Robotics Supply Chain Improvement Act
Sponsored By: Senator Rounds, Mike [R-SD]
Introduced
Summary
Accelerate domestic robotics development and adoption. This bill would set a clear federal definition of "robotics" and charge agencies with standards, reporting, workforce training, and tech transfer steps to help U.S. firms design, deploy, and commercialize robots.
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- Workers and students: Would push federal agencies to create curricula and apprenticeship plans with the Departments of Education and Labor to upskill workers for robotics jobs. NIST must act within 90 days to identify training needs.
- Industry and commercialization: Would require NIST to identify standards and barriers for robotics and the Commerce Department to file a robotics adoption and investment report within 1 year and then annually for four years. NASA would be asked to prioritize licensing robotics inventions to the private sector and report on those efforts within 180 days.
- Families and critical sectors: Directs coordination on practical uses like home and elder care, food processing, and critical mineral processing to encourage wider deployment across households and industry.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Federal plan to expand robotics adoption
This bill would require the National Institute of Standards and Technology to act within 90 days to identify barriers and solutions for data sharing, standards, and training to expand robotics use. It would direct NIST's Office of Advanced Manufacturing to promote robotics when possible. It would have NIST coordinate with the Secretaries of Education and Labor on in‑demand curricula and apprenticeships and work with industry on standards for AI in robotics, humanoid robots, swarms, and sectors like mining, food processing, and home or elder care.
NASA to prioritize robotics commercialization
This bill would direct the NASA Administrator to prioritize licensing and commercialization of NASA robotics inventions, patents, and technologies to the private sector. NASA could use new or existing licensing and marketing mechanisms to support the domestic robotics industrial base. NASA would report to relevant House and Senate committees on these steps not later than 180 days after enactment.
Defines which machines count as robotics
This bill would define what counts as "robotics" for the rest of the law. It would include programmable multi‑functional machines, reprogrammable manipulators programmable in at least three axes, machines that sense and act on their environment, and remotely operated ground vehicles. It would exclude unmanned aircraft systems (drones), passenger vehicles, and toys. This definition would determine which products and companies the Act's other rules and programs cover.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Rounds, Mike [R-SD]
SD • R
Cosponsors
Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO]
CO • D
Sponsored 8/6/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov