Three bipartisan bills from the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee were approved by the House under suspension. The legislation aims to strengthen U.S. leadership in scientific fields, improve wildfire response with new technologies, and promote innovation in forecasting and emergency operations.
Chairman Brian Babin stated, “Yesterday’s House passage of the ACERO Act, the Small Business Artificial Intelligence Advancement Act, and the ASCEND Act reflects our commitment to ensuring American innovation delivers real-world results. From improving aerial wildfire response with advanced aircraft and real-time data, to helping small businesses harness the power of artificial intelligence, to strengthening NASA’s partnership with the commercial space sector through expanded satellite data acquisition, these bills align cutting-edge technology with practical national needs. I appreciate Ranking Member Lofgren’s partnership in advancing these bipartisan measures, which strengthen our economy, enhance public safety, and reinforce America’s leadership in science and space.”
Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren commented on the bipartisan nature of the effort: “The passage of these three bills is a testament to this Committee’s commitment to bipartisan productivity. These bills will use innovation to improve disaster response, bolster NASA’s Earth science research goals, and support small businesses as they navigate the AI era. The Science Committee has always been at the forefront of burgeoning technology and will continue to lead by example as a beacon of bipartisanship in the House.”
The three pieces of legislation are:
– H.R. 390 (ACERO Act): This directs NASA to use its ACERO project for better aerial wildfire response using advanced aircraft and real-time data sharing among agencies.
– H.R. 3679 (Small Business Artificial Intelligence Advancement Act): This instructs the National Institute of Standards and Technology to create resources that help small businesses understand and utilize artificial intelligence systems.
– H.R. 2600 (ASCEND Act): This requires NASA’s Administrator to set up a commercial satellite data acquisition program within NASA’s Science Mission Directorate for scientific, operational, and educational purposes.
