AI Security and Innovation Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 9363
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- 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: 29 - 0.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-09T15:42:35Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose This legislation amends the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020 to create a new Center for AI Security and Innovation within the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Its goal is to strengthen U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence research, development, and evaluation while addressing national security and economic security risks from AI systems.
Key Provisions
- Definitions updated: Expands terms in the 2020 Act to include "AI" alongside "artificial intelligence," adds definitions for artificial intelligence model and system, "foreign adversary," and "intelligence community."
- Center establishment: Requires the Secretary of Commerce, through the Under Secretary for Standards and Innovation, to create the Center within 60 days. The Center must measure AI risks, support information sharing between private entities and federal agencies, and promote U.S. AI leadership.
- Director and duties: A Director is appointed within three months. Duties include evaluating security against specific threats (such as model tampering or data leakage), setting up voluntary agreements for risk evaluations of "covered frontier systems," conducting assessments of U.S. and foreign adversary AI systems, and supporting voluntary standards and best practices.
- Hiring and operations: Allows appointment of up to 15 technical experts with flexible pay rates. Information shared by private entities receives confidentiality protections and cannot be used for regulation.
- International and reporting rules: Permits collaboration with similar centers abroad except in foreign adversary countries. Requires annual reports to Congress starting in fiscal year 2027 on budgets, goals, and international competition.
- Funding and limits: Authorizes $20 million annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2032. The section sunsets after five years. Explicitly states the Center has no regulatory, rulemaking, or enforcement authority.
Significant Changes to Existing Law The bill adds a new section (5304) to the 2020 Act, creating the Center and related authorities. It modifies existing definitions and inserts new ones without altering core regulatory structures. It also includes a clerical amendment to update the table of contents.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: Increases NIST's role in AI evaluation and coordination with the Departments of Defense, Energy, Homeland Security, and the intelligence community. May require interagency consultation on AI policy.
- Citizens and industry: Encourages voluntary participation by AI developers in security evaluations without imposing mandates. Provides protections against public disclosure of shared information.
- International relations: Supports U.S. leadership by benchmarking AI capabilities against foreign adversaries while limiting engagement with those nations.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal agencies, including NIST, the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and national security entities.
- Private AI developers and covered entities involved in frontier AI systems.
- Congress, through required reporting and oversight.
- Researchers and standards bodies focused on AI security and reliability.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The bill emphasizes voluntary measures and explicitly prohibits new regulatory authority, limiting its scope to research, evaluation, and information sharing. Confidentiality rules exempt certain information from public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. The five-year sunset and prohibition on using shared data for regulation aim to balance security goals with concerns about government overreach.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (6)
Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4], Rep. Babin, Brian [R-TX-36], Rep. Mann, Tracey [R-KS-1], Rep. Franklin, Scott [R-FL-18], Rep. Trahan, Lori [D-MA-3], Rep. Houchin, Erin [R-IN-9]
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-25: Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 29 - 0.
- 2026-06-25: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- 2026-06-18: Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
- 2026-06-18: Introduced in House
- 2026-06-18: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- AI Security and Innovation Act — issued 2026-06-18 — PDF (16 pages)