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