S. 1269

119th CONGRESS 1st Session

To promote United States leadership in technical standards by directing the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Department of State to take certain actions to encourage and enable United States participation in developing standards and specifications for artificial intelligence and other critical and emerging technologies, and for other purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES · April 2, 2025 · Sponsor: Mrs. Blackburn · Committee: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

Table of contents

• S. 1269
  • SEC. 1. Short title
  • SEC. 2. Definitions
  • SEC. 3. United States participation in organizations developing standards and specifications for artificial intelligence and other critical and emerging technologies
  • SEC. 4. Pilot program to support standards meetings for artificial intelligence and other critical and emerging technologies in the United States

SEC. 1. Short title

• This Act may be cited as the Promoting United States Leadership in Standards Act of 2025.

SEC. 2. Definitions

• In this Act:
  • The term artificial intelligence and other critical and emerging technologies means a subset of artificial intelligence and other critical and emerging technologies included in the list of such technologies identified and maintained by the National Science and Technology Council of the Office of Science and Technology Policy as the Director considers appropriate for purposes of this Act.
  • The term Director means the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

SEC. 3. United States participation in organizations developing standards and specifications for artificial intelligence and other critical and emerging technologies

• (a) Briefing required
  • (1) In general
    • Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director shall, in coordination with the Secretary of State, provide to Congress a briefing to assist in the evaluation and identification of opportunities for Federal Government support for industry-led efforts in the development of technical standards for artificial intelligence and other critical and emerging technologies.
  • (2) Interagency consultation
    • In preparing the briefing required by paragraph (1), the Director and the Secretary of State shall jointly consult with the heads of such Federal agencies as they jointly consider relevant.
  • (3) Elements
    • The briefing provided pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include the following:
      • An overview of standards activities relating to artificial intelligence and other critical and emerging technologies and information about the following:
        • (i) Key technical standards that are the subject of ongoing activity.
        • (ii) Key standards bodies hosting these activities.
        • (iii) Any Federal agency that is participating in these activities.
      • An analysis identifying where participation by United States industry and Federal agencies in standards activities in artificial intelligence and other critical and emerging technologies would be facilitated or enhanced by conducting standards meetings hosted in the United States.
      • Recommendations for effectively informing United States industry and Federal agencies on ongoing standardization activities with the objective of increasing participation of such industry and agencies in such activities.
  • (4) Federal agency notice requirement
    • (A) In general
      • Using the mechanism established pursuant to subparagraph (B), each head of a Federal agency shall transmit to the Secretary of State and the Director notice of the participation of their respective Federal agency in a standards activity relating to artificial intelligence and other critical and emerging technologies.
    • (B) Mechanism
      • The Secretary of State and the Director shall, in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, jointly develop a mechanism for reporting participation by Federal agencies in standards activities.
• (b) Web portal
  • (1) In general
    • In order to inform United States industry and Federal agencies about existing and ongoing international efforts to develop technical standards for artificial intelligence and other critical and emerging technologies and opportunities for participation in such efforts, the Director shall, in coordination with the Secretary of State, establish an accessible web portal to help such industry and agencies navigate and participate in such efforts.

SEC. 4. Pilot program to support standards meetings for artificial intelligence and other critical and emerging technologies in the United States

• (a) Pilot program required
  • (1) In general
    • Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and subject to the availability of appropriated funds, the Director shall, in coordination with the Secretary of State and the heads of such other Federal agencies as the Director considers appropriate, establish a pilot program on supporting standards meetings for artificial intelligence and other critical and emerging technologies in the United States by awarding grants to eligible entities described in subsection (b) hosting meetings of organizations described in paragraph (1) of such subsection to support the hosting of such meetings in the United States.
  • (2) Administration
    • The Director may, in coordination with the Secretary of State, carry out the pilot program required by paragraph (1) by entering into such cooperative agreements with such nongovernmental organizations as the Director considers appropriate to establish and administer the pilot program.
• (b) Eligible entities
  • For purposes of the pilot program required by subsection (a), an eligible entity is—
    • an organization that is developing standards and specifications for artificial intelligence and other critical and emerging technologies for at least 1 technical standard that affects the interests of 1 or more Federal agencies; or
    • an entity that hosts an organization described in paragraph (1).
• (c) Grants
  • (1) In general
    • In carrying out the pilot program required by subsection (a), the Director shall, in coordination with the Secretary of State, award grants to eligible entities to host meetings as described in such subsection.
  • (2) Use of funds
    • An eligible entity receiving a grant under this subsection to host a meeting in the United States may use the amount of the grant for such costs as the Director considers reasonable for hosting the meeting in the United States, but not more than fifty percent of anticipated cost of hosting the meeting and not more than a maximum amount that the Director shall establish for purposes of this subsection. Such costs may include the following:
      • Costs related to the preparation and planning of meetings described in subsection (a).
      • Meeting venue-related expenses.
      • Such other costs that may support the eligible entity in conducting a standards meeting in the United States.
  • (3) Considerations
    • In deciding whether to award a grant under this subsection to an eligible entity to host a meeting, the Director may, in coordination with the Secretary of State, consider the extent to which the eligible entity—
      • is or hosts an organization that administers technical standards activity in artificial intelligence and other critical and emerging technologies that involves United States-based participants, including but not limited to participants from Federal agencies of the United States;