[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 10281 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 10281
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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 4, 2024
Mr. Obernolte (for himself, Ms. Matsui, Mr. Scott Franklin of Florida,
and Mr. Lieu) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
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.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Promoting United States Leadership
in Standards Act of 2024''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Artificial intelligence and other critical and emerging
technologies.--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.
(2) Director.--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 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 shall consult with the
heads of such Federal agencies as the Director considers
relevant.
(3) Elements.--The briefing provided pursuant to paragraph
(1) shall include the following:
(A) 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.
(B) 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.
(C) 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 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 Director shall, in coordination
with the Director of the Office of Management and
Budget, 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 establish an accessible web portal to help such industry
and agencies navigate and participate in such efforts.
(2) Contents.--The web portal established pursuant to
paragraph (1) shall include regularly updated lists of the
following:
(A) International efforts described in paragraph
(1) and information on opportunities for participation
in such efforts.
(B) Information on accessing standards, both in
development and published, for artificial intelligence
and other critical and emerging technologies.
(3) Administration.--The Director may inter into such
cooperative agreements with such nongovernmental organizations
as the Director considers appropriate to establish the web
portal required by paragraph (1).
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 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 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--
(1) 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
(2) 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 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:
(A) Costs related to the preparation and planning
of meetings described in subsection (a).
(B) Meeting venue-related expenses.
(C) 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 consider the extent to which the eligible
entity--
(A) 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;
(B) has a demonstrable history of participating in
or hosting successful meetings; and
(C) has a stable or growing participant base.
(d) Guidance.--
(1) In general.--The Director shall develop and
periodically update guidance for the pilot program carried out
under this section.
(2) Elements.--The guidance developed and updated pursuant
to paragraph (1) shall cover the following:
(A) Eligibility for grants awarded under the pilot
program.
(B) How grants are awarded under subsection (c).
(C) The duration and amounts of grants awarded
under subsection (c).
(D) The merit review process for the pilot program.
(E) Priority areas for technical standards
activity.
(F) Means for recipients of grants under the pilot
program to report expenses relating to costs described
in subsection (c)(2)(D).
(G) Such additional matters as the Director
determines appropriate for purposes of the pilot
program.
(e) Briefings for Congress.--
(1) In general.--During the third year of the pilot program
carried out under this section and in each subsequent year of
the pilot program, the Director shall provide Congress with a
briefing on the pilot program.
(2) Elements.--Each briefing provided pursuant to paragraph
(1) shall include the following:
(A) An assessment of the effectiveness of the pilot
program with respect to improving the hosting of
standards meetings in the United States.
(B) Identification of the recipients of grants
under the pilot program.
(C) The geographic distribution of attendees at
meetings supported with grants under the pilot program.
(D) A summary of the expenses for which the amounts
of grants awarded under the pilot program were used.
(f) Recommendations for Permanent Implementation.--If, before the
date that is 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
Director determines that providing support as described in subsection
(a) is feasible and advisable, the Director shall, not later than 2
years after the date of the enactment of this Act--
(1) develop recommendations for such legislative or
administrative action as the Director considers appropriate to
establish a permanent implementation of the pilot program; and
(2) submit to Congress the recommendations developed
pursuant to paragraph (1).
(g) Termination.--The pilot program required by subsection (a)(1)
shall terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for the period of
fiscal years 2024 through 2028.
<all>