AI-generated legislative drafts overwhelm US congressional lawyers
Congressional staffers are increasingly using AI chatbots to draft legislation, forcing the House Office of Legislative Counsel to spend significant time fixing AI-generated text that contains errors and fabricated citations. The practice reportedly raises serious concerns about the accuracy and enforceability of bills that become federal law.
What happened
Congressional staffers and outside advocacy groups are increasingly using AI chatbots including Claude and ChatGPT to draft legislative text. The House Office of Legislative Counsel (OLC) reports that requests for legislation rose 72% in 2025 compared to 2023.
The OLC reportedly spends more time fixing AI-drafted legislation than it would take to draft bills from scratch. AI models reportedly stumble over fine legal distinctions, such as whether funding should be structured as a tax credit, deduction, exclusion or grant.
In June 2026, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna's office published an amendment summary containing the unedited chatbot phrase 'Claude responded.' Luna acknowledged her staff used AI to correct a draft text but did not fully edit it.
Reported impact
A congressional staffer warned that lawmakers have no idea what legislation is coming due to errors and citations that won't hold up to scrutiny when conflicts arise. The staffer called the situation 'absolutely terrifying.'
Daniel Schuman, executive director of the American Governance Institute, stated that AI is 'not capable of drafting legislation that you would want to enact into law.'
Index analysis
The incident reflects a broader pattern where AI chatbots are used to draft documents in jargon-heavy fields requiring precision, giving users unwarranted confidence while creating more work for professionals who must review the output.
Governance controls
Ari Hershowitz, a lawyer and technologist who has worked with the OLC to integrate technology into the legislative process, acknowledged that without checks, AI-drafted legislation poses risks.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
This record was researched and written by the Index from original reporting. Its sources are still being verified by an editor, and they are listed here once that check is complete. Until then the record carries no reviewer.