Democratic Senators Oppose ‘Weak’ House Kids Online Safety Act
Blumenthal, Cantwall argue House Republicans diluted the bill under pressure from big tech.
WASHINGTON, June 26, 2026 – Senators are concerned with a Republican-led package of children’s online safety bills set for House floor consideration next week.
On a press call Friday, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., sharply criticized the Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act, which the House Energy and Commerce Committee finalized Tuesday.
They said the version of KOSA included in the House's ‘KIDS Act’ package differs substantially from the Senate measure. They argued the House proposal eliminates the bill’s duty-of-care standard, narrows the online platforms covered by the legislation and retains federal preemption language they say is problematic, when considered in the context of the bill.
“There's no question the reason why big tech is pushing the House bill – and make no mistake – big tech is behind the House bill,” Blumenthal said.
“It is because they're being held liable by New Mexico and California juries…, and the elimination of that right of action or preemption of state law is one of their main goals,” he said. “It will give them a free pass.”
A recent jury in California found Meta and YouTube negligent for designing addictive features.
The House bill retains preemption language similar to the Senate version of KOSA; however, Blumenthal and Cantwell argued that other changes to the bill could allow courts to interpret the measure as preempting certain state common law claims, which have been central to lawsuits seeking to hold social media companies liable.
There are concerns that platforms will argue that if the Act explicitly disaffirms any duty-of-care, then there is no baseline and you can’t have state laws.
“Let me be clear, the Senate is not interested in having these cases preempted. We are for a strong federal statute, and we are for states continuing to play a role,” Cantwell said.
She urged the House to reconsider its approach.
“We are perplexed why our House colleagues are considering something that has such weak language that even the proponents are saying don't pass it, it's worse than doing nothing,” Cantwell said.
Cantwell and Blumenthal raised concerns that Senate Republicans, including Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, could support revisions aligned more closely with the House approach.
Cruz took to the Senate floor Thursday to speak in support of the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0).
“I’m worried that [Cruz] and others may be persuaded by House members that their version [of KOSA] is the one that should be passed by the Senate, as well as the House,” Blumenthal said.
Blumenthal said he continues to work with Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., to advance KOSA in the Senate.
Separately, Cantwell referenced reports that Blackburn is “spearheading” discussions with the White House on a related package that could include federal preemption language alongside provisions on kids’ safety.
Cantwell, ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee, said she does not know what Cruz or Blackburn may propose and suggested that even Republican members of the committee are not yet aware. “Nobody on the committee knows,” she said, “certainly we don't need to tie it to bad AI policy.”
Cantwell referenced a previous Senate effort to include language preempting state AI regulations in a must-pass spending bill. Cantwell said she and Blackburn worked quickly to scrap the language, introducing an amendment which passed 99-1.
“Preemption should not be a part of it, period,” Blumenthal said.
The senators urged House members not to advance a weakened version of the bill and to stick with what they called the “real KOSA,” referring to the Kids Online Safety Act that Blumenthal has championed, and rejecting what they described as a “bait-and-switch” or “KOSA light” approach.
The inclusion of a version of COPPA 2.0 in the House’s kids online safety package that is close to the Senate version is a bright spot in the package, senators said.
