American Leadership in AI Act

Bill Number: H.R. 8516
Origin Chamber: House
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 2
Policy Area: Science, Technology, Communications
Status: Introduced
Latest Action: 2026-04-27: Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Agriculture, Oversight and Government Reform, Education and Workforce, the Judiciary, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Last Updated: 2026-06-29T18:37:44Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The American Leadership in AI Act (H.R. 8516) aims to strengthen U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence (AI) by advancing standards, research infrastructure, federal governance, worker protections, safeguards against harmful AI uses like deepfakes, and education initiatives. It promotes innovation, safety, trustworthiness, and ethical AI development while avoiding new regulatory mandates.

Key Provisions

Title I: Strengthening Standards, Testing, and Evaluations
Establishes the Center for AI Standards and Innovation at NIST to develop voluntary best practices, benchmarks, and tests for AI reliability, security, and safety (sunsets after 6 years; $10M authorized for FY2027).
Supports U.S. participation in global AI standards via briefings, a web portal, and a 5-year pilot for hosting standards meetings ($5M authorized FY2027-2031).
Requires NIST research on AI development best practices, including risk tolerances and documentation norms.

Title II: Building Research Infrastructure and Research
Expands the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) with governance (Steering Subcommittee), resources (compute, data, education, testbeds), user eligibility (U.S.-based researchers/educators), and ethical safeguards.
Pilots NAIRR partnerships with tech companies; launches AI Grand Challenges prize competitions ($1M+ prizes; mandatory $10M cancer AI challenge).
Funds grants for generative AI in healthcare; coordinates USDA-NSF R&D; overhauls DOE AI program ($300M/year FY2027-2032) with testbeds and energy security report.

Title III: Modernizing Federal AI Governance, Procurement, and Security
Directs NIST to develop voluntary federal AI standards (excluding national security systems) for risk management, provenance labeling, and testing.
Creates Chief AI Officers Council (chaired by OMB Director) and requires agencies to appoint Chief AI Officers and AI Coordination Boards for oversight, strategies, and risk plans (sunsets after 5 years).
Supports voluntary AI vulnerability/incident tracking via NIST's National Vulnerability Database.

Title IV: Protecting Workers and Empowering Small Businesses
Establishes AI Workforce Research Hub at DOL to study AI's labor impacts.
Requires NIST resources/best practices for small businesses adopting AI, disseminated via SBA.

Title V: Safeguarding Americans and Deterring Harmful Deepfakes
Expands civil remedies for non-consensual intimate images to include AI-generated "intimate digital forgeries" (e.g., deepfake nudes; up to $250K liquidated damages; 10-year statute of limitations).
Increases penalties for AI-assisted fraud (mail/wire/bank fraud, money laundering, impersonating officials).
Provides anti-retaliation protections for AI whistleblowers reporting security vulnerabilities or violations.

Title VI: Expanding Education, Literacy, and Inclusion
Codifies AI literacy efforts; offers tax credits for cybersecurity education (50% of costs, up to $5K/employee) and procurement incentives.
Funds K-12 AI curricula, teacher training; expands NSF scholarships/fellowships; designates community college AI centers; supports research on AI in education and underrepresented institutions.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

Amends National AI Initiative Act of 2020, NIST Act, NDAA FY2021, and others to add definitions (e.g., AI red teaming, AI systems excluding common products), new entities (e.g., NIST AI Center, NAIRR governance), and programs (e.g., DOE AI overhaul).
Enhances intimate image disclosure law (15 U.S.C. 6851) to cover AI deepfakes with broader remedies.
Updates fraud statutes (18 U.S.C. §§1341-1346, 1956, 912) with AI-specific penalties.
Adds whistleblower protections modeled on aviation laws.

Potential Impacts

Government Agencies: Improves AI procurement, risk management, and coordination (e.g., NIST/NSF/DOE roles); requires inventories and strategies, potentially reducing risks but increasing administrative burdens.
Citizens: Enhances privacy via deepfake protections and whistleblower safeguards; boosts AI literacy/education for safer public engagement; studies workforce effects to inform policy.
International Relations: Promotes U.S. standards leadership through global collaboration, pilot meetings, and NAIRR to counter adversaries; no direct trade barriers.
Economy/Research: Accelerates innovation via resources/prizes ($100sM funding); aids small businesses/workers; prioritizes ethical AI to build trust.

Main Stakeholders Affected

Federal Agencies: NIST, NSF, DOE, OMB, DOL, SBA, NIH (lead implementations).
Research/Education: Universities, community colleges, nonprofits, K-12 schools (grants, centers, scholarships).
Industry/Private Sector: Tech firms (partnerships, prizes), small businesses (resources), contractors (procurement incentives).
Workers/Citizens: Employees (workforce studies, whistleblowers), deepfake victims (civil suits), students (AI literacy).
Civil Society: Underrepresented groups (capacity building), ethicists (guidelines).

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

Voluntary Focus: Emphasizes non-binding standards/best practices; explicitly prohibits new enforcement/regulatory powers (e.g., no data-sharing mandates).
Rights Protections: Bolsters civil liberties/privacy via governance, deepfake remedies, and bias mitigation; aligns with First Amendment (no content bans).
No Preemption: Preserves state/Tribal deepfake laws if equally protective.
Political: Bipartisan (introduced by Lieu/Obernolte); promotes competitiveness without heavy regulation; sunsets (e.g., AI officers) allow future review.
Constitutional: Reinforces due process via accountability/transparency; avoids compelled speech/data disclosure.

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

Sponsor

Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36]

Cosponsors (4)

Rep. Obernolte, Jay [R-CA-23], Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5], Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2], Rep. Whitesides, George [D-CA-27]

Recent Actions

2026-04-27: Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Agriculture, Oversight and Government Reform, Education and Workforce, the Judiciary, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2026-04-27: Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Agriculture, Oversight and Government Reform, Education and Workforce, the Judiciary, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2026-04-27: Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Agriculture, Oversight and Government Reform, Education and Workforce, the Judiciary, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2026-04-27: Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Agriculture, Oversight and Government Reform, Education and Workforce, the Judiciary, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2026-04-27: Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Agriculture, Oversight and Government Reform, Education and Workforce, the Judiciary, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2026-04-27: Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Agriculture, Oversight and Government Reform, Education and Workforce, the Judiciary, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2026-04-27: Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Agriculture, Oversight and Government Reform, Education and Workforce, the Judiciary, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2026-04-27: Introduced in House
2026-04-27: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

American Leadership in AI Act — issued 2026-04-27 — PDF (195 pages)