H.R. 7334

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7334 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7334

To establish a commission on robotics, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 3, 2026

Mr. Obernolte (for himself, Ms. McClellan, and Mr. Latta) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, 
Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and 
Commerce, Foreign Affairs, and Education and Workforce, for a period to 
be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To establish a commission on robotics, 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 ``National Commission on Robotics 
Act''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL COMMISSION ON ROBOTICS.

(a) In General.--Not later than 30 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish an independent 
commission to be known as the ``Commission on American Leadership in 
Robotics'' (in this section referred to as the ``Commission''). The 
Commission shall examine robotics as such pertains to interstate and 
foreign commerce, economic competitiveness, and national security, and 
make recommendations to the appropriate congressional committees 
relating thereto.
(b) Membership.--
(1) Number and appointment.--The Commission shall be 
composed of 18 members appointed as follows:
(A) Three members appointed by the Speaker of the 
House of Representatives.
(B) Three members appointed by the Minority Leader 
of the House of Representatives.
(C) Three members appointed by the Majority Leader 
of the Senate.
(D) Three members appointed by the Minority Leader 
of the Senate.
(E) Six members appointed by the President of the 
United States.
(2) Deadline for appointment.--Members shall be appointed 
to the Commission by not later than 45 days after the date on 
which the Commission is established under subsection (a).
(3) Effect of lack of appointment by appointment date.--If 
one or more appointments under paragraph (1) is not made by the 
appointment date specified in paragraph (2), the authority to 
make such appointment or appointments shall expire, and the 
number of members of the Commission shall be reduced by the 
number equal to the number of appointments so not made.
(4) Qualifications.--Members of the Commission shall be 
individuals who are recognized experts and have appropriate 
professional experience in matters relating to either of the 
following:
(A) Robotics.
(B) Applications, or potential applications, of 
robotics by the private sector or public sector.
(c) Chair and Vice Chair.--
(1) Chair.--The Speaker of the House of Representatives and 
the Majority Leader of the Senate shall jointly designate one 
member of the Commission to serve as Chair of the Commission.
(2) Vice chair.--The Minority Leader of the House of 
Representatives and the Minority Leader of the Senate shall 
jointly designate one member of the Commission to serve as Vice 
Chair of the Commission.
(d) Period of Appointment and Vacancies.--Members shall be 
appointed for the life of the Commission. A vacancy in the Commission 
shall not affect its powers and shall be filled in the same manner as 
the original appointment was made.
(e) Scope and Duties.--
(1) In general.--The Commission shall carry out a review of 
advances in robotics. In carrying out such review, the 
Commission shall consider the methods, means, and policies 
necessary to advance the development of robotics by the United 
States to comprehensively address the economic competitiveness 
and national security needs of the United States.
(2) Scope of the review.--In conducting the review 
described in this subsection, the Commission shall consider the 
following:
(A) The competitiveness of the United States in 
robotics, including matters related to the domestic 
marketplace for robotics and private sector and public 
sector applications of robotics in the United States.
(B) Means and methods for the United States to 
assert and maintain a technological advantage in 
robotics, specifically in the deployment of robotics in 
industrial, retail, and commercial sectors in the 
United States.
(C) International developments and trends, 
including foreign actions and policies to advance 
robotics.
(D) Means by which to foster greater emphasis and 
investments in robotics to stimulate strategic 
partnerships in robotics with industry, the public, and 
academic institutions, to the extent that such efforts 
have material application related to economic 
competitiveness and manufacturing.
(E) Workforce incentives and programs to attract 
and recruit leading talent in robotics, including in 
associated science, technology, engineering, and 
mathematics fields, to the extent that such efforts 
relate to economic competitiveness in robotics.
(F) The global and domestic supply chain for 
robotics, including any supply chain risks or 
dependencies, and policies to increase the 
manufacturing of robotics in the United States.
(G) Any other matters the Commission determines 
appropriate related to robotics.
(f) Commission Report and Recommendations.--
(1) Interim report.--Not later than one year after the date 
on which the Commission is established under subsection (a), 
the Commission shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
committees and the President an interim report on the status of 
the Commission's review under subsection (e), including a 
discussion of any interim recommendations.
(2) Final report.--Not later than two years after the date 
on which the Commission is established under subsection (a), 
the Commission shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
committees and the President a final report on the findings of 
the Commission and such recommendations as the Commission may 
have for action by Congress and the Federal Government.
(g) Government Cooperation.--
(1) Cooperation.--In carrying out its duties under this 
section, the Commission shall receive the full and timely 
cooperation of the Secretary and the heads of other relevant 
Federal departments and agencies in providing the Commission 
with analysis, briefings, and other information necessary for 
the fulfillment of such duties.
(2) Liaison.--The Secretary shall designate at least one 
officer or employee of the Department to serve as a liaison 
officer between the Secretary and the Commission.
(3) Detailees authorized.--The Secretary and the heads of 
other relevant Federal departments and agencies may provide, 
and the Commission may accept and employ, personnel detailed 
from the Department and such other Federal departments and 
agencies, as the case may be, without reimbursement.
(4) Facilitation of certain services.--
(A) Independent, nongovernmental institute.--Not 
later than 45 days after the date on which the 
Commission is established under subsection (a), the 
Secretary may make available to the Commission the 
services of an independent, nongovernmental institute 
described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986, and exempt from tax under section 501(a) 
of such Code, that has recognized credentials and 
expertise in economic competitiveness and technology in 
order to facilitate the Commission's discharge of its 
duties under this section.
(B) Federally funded research and development 
center.--On request of the Commission, the Secretary 
shall make available to the Commission the services of 
a federally funded research and development center that 
is covered by a sponsoring agreement of the Department 
in order to enhance the Commission's efforts to 
discharge its duties under this section.
(5) Other services.--
(A) In general.--The Secretary may provide to the 
Commission, on a nonreimbursable basis, such 
administrative services, funds, staff, facilities, and 
other support services as are necessary for the 
discharge of the Commission's duties under this 
section.
(B) Other agencies.--In addition to any support 
provided under paragraph (1), the heads of other 
relevant Federal departments and agencies may provide 
to the Commission such services, funds, facilities, 
staff, and other support as such heads determine 
advisable and as may be authorized by law.
(h) Staff.--
(1) Status as federal employees.--Notwithstanding the 
requirements of section 2105 of title 5, United States Code, 
including the required supervision under subsection (a)(3) of 
such section, a member of the Commission shall be considered to 
be a Federal employee.
(2) Executive director.--The Commission shall appoint and 
fix the rate of basic pay for an Executive Director in 
accordance with section 3161(d) of title 5, United States Code.
(3) Pay.--The Executive Director, with the approval of the 
Commission, may appoint and fix the rate of basic pay for 
additional personnel as staff of the Commission in accordance 
with section 3161(d) of title 5, United States Code.
(i) Personal Services.--
(1) Authority to procure.--The Commission may--
(A) procure the services of experts or consultants 
(or of organizations of experts or consultants) in 
accordance with the provisions of section 3109 of title 
5, United States Code; and
(B) pay in connection with such services travel 
expenses of individuals, including transportation and 
per diem in lieu of subsistence, while such individuals 
are traveling from their homes or places of business to 
duty stations.
(2) Maximum daily pay rates.--The daily rate paid an expert 
or consultant procured pursuant to paragraph (1) may not exceed 
the daily rate paid a person occupying a position at level IV 
of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United 
States Code.
(j) Authority To Accept Gifts.--The Commission may accept, use, and 
dispose of gifts or donations of services, goods, and property from 
non-Federal entities for the purposes of aiding and facilitating the 
work of the Commission. The authority under this subsection does not 
extend to gifts of money. Gifts accepted under this authority shall be 
documented, and conflicts of interest or the appearance of conflicts of 
interest shall be avoided. Subject to the authority in this section, 
members of the Commission shall otherwise comply with rules set forth 
by the Select Committee on Ethics of the Senate and the Committee on 
Ethics of the House of Representatives governing employees of the 
Senate and House of Representatives, respectively.
(k) Legislative Advisory Committee.--The Commission shall operate 
as a legislative advisory committee.
(l) Contracting Authority.--The Commission may acquire such 
administrative supplies and equipment as necessary for Commission use 
to the extent funds are available.
(m) Use of Federal Government Information.--The Commission may 
secure directly from any Federal department or agency such information 
as the Commission considers necessary to discharge its duties. Upon 
such request of the Chair of the Commission, the head of such Federal 
department or agency shall furnish such information to the Commission.
(n) Postal Services.--The Commission may use the United States mail 
in the same manner and under the same conditions as Federal departments 
and agencies.
(o) Space for Use of Commission.--Not later than 30 days after the 
date on which the Commission is established under subsection (a), the 
Administrator of General Services, in consultation with the Commission, 
shall identify and make available suitable excess space within the 
Federal space inventory to house the operations of the Commission. If 
the Administrator is not able to make such suitable excess space 
available within such 30-day period, the Commission may lease space to 
the extent funds are available.
(p) Removal of Members.--A member may be removed from the 
Commission for cause by the individual serving in the position 
responsible for the original appointment of such member under 
subsection (b)(1), if notice has first been provided to such member of 
the cause for such removal and such removal is voted and agreed upon by 
three quarters of the members serving. A vacancy created by such 
removal shall not affect the powers of the Commission, and shall be 
filled in the same manner as the original appointment was made.
(q) Termination.--The Commission shall terminate 18 months after 
the date on which the Commission submits the final report required 
under subsection (f)(2).
(r) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
``appropriate congressional committees'' means the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate.
(2) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the 
Department of Commerce.
(3) Robotics.--The term ``robotics'' includes each of the 
following:
(A) Programmable multifunctional mechanical devices 
designed to move material, parts, tools, or specialized 
devices through variable programmed motions to perform 
a variety of tasks.
(B) Programmed actuated mechanisms with a degree of 
autonomy to perform locomotion, manipulation, or 
positioning.
(C) Automatically controlled, reprogrammable, 
multipurpose manipulators, programmable in three or 
more axes, which can be either fixed in place or fixed 
to a mobile platform for use in automation applications 
in an industrial environment.
(D) Machines that--
(i) can sense their environment;
(ii) have the capacity to process the 
information they sense; and
(iii) are organized to act directly upon 
their environment.
(E) Mechanical devices that are capable of 
locomotion, navigation, or movement on the ground, and 
operate at a distance from one or more operators or 
supervisors based on commands or in response to sensor 
data, or through any combination thereof, and that may 
also be referred to as ``unmanned ground vehicle 
systems''.
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
of Commerce.
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