AI-Ready Federal Data Guidelines Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9341 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9341

  To require the Director of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology to develop guidelines to assist agencies with preparing open
  Government data assets to be used to train artificial intelligence
                    models, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 18, 2026

Mr. Babin (for himself and Ms. Lofgren) introduced the following bill;
 which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

  To require the Director of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology to develop guidelines to assist agencies with preparing open
  Government data assets to be used to train artificial intelligence
                    models, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``AI-Ready Federal Data Guidelines
Act''.

SEC. 2. AI-READY DATA GUIDELINES FOR FEDERAL AGENCIES.

    (a) In General.--The National Institute of Standards and Technology
Act is amended by inserting after section 21 (15 U.S.C. 278g-4) the
following new section:

``SEC. 21A. AI-READY DATA GUIDELINES FOR FEDERAL AGENCIES.

    ``(a) Development of Guidelines.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Director, in consultation with the
        Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the
        Secretary of Energy, the Director of the Office of Management
        and Budget, and the head of any other Federal agency the
        Director considers appropriate, shall develop voluntary
        guidelines to assist agencies with preparing datasets,
        including open Government data assets, to be used to train
        artificial intelligence models.
            ``(2) Elements.--In developing the guidelines under
        paragraph (1) the Director shall carry out the following:
                    ``(A) Address, to the extent practicable, the
                following:
                            ``(i) Data formatting and structure,
                        including guidelines to ensure datasets are
                        interpretable by artificial intelligence
                        systems.
                            ``(ii) Data labeling and annotation,
                        including scalable methods such as
                        programmatic, automated, and expert-guided
                        approaches for preparing data for use in
                        artificial intelligence development.
                            ``(iii) Data quality evaluation, including
                        guidelines to assess the suitability of
                        datasets for use in artificial intelligence
                        systems.
                            ``(iv) Metadata and documentation,
                        including information sufficient to enable
                        appropriate interpretation and use of datasets
                        for artificial intelligence development.
                            ``(v) Data maintenance, including guidance
                        for the ongoing management and updating of
                        datasets to ensure continued suitability for
                        use in artificial intelligence systems.
                            ``(vi) Data availability, including
                        guidelines for improving and expanding
                        automated access to publicly available
                        information for artificial intelligence model
                        development and use.
                    ``(B) Enable flexible implementation, to the extent
                practicable, for various use cases across sectors and
                scientific domains.
                    ``(C) Ensure, to the extent practicable,
                consistency with Circular A-119 of the Office of
                Management and Budget.
                    ``(D) Conformity assessment procedures, to the
                extent practicable.
    ``(b) Pilot Programs for AI-ready Data Guidelines.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Director, in coordination with the
        Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the
        Secretary of Energy, and the head of any other Federal agency
        the Director determines appropriate, may carry out pilot
        programs to support the development of conformity assessment
        procedures for AI-ready datasets used in specific sectors and
        scientific domains.
            ``(2) Requirements.--If pilot programs under this
        subsection are carried out, such programs shall--
                    ``(A) not exceed one year in duration;
                    ``(B) develop supplemental guidelines for AI-ready
                datasets used in specific sectors and scientific
                domains in accordance with the guidelines published
                under subsection (a);
                    ``(C) assess the impact of such guidelines on data
                usability, interoperability, and readiness for use in
                artificial intelligence systems in specific sectors and
                scientific or domains;
                    ``(D) identify technical, operational, or resource
                challenges associated with future implementation and
                maintenance of such guidelines in specific sectors and
                scientific domains; and
                    ``(E) develop, as practicable and appropriate, a
                process and materials for the transition to an
                appropriate non-Federal entity of such guidelines for
                future implementation of and updates to such
                guidelines.
            ``(3) Selection of topics.--If pilot programs under this
        subsection are carried out, such programs shall prioritize
        areas--
                    ``(A) with significant national security and
                industrial competitiveness implications, such as
                biotechnology and biomanufacturing; and
                    ``(B) with respect to which Federal agencies
                control and maintain AI-ready datasets.
            ``(3) Participation.--If pilot programs under this
        subsection are carried out, the Director shall carry out not
        more than two concurrent such programs through federally funded
        research programs, National Laboratories, institutions of
        higher education, or partnerships with the private sector.
    ``(c) Congressional Briefings.--Not later than one year after the
publication of the guidelines under subsection (a) and annually
thereafter for five years, the Director shall brief the Committee on
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate on the
implementation of this section.
    ``(d) Prohibition.--The Director may not transfer or reprogram any
funds from any other program, project, office, or other entity or
activity of the Institute to carry out this section.
    ``(e) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Agency.--The term `agency' has the meaning given such
        term in section 3502 of title 44, United States Code.
            ``(2) Artificial intelligence.--The term `artificial
        intelligence' has the meaning given such term in section 5002
        of the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020
        (15 U.S.C. 9401).
            ``(3) Artificial intelligence model.--The term `artificial
        intelligence model' means a component of an artificial
        intelligence system that is--
                    ``(A) derived using mathematical, computational,
                statistical, or machine-learning techniques; and
                    ``(B) used as part of an artificial intelligence
                system to produce outputs from a given set of inputs.
            ``(4) Artificial intelligence system.--The term `artificial
        intelligence system' means any data system, software, hardware,
        application, tool, service, or utility that operates in whole
        or in part using artificial intelligence.
            ``(5) Biomanufacturing.--The term `biomanufacturing' has
        the meaning given such term in section 10002 of the Research
        and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act (42 U.S.C.
        18901; popularly referred to as the `CHIPS and Science Act').
            ``(6) Conformity assessment procedure.--The term
        `conformity assessment procedure' has the meaning given such
        term in section 451 of the Trade Agreements Act of 1979 (19
        U.S.C. 2571).
            ``(7) Director.--The term `Director' means the Director of
        the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
            ``(8) Institution of higher education.--The term
        `institution of higher education' has the meaning given such
        term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
        U.S.C. 1001).
            ``(9) National laboratory.--The term `National Laboratory'
        has the meaning given such term in section 2 of the Energy
        Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801).
            ``(10) Open government data asset.--The term `open
        Government data asset' has the meaning given such term in
        section 3502 of title 44, United States Code.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Subsection (f) of section 22A of the
National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278h-1)
is repealed.
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