H.R. 9326

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9326 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9326

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

June 15, 2026

Mr. Webster of Florida (for himself and Mr. Obernolte) 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 ``Utilize Standards for All Act'' or 
the ``USA Act''.

SEC. 2. IMPORTANCE OF INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT.

Section 10245 of the Research and Development, Competition, and 
Innovation Act (Public Law 117-167; 42 U.S.C. 18951) is amended by 
amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
``(a) Importance of International Standards Development.--The 
Director shall carry out the following:
``(1) Advance the principles of openness, transparency, due 
process, appeals, and consensus in the development of 
international standards.
``(2) Shall promote voluntary consensus standards, 
developed through a private sector-led process (domestically 
and internationally) in accordance with the National Institute 
of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 271 et seq.), as in 
effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this 
subsection, which are the cornerstone of the United States 
standardization system and serve as the basis for a sound 
national economy and the key to global market access.
``(3) Strengthen the unique United States public-private 
partnerships approach to advance United States interests in 
standards development, as such is critical to United States 
economic competitiveness.
``(4) In coordination with the heads of relevant Federal 
agencies, ensure cooperation and coordination across Federal 
agencies to partner with and support private sector 
stakeholders regarding standards development for emerging 
technologies.''.

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 enter 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.

SEC. 5. 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.
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