(Washington, DC) – House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK) praised the inclusion of a National Artificial Intelligence Initiative in the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which was passed by the House of Representatives today.

The National Artificial Intelligence Initiative was introduced in a bipartisan bill in March led by Ranking Member Lucas and Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX). The legislation will create a national initiative on AI and ensure the U.S. leads the world in the development and use of trustworthy AI systems. The National AI Initiative will accelerate and coordinate Federal investments and facilitate new public-private partnerships in research, standards, and education in artificial intelligence.

The NDAA also included an amendment by Committee member Rep. Mike Garcia (R-CA) to create a Center for AI within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to better coordinate efforts across NOAA and improve our capacity for environmental observation, wildfire prediction, and weather forecasting.

“A strong national defense requires us to continue developing and strengthening our Artificial Intelligence capabilities,” Lucas said. “We also need to accelerate AI to keep America economically competitive. This has been a bipartisan priority for Chairwoman Johnson and me, and I’m proud that the NDAA includes this critical legislation. With a focused, national AI strategy, the U.S. will continue to innovate and lead globally.”