U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) has introduced a bill aimed at preventing foreign actors and artificial intelligence bots from influencing the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) electronic public comment system. The proposed legislation, known as the American Voices in Federal Lands Act, seeks to ensure that only American citizens can provide feedback on federal policies related to energy production and federal lands.
The current online comment process allows submissions from individuals, organizations, or anonymous users without restrictions on origin or identity. According to Barrasso’s office, this leaves the system open to manipulation by foreign entities and automated AI programs.
“The rules and regulations coming out of Washington have a significant impact on Wyoming’s farmers, ranchers, landowners, and energy industry. Their voices and opinions should be the top priority of the administration during public comment periods,” said Senator Barrasso. “Instead, foreign adversaries and Artificial Intelligence (AI) bots have sabotaged the public comment process. Bad actors, like Russia and China, are given the green light to influence policy and keep us from producing American energy. This bill will stop this interference and make sure only the American people have a say in the future of our energy and federal lands policies.”
To address these concerns, the bill proposes implementing a CAPTCHA system—an automated test designed to distinguish between human users and computer programs—to deter AI-generated comments.
The legislation has received support from local agricultural groups such as the Wyoming Stock Growers Association and the Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation. Both organizations back limiting BLM public comments to U.S. citizens.
Co-sponsors for this bill include Senators Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), John Curtis (R-Utah), and Jim Risch (R-Idaho).
A full version of the proposed legislation is available for review.
