NSF AI Education Act of 2025

Bill Number: H.R. 5351
Origin Chamber: House
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 1
Policy Area: Science, Technology, Communications
Status: Introduced
Latest Action: 2026-06-25: Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 33 - 0.
Last Updated: 2026-07-08T08:06:00Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The NSF AI Education Act of 2025 aims to expand educational opportunities and professional training in artificial intelligence (AI) by authorizing the National Science Foundation (NSF) to fund scholarships, fellowships, research, and collaborative programs. It builds on existing laws to prepare students, teachers, and workers for AI-related careers, emphasizing integration into education from K-12 through higher education and industry.

Key Provisions

Scholarships and Fellowships in AI (Section 2):
NSF can award scholarships and fellowships to undergraduate and graduate students in AI-related programs, covering tuition, fees, stipends, and professional development for up to five years.
Prioritizes fields like AI teaching, advanced manufacturing, and agriculture.
Includes professional development fellowships for students, faculty, teachers, school counselors, and industry professionals to gain AI skills through partnerships with higher education and industry.
Requires outreach to rural, Tribal, and underserved institutions.
Establishes a nationwide outreach campaign to raise awareness of NSF-funded AI education.
Eligibility requires U.S. citizenship or permanent residency, commitment to an AI career, and acceptance of fellowship terms.
Mandates a report to Congress seven years after enactment, assessing program effectiveness, completion rates, workforce entry, and impacts on K-12 educators.

Community College and Area Career and Technical Education Centers of AI Excellence (Section 3):
Authorizes NSF, in coordination with the Department of Commerce's Regional Technology Hubs, to designate up to eight regional centers at community colleges or career/technical schools.
Centers must partner with governments, higher education, industry, economic development groups, or nonprofits.
Applications require descriptions of focus areas aligned with regional needs, workforce demands, data collection plans, and outcome-based evaluations.
Centers will develop best practices for AI research, education scaling, classroom integration, experiential learning (e.g., internships), job pathways, and employer partnerships.
NSF must evaluate centers and report results to Congress within 180 days of evaluation completion, including recommendations for improvements.

Awards for Research on AI in Education and AI Collaborative (Section 4):
NSF can make competitive awards to higher education institutions, nonprofits, or consortia for research on AI teaching models, tools, and materials for pre-K through grade 12, focusing on classroom integration and learning outcomes.
Funds support teacher preparation, development of instructional materials, professional development models, tools for student success, and evaluations of AI's educational effects.
Encourages partnerships with experienced organizations and commitments from school leaders.
Establishes a pilot program for regional cohorts providing peer support, mentoring, and research experiences for K-12 educators and leaders to network on AI teaching, usage, and evaluation, potentially through existing NSF programs.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

Amends the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020 (part of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act) by expanding NSF's authority under sections 5401 and 540l(e).
Adds student scholarships and broadens fellowships beyond faculty to include K-12 professionals and industry workers.
Replaces and expands the definition of "Centers of AI Excellence" to focus on community colleges and career/technical schools, emphasizing regional diversity and workforce integration.
Introduces new subsections for AI education research awards and a collaborative pilot program, shifting from general AI initiatives to targeted K-12 and professional development.

Potential Impacts

On Government Agencies: NSF gains expanded funding and program authorities (subject to appropriations), requiring new outreach, evaluations, and reporting to Congress, which could increase administrative workload but enhance coordination with the Department of Commerce.
On Citizens: Boosts access to AI education for students, especially in underserved areas (e.g., rural, Tribal institutions), potentially increasing AI literacy, job skills, and career opportunities in emerging fields like AI-integrated manufacturing and agriculture. Teachers and professionals may gain better training, improving K-12 education quality.
On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though it strengthens U.S. AI workforce development, indirectly supporting national competitiveness in global AI innovation without addressing foreign policy explicitly.

Main Stakeholders Affected

Students and Educators: Undergraduate/graduate students, K-12 teachers, counselors, and school leaders benefit from scholarships, fellowships, and training.
Institutions: Community colleges, career/technical schools, universities, and Tribal Colleges receive funding and designations as centers.
Industry and Nonprofits: Private sector partners, economic development organizations, and nonprofits collaborate on programs, apprenticeships, and research.
Underserved Groups: Rural, emerging research, and EPSCoR (Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) jurisdictions gain prioritized outreach.
Government: NSF and Congress, through mandated reports and evaluations.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

Legal: Relies on competitive, merit-reviewed awards and outcome-based evaluations to ensure accountability; no new enforcement mechanisms, but emphasizes ethical considerations in AI use (e.g., teacher-student interactions). All programs are voluntary and tied to appropriations, avoiding mandatory spending.
Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's spending power under Article I to promote education and science; promotes equal access via outreach to underserved institutions, supporting equity without infringing on states' education roles.
Political: Bipartisan introduction (by Reps. Fong, Salinas, Pettersen) signals broad support for AI education as a national priority; focuses on workforce readiness amid AI's rapid growth, potentially influencing future tech policy debates on equity and innovation without partisan controversy evident in the text.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Fong, Vince [R-CA-20]

Cosponsors (28)

Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6], Rep. Pettersen, Brittany [D-CO-7], Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7], Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5], Rep. Gillen, Laura [D-NY-4], Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-9], Rep. Obernolte, Jay [R-CA-23], Rep. McDonald Rivet, Kristen [D-MI-8], Rep. Kim, Young [R-CA-40], Rep. Tran, Derek [D-CA-45], Rep. Haridopolos, Mike [R-FL-8], Rep. Kennedy, Mike [R-UT-3], Rep. McCormick, Richard [R-GA-7], Rep. Begich, Nicholas J. [R-AK-At Large], Rep. Lee, Susie [D-NV-3], Rep. Vasquez, Gabe [D-NM-2], Rep. Liccardo, Sam T. [D-CA-16], Rep. Min, Dave [D-CA-47], Rep. Flood, Mike [R-NE-1], Rep. Bice, Stephanie I. [R-OK-5], Rep. Baird, James R. [R-IN-4], Rep. Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3], Rep. Harrigan, Pat [R-NC-10], Rep. Valadao, David G. [R-CA-22], Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13], Rep. Maloy, Celeste [R-UT-2], Rep. Van Epps, Matt [R-TN-7], Rep. Whitesides, George [D-CA-27]

Recent Actions

2026-06-25: Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 33 - 0.
2026-06-25: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
2025-09-15: Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
2025-09-15: Introduced in House
2025-09-15: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

NSF AI Education Act of 2025 — issued 2025-09-15 — PDF (22 pages)