce in-person track inspections, letting companies rely more heavily on automated camera- and laser-based systems that railroads argue detect defects far earlier and more accurately than human inspectors. Under the new waiver, inspections may drop from twice weekly to once per week, though serious defects flagged by the technology must be repaired immediately and all others within 24 hours. Railroads say multi-year pilots by BNSF and Norfolk Southern show improved safety when automation supplements fewer manual checks, freeing inspectors to focus on switches and equipment that still require hands-on evaluation. But the union representing track inspectors sharply opposes the shift, warning that automated systems cannot detect issues such as shifting ballast, vegetation intrusion, cracks, or rotting ties—and that inspectors’ deep familiarity with their territories is essential for spotting subtle precursor problems. While the FRA acknowledged the value of automated geometry data, union leaders say scaling back boots-on-the-ground inspections increases derailment risks, even as railroads insist technology will catch early warning signs and special inspections will continue after storms or floods.

National

• More than 230 environmental organizations—including Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, and Food & Water Watch—are calling for a national moratorium on new U.S. datacenters, arguing that the explosion of AI-driven computing is driving up electricity bills, straining water supplies, and worsening climate impacts. Their letter to Congress cites skyrocketing power demand from tech giants like Meta, Google, and OpenAI, noting that at least 16 major datacenter projects worth $64 billion have already been stalled due to local backlash over rising utility costs and water use. The political fallout is growing: high-profile voter anger over energy bills has helped Democrats notch surprise victories in Virginia, New Jersey, and a Georgia public-service commission race, even drawing concern from conservatives as nearly 80 million Americans struggle with utility payments. While experts say broader factors—from aging infrastructure to severe weather—also contribute to price hikes, the AI-fueled surge in electricity demand is becoming the face of affordability frustrations. With datacenter energy consumption projected to nearly triple by 2035—adding emissions equivalent to 10 million cars—green groups see a powerful new opening to challenge Trump’s deregulatory agenda and the AI industry’s rapid expansion, arguing that communities are footing the cost while receiving few tangible benefits.

• New York City Mayor Eric Adams ordered all city agencies to adopt language-translation technologies to improve communication with the city’s vast multilingual population, directing more than 100,000 city-owned devices to be equipped with apps like Google Translate and Apple’s Translate. The initiative, supported by the NYC Office of Technology and Innovation, aims to make services more accessible for non-English speakers and includes an NYPD policy update allowing officers to use translation apps during public interactions—changes Commissioner Jessica Tisch says will enhance safety and clarity in urgent situations. The city’s public schools are also developing a new real-time speech-to-text translation app, “Hello,” expected to launch in spring 2026 to support families who speak the top 12 languages in the school system. Framed as a push to make New York one of the world’s most language-friendly cities, the effort seeks to strengthen communication across agencies while recognizing that language access is central to public safety, education, and equitable service delivery.

• Venture-backed U.S. defense technology firms—flush with soaring valuations and a surge of small Pentagon contracts fueled by interest in drones and AI-enabled weapons—are now confronting the steep challenges of transitioning from flashy prototypes to large-scale weapons production traditionally dominated by legacy contractors like Lockheed, Boeing, Northrop, and RTX. At the Reagan National Defense Forum, executives and officials described a defense sector at an inflection point: Silicon Valley newcomers have doubled their share of Pentagon awards to 1.3%, yet still run into entrenched bureaucracy, political inertia, and a procurement system geared toward decades-old “prime” contractors that continue to capture 92% of major programs. While Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and industry leaders called for accelerating commercial innovation to counter China’s rapid military buildup, startups acknowledged the difficulty of breaking into massive production lines and surviving the “valley of death” between early contracts and full programs. Even as JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon warns that complacent primes risk being overtaken, most major projects—from Ukraine aid packages to the $175 billion Golden Dome missile system—remain controlled by the old guard, prompting established firms to seek partnerships with fast-moving entrants like Anduril, Shield AI, and Chaos Industries as the industry haltingly moves toward a more hybrid future.

International

• A bipartisan coalition of U.S. senators introduced the SAFE CHIPS Act, a bill aimed at blocking the Trump administration from loosening export restrictions that limit China’s access to advanced Nvidia and AMD artificial intelligence chips. The measure—led by Republicans Pete Ricketts, Tom Cotton, and Dave McCormick alongside Democrats Chris Coons, Jeanne Shaheen, and Andy Kim—would force the Commerce Department to deny for 30 months any export licenses for AI chips more advanced than those Beijing, Moscow, Tehran, or Pyongyang can currently buy, and would require Congress to be briefed before any future rule changes. The legislation reflects rare GOP resistance to Trump’s efforts to relax chip controls as his administration weighs approving Nvidia’s H200 sales to China and backtracks on previous export curbs amid negotiations over Chinese rare-earth restrictions. Supporters warn that easing access would supercharge China’s military AI capabilities, while experts say the U.S. cannot stop Beijing from seeking independence but can choose whether to accelerate that process by selling it top-tier technology.

Just for Fun

There is a fun “Women of Congress Meet Women of Wine” event on Wednesday hosted by 131 & Counting and Vin Vitalité.

The event will bring together women of Congress and women shaping public policy with women vintners, innovators, and leaders in wine.

Details: Wednesday, December 10th from 6–8 PM at 660 North Capitol St NW, Washington, DC 20001, USA

Buy your $10 tickets here!

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