119-s1290

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1290 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 S. 1290

 To expand the functions of the National Institute of Standards and 
 Technology to include workforce frameworks for critical and emerging 
 technologies, to require the Director of the National Institute of 
 Standards and Technology to develop an artificial intelligence 
 workforce framework, and periodically review and update the NICE 
 Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 April 3, 2025

Mr. Peters (for himself and Mr. Schmitt) introduced the following bill; 
 which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
 Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To expand the functions of the National Institute of Standards and 
 Technology to include workforce frameworks for critical and emerging 
 technologies, to require the Director of the National Institute of 
 Standards and Technology to develop an artificial intelligence 
 workforce framework, and periodically review and update the NICE 
 Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity, and for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Artificial Intelligence and Critical 
Technology Workforce Framework Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. WORKFORCE FRAMEWORKS FOR CRITICAL AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES.

    (a) 

=== Definitions. ===
-

    (1) In general.--In this section, the terms 
 ``competencies'', ``workforce categories'', and ``workforce 
 framework'' have the meanings given such terms in subsection

    (f) of 

section 2 of the National Institute of Standards and 
 Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 272), as added by subsection

    (b) of 
 this section.

    (2) Amendment to nist act.--

Section 2 of such Act (15 
 U.S.C. 272) is amended by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (f) 

=== Definitions. ===
-In this section:
 ``

    (1) Competencies.--The term `competencies' means 
 knowledge and skills.
 ``

    (2) Workforce categories.--The term `workforce 
 categories' means a high-level grouping of tasks across an 
 organization as defined by work roles within the category.
 ``

    (3) Workforce framework.--The term `workforce framework' 
 means a common taxonomy and lexicon for any given domain that 
 includes the building blocks of tasks, knowledge, or skills 
 that can be structured to form work roles or competency 
 areas.''.

    (b) Expansion of Functions of Director of National Institute of 
Standards and Technology To Include Workforce Frameworks for Critical 
and Emerging Technologies.--

Section 2

    (b) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 272

    (b) ) 
is amended--

    (1) in paragraph

    (12) , by striking ``; and'' and inserting 
 a semicolon;

    (2) in paragraph

    (13) , by striking the period at the end 
 and inserting ``; and''; and

    (3) by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (14)
        (A) to develop, maintain, and provide industry, 
 government, research, nonprofit, labor organizations, and 
 educational institutions with workforce frameworks for critical 
 and emerging technologies and other science, technology, 
 engineering, and mathematics domains for the purpose of 
 bolstering scientific and technical education, training, and 
 workforce development;
 ``
        (B) at least once every 3 years--
 ``
            (i) to determine if an update to any workforce 
 framework, or its components or associated materials, 
 including work roles or competency areas, provided 
 pursuant to subparagraph
        (A) are appropriate; and
 ``
            (ii) if the Director determines it is appropriate 
 under clause
            (i) , to update such frameworks and 
 components;
 ``
            (C) consider including in all workforce frameworks, or 
 associated materials--
 ``
            (i) relevant professional skills or employability 
 skills;
 ``
            (ii) relevant support or operations work roles 
 and competency areas such as administration and 
 finance, law and policy, ethics, privacy, human 
 resources, information technology, operational 
 technology, supply chain security, and acquisition and 
 procurement;
 ``
            (iii) information that promotes the discovery of 
 careers in critical and emerging technologies and the 
 multiple career pathways for learners from a variety of 
 backgrounds, including individuals with nontechnical or 
 other nontraditional backgrounds and education; and
 ``
            (iv) information for how individuals can acquire 
 relevant credentials (e.g., academic degrees, 
 certificates, certifications, etc.) that qualify 
 individuals for employment and career advancement;
 ``
            (D) consult, as the Director considers appropriate, with 
 Federal agencies, industry, State, local, Tribal, and 
 territorial government, nonprofit, labor organizations, 
 research, and academic institutions in the development of 
 workforce frameworks, or associated materials;
 ``
        (E) to produce resources in multiple languages to support 
 global adoption of the frameworks provided pursuant to 
 subparagraph
        (A) ; and
 ``
        (F) after each determination under subparagraph
        (B) , to 
 submit to Congress a report on such determination and any plans 
 to review and update any workforce frameworks under this 
 paragraph.''.
            (c) NICE Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity Update.--

    (1) Report on updates.--
        (A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the 
 date of the enactment of this Act, and subsequently 
 pursuant to paragraph

    (14)
        (F) of section

    (2) (b) of the 
 National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 
 U.S.C. 272

    (b) ), as added by subsection

    (b) of this 
 section, the Director of the National Institute of 
 Standards and Technology shall submit to Congress a 
 report that describes the process for ongoing review 
 and updates to the National Initiative for 
 Cybersecurity Education Workforce Framework for 
 Cybersecurity (NIST Special Publication 800-181), or a 
 successor framework.
        (B) Requirements.--Each report submitted pursuant 
 to subparagraph
        (A) shall--
            (i) summarize proposed changes to the 
 framework;
            (ii) identify, with regard to the work 
 roles, tasks, knowledge, and skills included in 
 the framework, how industry, academia, labor 
 organizations, and relevant government agencies 
 are consulted in the update; and
            (iii) describe--
            (I) the ongoing process and 
 timeline for updating the framework; 
 and
            (II) the incorporation of any 
 additional work roles or competency 
 areas in domains such as administration 
 and finance, law and policy, ethics, 
 privacy, human resources, information 
 technology, operational technology, 
 supply chain security, and acquisition 
 and procurement.

    (2) Report on application and use of nice framework.--Not 
 later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act 
 and not less frequently than once every 3 years thereafter for 
 9 years, the Director shall, in consultation with industry, 
 government, nonprofit, labor organizations, research, and 
 academic institutions, submit to Congress a report that 
 identifies--
        (A) applications and uses of the framework 
 described in paragraph

    (1)
        (A) in practice;
        (B) any guidance that the program office of the 
 National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education 
 provides to increase adoption by employers and 
 education and training providers of the work roles and 
 competency areas for individuals who perform 
 cybersecurity work at all proficiency levels;
            (C) available information regarding employer and 
 education and training provider use of the framework;
            (D) an assessment of the use and effectiveness of 
 the framework by and for individuals with 
 nontraditional backgrounds or education, especially 
 individuals making a career change or not pursuing a 
 bachelor's degree or higher; and
        (E) any additional actions taken by the Director to 
 increase the use of the framework.

    (3) Cybersecurity career exploration resources.--The 
 Director, acting through the National Initiative for 
 Cybersecurity Education, shall disseminate cybersecurity career 
 resources for all age groups, including kindergarten through 
 secondary and postsecondary education and adult workers.
            (d) Additional Workforce Frameworks.--

    (1) Framework assessment.--Not later than 180 days after 
 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director shall 
 assess the need for additional workforce frameworks for 
 critical and emerging technologies, such as quantum information 
 science.

    (2) Development of additional frameworks.--
        (A) In general.--The Director shall develop and 
 publish a workforce framework for each additional 
 workforce framework that the Director determines is 
 needed pursuant to an assessment carried out pursuant 
 to paragraph

    (1) .
        (B) Required ai framework.--Notwithstanding 
 paragraph

    (1) and subparagraph
        (A) of this paragraph, 
 not less than 540 days after the date of the enactment 
 of this Act, the Director shall develop and publish a 
 workforce framework, workforce categories, work roles, 
 and competency areas for artificial intelligence.

    (3) Model.--In developing a workforce framework under 
 paragraph

    (2) , the Director may use the Playbook for Workforce 
 Frameworks developed by the National Initiative for 
 Cybersecurity Education that is modeled after the National 
 Initiative for Cybersecurity Education Workforce Framework for 
 Cybersecurity (NIST Special Publication 800-181), or a 
 successor framework.

    (4) Framework components.--Each framework developed 
 pursuant to paragraph

    (2) shall include relevant support or 
 operations work roles and competency areas such as 
 administration and finance, law and policy, ethics, privacy, 
 human resources, information technology, operational 
 technology, supply chain security, and acquisition and 
 procurement, as the Director considers appropriate, in 
 alignment with paragraph

    (14)
            (C) of 

section 2

    (b) of the 
 National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 
 272

    (b) ), as added by subsection

    (b) .

    (5) Professional skills required.--Each framework developed 
 pursuant to paragraph

    (2) shall include professional skills or 
 employability skills, as the Director considers appropriate, in 
 alignment with paragraph

    (14)
            (C) of 

section 2

    (b) of the 
 National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 
 272

    (b) ), as added by subsection

    (b) .

    (6) Nontraditional backgrounds.--Each framework developed 
 under paragraph

    (2) , or materials associated with each 
 framework, shall include information for how individuals with 
 nontechnical or other nontraditional backgrounds and education 
 may utilize their skills for such frameworks' roles and tasks, 
 in alignment with paragraph

    (14)
            (D) of 

section 2

    (b) of the such 
 Act (15 U.S.C. 272

    (b)

    (14)
            (D) ), as so added.

    (7) Updates.--The Director shall update each framework 
 developed under paragraph

    (2) in accordance with subparagraph
        (B) of paragraph

    (14) of 

section 2

    (b) of the National Institute 
 of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 272

    (b) ), as added by 
 subsection

    (b) of this section, and submit to Congress reports 
 in accordance with subparagraph
        (F) of such paragraph.
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