II 

Calendar No. 482 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3849 

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 

FEBRUARY 29, 2024 

Mr. WARNER (for himself, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. HICKENLOOPER, and Mr. 

YOUNG) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

AUGUST 1, 2024 

Reported by Ms. CANTWELL, with an amendment 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

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. 


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1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Promoting United 

5 States Leadership in Standards Act of 2024’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 

8 (1) ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND OTHER

9 CRITICAL AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES.—The 

10 term ‘‘artificial intelligence and other critical and 

11 emerging technologies’’ means a subset of artificial 

12 intelligence and other critical and emerging tech13 nologies included in the list of such technologies 

14 identified and maintained by the National Science 

15 and Technology Council of the Office of Science and 

16 Technology Policy as the Director considers appro17 priate for purposes of this Act. 

18 (2) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 

19 the Director of the National Institute of Standards 

20 and Technology. 


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1 SEC. 3. UNITED STATES PARTICIPATION IN ORGANIZA2 TIONS DEVELOPING STANDARDS AND SPECI3 FICATIONS FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 

4 AND OTHER CRITICAL AND EMERGING TECH5 NOLOGIES. 

6 (a) BRIEFING REQUIRED.— 

7 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 

8 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director 

9 shall provide to Congress a briefing to assist in the 

10 evaluation and identification of opportunities for 

11 Federal Government participation in the develop12 ment of technical standards for artificial intelligence 

13 and other critical and emerging technologies. 

14 (2) ELEMENTS.—The briefing provided pursu15 ant to paragraph (1) shall include the following: 

16 (A) An overview of standards activities re17 lating to artificial intelligence and other critical 

18 and emerging technologies and information 

19 about the following: 

20 (i) Key technical standards that are 

21 the subject of ongoing activity. 

22 (ii) Key standards bodies hosting 

23 these activities. 

24 (iii) Any Federal agency that is par25 ticipating in these activities. 


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1 (B) An analysis identifying where partici2 pation by United States industry and Federal 

3 agencies in standards activities in artificial in4 telligence and other critical and emerging tech5 nologies would be facilitated or enhanced by 

6 conducting prestandardization and standards 

7 coordination meetings with stakeholders and 

8 standards meetings hosted in the United States. 

9 (C) Recommendations for effectively in10 forming United States industry and Federal 

11 agencies on ongoing standardization activities 

12 with the objective of increasing participation of 

13 such industry and agencies in such activities. 

14 (3) FEDERAL AGENCY NOTICE REQUIRE15 MENT.— 

16 (A) IN GENERAL.—Using the mechanism 

17 established pursuant to subparagraph (B), each 

18 head of a Federal agency shall transmit to the 

19 Director notice of the participation of their re20 spective Federal agency in a standards activity 

21 relating to artificial intelligence and other crit22 ical and emerging technologies. 

23 (B) MECHANISM.—The Director shall, in 

24 coordination with the Director of the Office of 

25 Management and Budget, develop a mechanism 


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1 for reporting participation by Federal agencies 

2 in standards activities. 

3 (b) WEB PORTAL.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—In order to inform United 

5 States industry and Federal agencies about existing 

6 and ongoing international efforts to develop tech7 nical standards for artificial intelligence and other 

8 critical and emerging technologies and opportunities 

9 for participation in such efforts, the Director shall 

10 establish an accessible web portal to help such indus11 try and agencies navigate and participate in such ef12 forts. 

13 (2) CONTENTS.—The web portal established 

14 pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include regularly 

15 updated lists of the following: 

16 (A) International efforts described in para17 graph (1) and information on opportunities for 

18 participation in such efforts. 

19 (B) Information on accessing standards, 

20 both in development and published, for artificial 

21 intelligence and other critical and emerging 

22 technologies. 

23 (3) ADMINISTRATION.—The Director may inter 

24 into such cooperative agreements with such non25 governmental organizations as the Director considers 


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1 appropriate to establish the web portal required by 

2 paragraph (1). 

3 SEC. 4. PILOT PROGRAM TO SUPPORT STANDARDS MEET4 INGS FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND 

5 OTHER CRITICAL AND EMERGING TECH6 NOLOGIES IN THE UNITED STATES. 

7 (a) PILOT PROGRAM REQUIRED.— 

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 

9 after the date of the enactment of this Act, and sub10 ject to the availability of appropriated funds, the Di11 rector shall, in coordination with the heads of such 

12 other Federal agencies as the Director considers ap13 propriate, establish a pilot program on supporting 

14 standards meetings for artificial intelligence and 

15 other critical and emerging technologies in the 

16 United States by— 

17 (A) conducting prestandardization and 

18 standards coordination meetings with stake19 holders; and 

20 (B) awarding grants to eligible entities de21 scribed in subsection (b) hosting meetings of or22 ganizations described in paragraph (1) of such 

23 subsection to support the hosting of such meet24 ings in the United States. 


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1 (2) ADMINISTRATION.—The Director may carry 

2 out the pilot program required by paragraph (1) by 

3 entering into such cooperative agreements with such 

4 nongovernmental organizations as the Director con5 siders appropriate to establish and administer the 

6 pilot program. 

7 (b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—For purposes of the pilot 

8 program required by subsection (a), an eligible entity is— 

9 (1) an organization that is developing standards 

10 and specifications for artificial intelligence and other 

11 critical and emerging technologies for at least 1 

12 technical standard that affects the interests of 1 or 

13 more Federal agencies; or 

14 (2) an entity that hosts an organization de15 scribed in paragraph (1). 

16 (c) GRANTS.— 

17 (1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the pilot 

18 program required by subsection (a), the Director 

19 shall award grants to eligible entities to host meet20 ings as described in such subsection. 

21 (2) USE OF FUNDS.—An eligible entity receiv22 ing a grant under this subsection to host a meeting 

23 in the United States may use the amount of the 

24 grant for such costs as the Director considers rea25 sonable for hosting the meeting in the United 


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1 States, but not more than fifty percent of antici2 pated cost of hosting the meeting and not more than 

3 a maximum amount that the Director shall establish 

4 for purposes of this subsection. Such costs may in5 clude the following: 

6 (A) Costs related to the preparation and 

7 planning of meetings described in subsection 

8 (a). 

9 (B) Meeting venue-related expenses. 

10 (C) Such other costs that may support the 

11 eligible entity in conducting a standards meet12 ing in the United States. 

13 (3) CONSIDERATIONS.—In deciding whether to 

14 award a grant under this subsection to an eligible 

15 entity to host a meeting, the Director may consider 

16 the extent to which the eligible entity— 

17 (A) is or hosts an organization that admin18 isters technical standards activity in artificial 

19 intelligence and other critical and emerging 

20 technologies that involves United States-based 

21 participants, including participants from Fed22 eral agencies of the United States; 

23 (B) has a demonstrable history of partici24 pating in or hosting successful meetings; and 


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1 (C) has a stable or growing participant 

2 base. 

3 (d) GUIDANCE.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall develop 

5 and periodically update guidance for the pilot pro6 gram carried out under this section. 

7 (2) ELEMENTS.—The guidance developed and 

8 updated pursuant to paragraph (1) shall cover the 

9 following: 

10 (A) Eligibility for grants awarded under 

11 the pilot program. 

12 (B) How grants are awarded under sub13 section (c). 

14 (C) The duration and amounts of grants 

15 awarded under subsection (c). 

16 (D) The merit review process for the pilot 

17 program. 

18 (E) Priority areas for technical standards 

19 activity. 

20 (F) Means for recipients of grants under 

21 the pilot program to report expenses relating to 

22 costs described in subsection (c)(2)(D). 

23 (G) Such additional matters as the Direc24 tor determines appropriate for purposes of the 

25 pilot program. 


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1 (e) BRIEFINGS FOR CONGRESS.— 

2 (1) IN GENERAL.—During the third year of the 

3 pilot program carried out under this section and in 

4 each subsequent year of the pilot program, the Di5 rector shall provide Congress with a briefing on the 

6 pilot program. 

7 (2) ELEMENTS.—Each briefing provided pursu8 ant to paragraph (1) shall include the following: 

9 (A) An assessment of the effectiveness of 

10 the pilot program with respect to improving the 

11 hosting of standards meetings in the United 

12 States. 

13 (B) Identification of the recipients of 

14 grants under the pilot program. 

15 (C) The geographic distribution of 

16 attendees at meetings supported with grants 

17 under the pilot program. 

18 (D) A summary of the expenses for which 

19 the amounts of grants awarded under the pilot 

20 program were used. 

21 (f) RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PERMANENT IMPLE22 MENTATION.—If, before the date that is 3 years after the 

23 date of the enactment of this Act, the Director determines 

24 that conducting prestandardization and standards coordi25 nation meetings with stakeholders or awarding grants as 


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1 described in subsection (a) is feasible and advisable, the 

2 Director shall, not later than 3 years after the date of 

3 the enactment of this Act— 

4 (1) develop recommendations for such legisla5 tive or administrative action as the Director con6 siders appropriate to establish a permanent imple7 mentation of the pilot program; and 

8 (2) submit to Congress the recommendations 

9 developed pursuant to paragraph (1). 

10 (g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

11 authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 

12 $10,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2024 through 

13 2028. 

14 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

15 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Promoting United States 

16 Leadership in Standards Act of 2024’’. 

17 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

18 In this Act: 

19 (1) ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND OTHER CRIT20 ICAL AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES.—The term ‘‘ar21 tificial intelligence and other critical and emerging 

22 technologies’’ means a subset of artificial intelligence 

23 and other critical and emerging technologies included 

24 in the list of such technologies identified and main25 tained by the National Science and Technology CounVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:40 Aug 02, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\S3849.RS S3849

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1 cil of the Office of Science and Technology Policy as 

2 the Director considers appropriate for purposes of this 

3 Act. 

4 (2) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means the 

5 Director of the National Institute of Standards and 

6 Technology. 

7 SEC. 3. UNITED STATES PARTICIPATION IN ORGANIZA8 TIONS DEVELOPING STANDARDS AND SPECI9 FICATIONS FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 

10 AND OTHER CRITICAL AND EMERGING TECH11 NOLOGIES. 

12 (a) BRIEFING REQUIRED.— 

13 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 

14 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director 

15 shall provide to Congress a briefing to assist in the 

16 evaluation and identification of opportunities for 

17 Federal Government support for industry-led efforts 

18 in the development of technical standards for artifi19 cial intelligence and other critical and emerging tech20 nologies. 

21 (2) INTERAGENCY CONSULTATION.—In preparing 

22 the briefing required by paragraph (1), the Director 

23 shall consult with the heads of such Federal agencies 

24 as the Director considers relevant. 


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1 (3) ELEMENTS.—The briefing provided pursuant 

2 to paragraph (1) shall include the following: 

3 (A) An overview of standards activities re4 lating to artificial intelligence and other critical 

5 and emerging technologies and information 

6 about the following: 

7 (i) Key technical standards that are 

8 the subject of ongoing activity. 

9 (ii) Key standards bodies hosting these 

10 activities. 

11 (iii) Any Federal agency that is par12 ticipating in these activities. 

13 (B) An analysis identifying where partici14 pation by United States industry and Federal 

15 agencies in standards activities in artificial in16 telligence and other critical and emerging tech17 nologies would be facilitated or enhanced by con18 ducting standards meetings hosted in the United 

19 States. 

20 (C) Recommendations for effectively inform21 ing United States industry and Federal agencies 

22 on ongoing standardization activities with the 

23 objective of increasing participation of such in24 dustry and agencies in such activities. 

25 (4) FEDERAL AGENCY NOTICE REQUIREMENT.— 


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1 (A) IN GENERAL.—Using the mechanism es2 tablished pursuant to subparagraph (B), each 

3 head of a Federal agency shall transmit to the 

4 Director notice of the participation of their re5 spective Federal agency in a standards activity 

6 relating to artificial intelligence and other crit7 ical and emerging technologies. 

8 (B) MECHANISM.—The Director shall, in 

9 coordination with the Director of the Office of 

10 Management and Budget, develop a mechanism 

11 for reporting participation by Federal agencies 

12 in standards activities. 

13 (b) WEB PORTAL.— 

14 (1) IN GENERAL.—In order to inform United 

15 States industry and Federal agencies about existing 

16 and ongoing international efforts to develop technical 

17 standards for artificial intelligence and other critical 

18 and emerging technologies and opportunities for par19 ticipation in such efforts, the Director shall establish 

20 an accessible web portal to help such industry and 

21 agencies navigate and participate in such efforts. 

22 (2) CONTENTS.—The web portal established pur23 suant to paragraph (1) shall include regularly up24 dated lists of the following: 


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1 (A) International efforts described in para2 graph (1) and information on opportunities for 

3 participation in such efforts. 

4 (B) Information on accessing standards, 

5 both in development and published, for artificial 

6 intelligence and other critical and emerging tech7 nologies. 

8 (3) ADMINISTRATION.—The Director may inter 

9 into such cooperative agreements with such non10 governmental organizations as the Director considers 

11 appropriate to establish the web portal required by 

12 paragraph (1). 

13 SEC. 4. PILOT PROGRAM TO SUPPORT STANDARDS MEET14 INGS FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND 

15 OTHER CRITICAL AND EMERGING TECH16 NOLOGIES IN THE UNITED STATES. 

17 (a) PILOT PROGRAM REQUIRED.— 

18 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after 

19 the date of the enactment of this Act, and subject to 

20 the availability of appropriated funds, the Director 

21 shall, in coordination with the heads of such other 

22 Federal agencies as the Director considers appro23 priate, establish a pilot program on supporting 

24 standards meetings for artificial intelligence and 

25 other critical and emerging technologies in the United 


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1 States by awarding grants to eligible entities de2 scribed in subsection (b) hosting meetings of organiza3 tions described in paragraph (1) of such subsection to 

4 support the hosting of such meetings in the United 

5 States. 

6 (2) ADMINISTRATION.—The Director may carry 

7 out the pilot program required by paragraph (1) by 

8 entering into such cooperative agreements with such 

9 nongovernmental organizations as the Director con10 siders appropriate to establish and administer the 

11 pilot program. 

12 (b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—For purposes of the pilot 

13 program required by subsection (a), an eligible entity is— 

14 (1) an organization that is developing standards 

15 and specifications for artificial intelligence and other 

16 critical and emerging technologies for at least 1 tech17 nical standard that affects the interests of 1 or more 

18 Federal agencies; or 

19 (2) an entity that hosts an organization de20 scribed in paragraph (1). 

21 (c) GRANTS.— 

22 (1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the pilot pro23 gram required by subsection (a), the Director shall 

24 award grants to eligible entities to host meetings as 

25 described in such subsection. 


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1 (2) USE OF FUNDS.—An eligible entity receiving 

2 a grant under this subsection to host a meeting in the 

3 United States may use the amount of the grant for 

4 such costs as the Director considers reasonable for 

5 hosting the meeting in the United States, but not 

6 more than fifty percent of anticipated cost of hosting 

7 the meeting and not more than a maximum amount 

8 that the Director shall establish for purposes of this 

9 subsection. Such costs may include the following: 

10 (A) Costs related to the preparation and 

11 planning of meetings described in subsection (a). 

12 (B) Meeting venue-related expenses. 

13 (C) Such other costs that may support the 

14 eligible entity in conducting a standards meeting 

15 in the United States. 

16 (3) CONSIDERATIONS.—In deciding whether to 

17 award a grant under this subsection to an eligible en18 tity to host a meeting, the Director may consider the 

19 extent to which the eligible entity— 

20 (A) is or hosts an organization that admin21 isters technical standards activity in artificial 

22 intelligence and other critical and emerging tech23 nologies that involves United States-based par24 ticipants, including but not limited to partici25 pants from Federal agencies of the United States; 


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1 (B) has a demonstrable history of partici2 pating in or hosting successful meetings; and 

3 (C) has a stable or growing participant 

4 base. 

5 (d) GUIDANCE.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall develop 

7 and periodically update guidance for the pilot pro8 gram carried out under this section. 

9 (2) ELEMENTS.—The guidance developed and 

10 updated pursuant to paragraph (1) shall cover the 

11 following: 

12 (A) Eligibility for grants awarded under 

13 the pilot program. 

14 (B) How grants are awarded under sub15 section (c). 

16 (C) The duration and amounts of grants 

17 awarded under subsection (c). 

18 (D) The merit review process for the pilot 

19 program. 

20 (E) Priority areas for technical standards 

21 activity. 

22 (F) Means for recipients of grants under the 

23 pilot program to report expenses relating to costs 

24 described in subsection (c)(2)(D). 


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1 (G) Such additional matters as the Director 

2 determines appropriate for purposes of the pilot 

3 program. 

4 (e) BRIEFINGS FOR CONGRESS.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—During the third year of the 

6 pilot program carried out under this section and in 

7 each subsequent year of the pilot program, the Direc8 tor shall provide Congress with a briefing on the pilot 

9 program. 

10 (2) ELEMENTS.—Each briefing provided pursu11 ant to paragraph (1) shall include the following: 

12 (A) An assessment of the effectiveness of the 

13 pilot program with respect to improving the 

14 hosting of standards meetings in the United 

15 States. 

16 (B) Identification of the recipients of grants 

17 under the pilot program. 

18 (C) The geographic distribution of attendees 

19 at meetings supported with grants under the 

20 pilot program. 

21 (D) A summary of the expenses for which 

22 the amounts of grants awarded under the pilot 

23 program were used. 

24 (f) RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PERMANENT IMPLEMEN25 TATION.—If, before the date that is 2 years after the date 


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1 of the enactment of this Act, the Director determines that 

2 providing support as described in subsection (a) is feasible 

3 and advisable, the Director shall, not later than 2 years 

4 after the date of the enactment of this Act— 

5 (1) develop recommendations for such legislative 

6 or administrative action as the Director considers ap7 propriate to establish a permanent implementation of 

8 the pilot program; and 

9 (2) submit to Congress the recommendations de10 veloped pursuant to paragraph (1). 

11 (g) TERMINATION.—The pilot program required by 

12 subsection (a)(1) shall terminate on the date that is 5 years 

13 after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

14 (h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

15 authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 

16 $5,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2024 through 2028. 


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Calendar No. 482 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3849 

A BILL 

To promote United States leadership in technical 

nologies, and for other purposes. ligence and other critical and emerging techstandards and specifications for artificial intelenable United States participation in developing of State to take certain actions to encourage and Standards and Technology and the Department standards by directing the National Institute of 

AUGUST 1, 2024 

Reported with an amendment 


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