# Trahan Proposes CLAIM Act Liability Framework

On October 7, 2026, Representative Lori Trahan released the CLAIM Act as a discussion draft proposing federal liability for AI developers when their AI agents cause harm that would be unlawful if caused by a person. The draft is not a procurement solicitation or enacted requirement, but it could affect how agencies and contractors assess legal exposure and manage AI-related risk when developing or deploying autonomous systems.

- AI developers and government contractors using AI agents may submit feedback to MA03Leg@mail.house.gov; no submission deadline is specified in the signal.
- Companies supporting government programs with AI should evaluate how the proposed liability standard could affect their risk-management and safety practices; the proposal does not establish a current compliance mandate.
- The draft signals potential legal-policy changes relevant to AI acquisition and deployment, but the signal identifies no contract opportunity, funding, or award.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Information Technology
**Topics:** Artificial Intelligence, Policy
**Published:** October 07, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce (House Energy and Commerce Committee)
- U.S. House of Representatives (House)

### Key Quotes
> 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.
> — Lori Trahan, Congresswoman

### Sources
- [
	Trahan Unveils CLAIM Act Discussion Draft to Hold AI Developers Accountable for Harms Caused by Their Agents | U.S. Representative Lori Trahan
](https://trahan.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3861) - Trahan House