The 118th Congress is on track to become the least productive Congress in U.S. history – with the possible exception of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee.
Believe it or not, the Committee has passed nine pieces of legislation covering a diverse set of topics around artificial intelligence (AI). The nine bills are:
- R. 5077, the CREATE AI Act
- R. 9402, the NSF AI Education Act of 2024
- R. 9211, the LIFT AI Act
- R. 9403, the Expanding AI Voices Act
- R. 9215, the Workforce for AI Trust Act
- R. 9466, the AI Development Practices Act
- R. 9497, the AI Advancement and Reliability Act
- R. 9197, the Small Business Artificial Intelligence Advancement Act
- R. 9194, the Nucleic Acid Screening for Biosecurity Act.
In addition, the Science Committee has passed four bipartisan bills addressing our nation’s energy, research, and technology needs.
And on September 23, the U.S. House of Representatives passed five bipartisan Science Committee bills addressing pivotal sectors such as space exploration, next-generation energy innovation, and STEM education. These pieces of legislation are:
- R. 1735, the Mathematical and Statistical Education Act
- R. 6219, the ASCEND Act
- R. 7630, the ANCHOR Act
- R. 7685, the IMPACT Act
- R. 8958, the NASA Reauthorization Act of 2024.
In a Press Release issued last month, Science Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK) said, “Each bill passed today is a crucial step in propelling America’s scientific, technological, and economic edge forward. Our research and technology-focused bills will enhance and safeguard our academic research fleet from cyberattacks and bolster our STEM pipeline through new curricula and teaching methods. On the energy front, the bill passed today will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by improving our cement, concrete, and asphalt production. Lastly, our two space bills will allow NASA to procure commercial space data and provide the agency with a comprehensive framework to support and secure America’s position as the global leader in space. I want to thank Ranking Member Lofgren for her support and partnership in advancing our committee’s legislative agenda. I am eager to continue championing smart and practical legislation to position our country for global success in science and technology.”
It’s good to know that whatever else happens in Congress, science nerds can always be counted on to do their job.