WASHINGTON, D.C., July 25, 2024 — Following today’s successful markup of the Fiscal Year 2025 Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Act by the Senate Appropriations Committee, Americans for Responsible Innovation (ARI) issued the following statement:
Americans for Responsible Innovation (ARI) applauds the members of the Senate Appropriations Committee on their successful bipartisan approval of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Commerce-Justice-Science bill. ARI has been publicly advocating for and is encouraged by the Committee’s inclusion of enhanced funding for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), two agencies critical to advancing U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.
- The inclusion of robust funding for NIST — $1.53B in total, representing an increase of $74.8M above last year’s funding level— is especially promising. NIST is at the forefront of promoting and advancing AI, and funding included in the bill to support the U.S. AI Safety Institute within NIST is essential to ensuring the continued development of AI best practices and resources. Following ARI’s request, the bill would allow NIST to use up to $47.7M of its funding to expand and operate the U.S. AI Safety Institute.
- The bill also includes $206M in BIS funding, a much-needed increase of $15M over the previous year’s level. While this is below the final number we believe would be most impactful, it still represents a positive shift amid a tight federal funding environment for an agency that is vital to safeguarding U.S. national security and global technological leadership.
We thank Chair Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair Susan Collins (R-ME), Commerce-Justice-Science Subcommittee Chair Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Ranking Member Jerry Moran (R-KS) for their leadership and bipartisan cooperation in ensuring these agencies and programs have the funding they need to maintain the country’s position in global AI leadership. As the FY 2025 process unfolds, we strongly encourage Congress to uphold the NIST and BIS funding levels set forth in this bill.
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About Americans for Responsible Innovation (ARI)
Americans for Responsible Innovation (ARI) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to policy advocacy in the public interest, focused on emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI). Learn more at www.ari.us.