Arts, Entertainment, and Media Unions Applaud Exclusion of AI Moratorium from FY 2026 NDAA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Katie Barrows
Communications Director
P: 202-549-5991
kbarrows@dpeaflcio.org

WASHINGTON, December 8, 2025 - Over the weekend House and Senate leaders released a compromise Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) without language prohibiting states from implementing and enforcing their own AI laws.

Arts, Entertainment, and Media Industries (AEMI) unions within the Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO released the following statement applauding the decision not to pursue the moratorium:

“The members of our unions know firsthand both the promise and risks of emerging AI technologies. For this reason, we support common sense policy guardrails at the state and federal levels. 

Today, state laws protect creative professionals and union journalists from harmful AI deepfakes, provide important transparency, and reduce the risk of discrimination and bias in AI. Blocking these important protections will put our members in harm’s way because the same federal guardrails currently do not exist. 

We support federal legislation that will protect people across state lines and establish predictability and uniformity for stakeholders. Stopping states from passing and enforcing AI safety laws before Congress acts is an invitation for lawlessness that directly threatens our members and their economic livelihoods. 

We thank the members of the U.S. House and Senate who pushed back against misguided attempts to place moratoriums on state AI laws in the NDAA and other legislation, and we urge the Administration to reconsider similar attempts to limit the rights of state governments to protect their constituents.”

The AEMI unions include:

• Actors’ Equity Association (Equity)

• American Federation of Musicians (AFM)

• American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA)

• American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA)

• Directors Guild of America (DGA)

• Guild of Italian American Actors (GIAA)

• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts (IATSE)

• Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU)

• Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA)

• Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC)

• Writers Guild of America East (WGAE)

About DPE

The Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) is a coalition of 24 unions representing over four million professional and technical union members. DPE affiliate unions represent professionals in over 300 occupations in education and healthcare; science, engineering, and technology; legal, business, and management; media, entertainment, and the arts; and public administration.

AEMI Public Media Unions Denounce Passage of Rescissions Act

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Katie Barrows
Communications Director
P: 202-549-5991
kbarrows@dpeaflcio.org

WASHINGTON, July 21, 2025 - Last week, Congress voted to approve H.R. 4, the Rescissions Act of 2025, which revokes $1.1 billion in already-approved funding for public media. 

The Arts, Entertainment, and Media Industries (AEMI) unions within the Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO that have members who work in public media released the following statement in response to the vote:

“We denounce the passage of the Rescissions Act of 2025, which claws back already approved funding for public media, including, PBS, PBS Kids, NPR and small noncommercial stations across the country. 

Rescinding public media funds is a radical act that will immediately impact the members of our unions who work on-air and behind-the-scenes to support and enrich their communities, many of whom rely on these stations for critical access to news, local information, and free educational content. More than 19,000 people who work in public radio and broadcasting now face an uncertain future with looming job losses and economic pain, with rural America slated to be hit the hardest by these cuts. 

At the same time, today is not the last word. We will keep making the case for public media because we know its economic value and the importance it plays in everyday Americans’ lives.”

The AEMI unions with members working in public media include:

• American Federation of Musicians (AFM)

• Directors Guild of America (DGA)

• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)

• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)

• Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU)

• Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA)

• Writers Guild of America East (WGAE)

About the AEMI

The Arts, Entertainment, and Media Industries (AEMI) coalition is made up of 12 national unions that represent professionals in the arts, entertainment, and media industries and is led by DPE. The AEMI is the leading voice in the labor movement on public policy in the arts, entertainment, and media industries.

About DPE

The Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) is a coalition of 24 unions representing over four million professional and technical union members. DPE affiliate unions represent professionals in over 300 occupations in education and healthcare; science, engineering, and technology; legal, business, and management; media, entertainment, and the arts; and public administration.