Bipartisan Pair of Lawmakers Introduce Omnibus AI Bill

The bill covers six broad priorities: improving AI standards and evaluation, expanding research infrastructure and R&D, modernizing federal AI adoption and risk management, supporting workers and small businesses, addressing AI-enabled crimes, and expanding AI education and workforce opportunities, according to a joint press release.

“Last Congress, the Bipartisan Task Force on Artificial Intelligence brought together 24 Members of Congress from across 20 House committees to examine a wide range of policy challenges and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence,” Reps. Lieu and Obernolte said in a statement. “The American Leadership in AI Act builds on the strong bipartisan foundation already laid by our colleagues, incorporating and advancing bipartisan legislation previously introduced by Members across the House. By unifying these efforts, this package reflects the thoughtful, consensus-driven work already underway and translates it into a cohesive strategy to strengthen U.S. leadership in AI.”

The AI Task Force was first convened in the last Congress and released a report in December 2024 that included nearly two dozen legislative proposals. The new legislation incorporates many of those proposals within its six sections.

Topping the list, the bill would direct the National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) to identify and promote best practices for transparency, safety, security, and performance while strengthening U.S. leadership in setting global standards.

It would also update how federal agencies govern and deploy AI and enhance the government’s ability to track and respond to AI-related vulnerabilities.

The bill calls for expanding access to shared research resources and promotes collaboration across academia, industry, and government.

Other sections focus on AI’s impact on members of the public. The bill ongoing research on AI’s impact on the labor market and provides funds for education and training programs to develop AI talent, including provisions that modify the tax code to offer deductions for employers that offer employees cybersecurity education.  It also bolsters legal remedies for victims of deepfakes and increases penalties for AI-enabled fraud and impersonation.

“By unifying these efforts, this package reflects the thoughtful, consensus-driven work already underway and translates it into a cohesive strategy to strengthen U.S. leadership in AI, Lieu and Obernolte’s statement said. “At a time of deep political division, this package demonstrates that serious, forward-looking policymaking is still possible. We look forward to continuing to work with our former Task Force colleagues and others to advance these bipartisan solutions.”

While establishing a federal policy framework for AI is a high priority for both Congress and the Trump administration, the Lieu-Obernolte bill looks to be something of a placeholder until the next Congress convenes in January. The remaining time on the 2026 legislative calendar is growing short, and the widespread legislation falls within the jurisdiction of multiple House committees, all of which would need to consider and vote on the relevant sections.

Some elements could also clash with White House priorities. One section, for instance, would empower the National Science Foundation to issue grants to colleges and universities to support scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees related to AI. On the same day as the bill was introduced, however, Trump fired the entire membership of the National Science Board that oversees the Foundation, leaving its future uncertain.