American Leadership in AI Act
Sponsored By: Representative Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36]
Introduced
Summary
This bill would create a coordinated federal program to accelerate safe, reliable, and accessible AI by building a national AI research and standards infrastructure and new agency governance to oversee AI use and procurement.
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- Researchers and educators would get a National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource with compute, curated datasets, APIs, testbeds, and an NSF-led pilot. The bill also creates an AI Grand Challenges program with at least $10 million per winner for an AI-enabled cancer breakthrough challenge.
- Federal agencies would get new standards, voluntary testing and verification guidance from NIST, a NIST Center for AI Standards and Innovation, and a Chief Artificial Intelligence Officers Council plus agency Chief AI Officers to inventory and govern AI acquisitions and deployments.
- Workers, students, and small businesses would see workforce hubs, scholarships, Centers of AI Excellence, and voluntary small-business AI resources. The bill also creates a 50% employee cybersecurity education tax credit capped at $5,000 per employee and adds civil remedies, criminal penalties, and whistleblower protections related to AI harms and intimate-image disclosures.
*Authorizes new federal spending, including $300 million per year for DOE (FY2027–2032), $10 million for a NIST Center in FY2027, and $5 million for an AI-standards meetings pilot (FY2027–2031).*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
13 provisions identified: 13 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Suing for nonconsensual intimate images
If enacted, this bill would let an identifiable person sue when intimate images or realistic AI-made forgeries of intimate images are shared without consent. A successful plaintiff could get $150,000 in liquidated damages, or $250,000 if the conduct is tied to sexual assault, stalking, or harassment, plus actual and punitive damages and attorney fees. Courts could also order deletion, injunctions, and other privacy protections. People would have 10 years to file, measured from discovery or from when they turned 18, whichever is later.
Employer cybersecurity training tax credit
If enacted, employers could claim a new tax credit equal to 50% of qualified employee cybersecurity education expenses, capped at $5,000 per employee per taxable year. Qualified expenses require the employee to earn a degree, certificate, or industry certification tied to the NICE Cybersecurity Workforce Framework. The credit would be part of the general business credit and apply to taxable years after enactment.
Higher penalties when AI aids crimes
If enacted, the bill would increase criminal fines and prison terms for several offenses when the crime is committed with the assistance of artificial intelligence. The changes would raise maximum fines for mail fraud and add higher penalties for bank fraud, money laundering, and impersonation when AI is used. The intent is to deter AI-enabled criminal schemes and enhance public protections.
Worker protections for reporting AI risks
If enacted, the bill would protect employees, contractors, and former workers who report AI security vulnerabilities or violations from retaliation. Covered individuals could file complaints with the Labor Secretary or sue in federal court if the Secretary delays. Remedies would include reinstatement, back pay, and compensatory damages under the statute's enforcement paths.
5% procurement score boost for bidders
If enacted, agencies would add a 5 percentage-point increase to evaluation scores for competitive proposals on solicitations over $5 million when the bidder has claimed the employee cybersecurity education credit at least once in the prior three years. The change would apply to solicitations issued on or after enactment and could improve a qualified bidder's chance to win federal contracts.
New government AI coordination roles
If enacted, the bill would require OMB to create a Chief Artificial Intelligence Officers Council within 90 days and agency heads to name Chief AI Officers within 45 days. Agencies would also be required to adopt AI strategies and set coordination boards under central guidance. The bill would include statutory definitions of covered AI systems to clarify which tools these rules apply to.
Grants for generative AI in health care
If enacted, NIH would run grants to study and deploy generative AI in health care. Projects could focus on clinician note-taking, reducing administrative burden, speeding claims processing, improving customer service efficiency, and expanding access for medically underserved populations. NIH would prioritize projects that support workforce development, reduce clinician burnout, and promote broad adoption across the health care sector.
NSF AI prizes, scholarships, and training
If enacted, the National Science Foundation would run AI Grand Challenges with cash prizes (most winners at least $1 million; a cancer challenge at least $10 million per winner). NSF would also fund scholarships and fellowships (tuition, fees, stipends up to five years), broaden participation grants for under-resourced colleges, K–12 AI education grants focused on low-income and rural students, community college AI centers, and teacher training supports. NSF must notify Congress of awards and report on program activity.
AI research centers for agriculture
If enacted, USDA and NSF would fund coordinated AI research and Centers for Agricultural Research, Education, and Workforce Development. Grants would support plant and animal science, precision agriculture tools and sensors, automation, workforce training, and broadband where needed. Eligible recipients include colleges, community colleges, technical schools, and nonprofits serving rural and agricultural communities.
NIST standards, Center, and resources
If enacted, the bill would create a NIST Center for AI Standards and Innovation (authorized $10 million for FY2027) to lead voluntary AI measurement, testing, and benchmarking. NIST would publish voluntary guidance and small-business profiles, run a pilot grant program to help host standards meetings, and build a public portal of international standards. NIST would also develop voluntary vulnerability definitions and incident-tracking workstreams and make free practical resources for small businesses. The Center's specific authorities would sunset after six years and NIST could not use shared data to regulate the sharing company.
DOE AI research and data planning
If enacted, the Department of Energy would run a cross-cutting AI research program to fund projects, testbeds, data curation, and technology transfer tied to DOE missions. DOE would support at least two multidisciplinary AI institutes on a competitive basis and make national lab high-performance computing available. The Secretary would also report to Congress within a year on data-center growth, energy risks, and options to secure power for data centers.
National AI research computing access
If enacted, the National Science Foundation would stand up a National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) within one year. NAIRR would provide shared compute, cloud access, curated datasets, testbeds, APIs, and educational tools to eligible U.S.-based researchers, educators, students, and certain small businesses. The NAIRR office would set access and auditing rules, prioritize privacy and safety projects when demand exceeds supply, and could accept private donations and set fees with free tiers.
Federal hub to study AI and jobs
If enacted, the Department of Labor would create an AI Workforce Research Hub to track how AI affects jobs and worker experiences. The Hub would produce recurring evaluations, scenario planning, and policy-relevant insights in coordination with BLS, the Census Bureau, and BEA. The goal is better data and policy options for workforce change caused by AI.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36]
CA • D
Cosponsors
Obernolte
CA • R
Sponsored 4/27/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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