Opening Statement of Chairman Brian Babin at Advancing America’s AI Action Plan

Good morning. Thank you, Chairman Obernolte, for convening today's hearing. I also thank the Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), Michael Kratsios, for joining us to discuss President Trump's plan for America to win the artificial intelligence (AI) race.

Supporting the Trump Administration's strategy to advance AI innovation, strengthen infrastructure, and reinforce international security is essential to maintaining U.S. leadership in the global AI marketplace and promoting peace through strength.

The threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continues to expand into the AI domain. Foreign AI efforts, particularly those pushed by the CCP, present serious national security risks-from research espionage and AI-enabled cyberattacks to the collection of Americans' sensitive data. The AI Action Plan is designed to confront these threats by empowering the Center for AI Standards and Innovation and the Department of Homeland Security to bolster cybersecurity protections for critical infrastructure.

As Chairman of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, it is clear to me that the Trump Administration's vision for American dominance in AI closely aligns with the bipartisan work of this Committee.

In January 2021, the National AI Initiative Act of 2020 became law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021. Led by the House SST Committee, this law charges key agencies within our jurisdiction to support AI research and development-many of which received additional policy direction through the AI Action Plan.

As Chairman Obernolte noted, the findings and recommendations of the Bipartisan House AI Task Force are also well aligned with the Administration's strategy.

One such recommendation calls for expanding access to advanced computing resources for researchers. The Committee's jurisdiction over the Department of Energy places us at the center of this initiative, as DOE's National Laboratories host three of the world's fastest supercomputers-Frontier at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Aurora at Argonne National Laboratory, and El Capitan at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Thus, this objective to expand access to computing power builds directly on these existing national capabilities.

Moreover, these National Laboratories, along with DOE's Office of Science, house some of the nation's leading AI expertise. Other agencies within our jurisdiction, including the National Science Foundation, also support cutting-edge AI technical research and talent development.

The Department of Commerce and the National Institute of Standards and Technology have a long history of developing non-regulatory standards for emerging technologies and providing independent model evaluations that the private sector can trust.

Tackling complex policy issues surrounding emerging technologies like AI is nothing new for the Science, Space, and Technology Committee. From civil nuclear energy, space exploration, cryptography, information technology, biotechnology and genetics, blockchain, and nanotechnology, we have put forward sound policy that ensured U.S. leadership. While debates over specific AI policies will continue, our Committee has an opportunity to advance commonsense legislation that provides access to federal computing resources, supports research and development, trains the next-generation workforce, offers independent model evaluations, and promotes consensus-based standards.

Many of our members have put forward legislation that addresses the very policies recommended by the Administration and the AI Task Force. I look forward to advancing AI legislation in the coming weeks and hope that this hearing will provide an opportunity to inform that process.

Congress must ensure that America leads in AI. Doing so will bolster our economic competitiveness, protect national security, and promote our values of liberty and freedom. I appreciate your presence today, Director Kratsios, and welcome your testimony.

Thank you, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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