Three bipartisan bills from the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee have passed the House under suspension. The legislation aims to improve the United States’ role in emerging scientific fields, support wildfire response using advanced technologies, and foster innovation in forecasting and emergency operations.
Chairman Brian Babin commented on the passage: "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 added: "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 first bill, H.R. 390 or ACERO Act, instructs NASA to use its ACERO project for better aerial wildfire response through advanced aircraft and improved real-time data sharing among multiple agencies.
The second bill, H.R. 3679 or Small Business Artificial Intelligence Advancement Act, requires the National Institute of Standards and Technology to create resources that help small businesses understand and make use of artificial intelligence systems.
The third bill is H.R. 2600 or ASCEND Act. It directs NASA’s Administrator to set up a program within NASA’s Science Mission Directorate focused on acquiring commercial satellite data for scientific research as well as operational and educational needs.
