Promoting U.S. Leadership in Standards Act Re-introduced  

In a bipartisan effort to secure the United States' position as a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies, Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) have re-introduced the “Promoting United States Leadership in Standards Act of 2025.” The legislation aims to enhance U.S. participation in developing international technical standards crucial for future technological dominance. The measure has been referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation for further review and deliberation.    

The primary objective of the proposed legislation is to bolster the U.S. role in setting global standards for AI and other critical technologies. By leveraging the expertise of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Department of State, the bill seeks to facilitate more active participation by U.S. federal agencies and industry stakeholders in international standards organizations. Specifically, the re-introduced bill would:  

• Require the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to submit a report to Congress that identifies current U.S. participation in standards development activities for AI and other Critical and Emerging Technologies (CETs);  

• Create an easy-to-access web portal to help stakeholders navigate and actively engage in international standardization efforts. The portal would include a list of relevant standards and information about how to participate in standardization activities related to AI and other CETs;  

• Establish a pilot program to award $5 million in grants over 4 years to support the hosting of standards meetings for AI and other CETs in the U.S.;  

• Create a report to Congress, after the third year of the program, that identifies grant recipients, provides a summary of expenses, assesses the effectiveness of the program to grow the number of standards meetings in the U.S., and shows the geographic distribution of event attendees.  

Click here to read the full bill text.