[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5351 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 5351

   To support National Science Foundation education and professional 
    development relating to artificial intelligence, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 15, 2025

 Mr. Fong (for himself, Ms. Salinas, and Ms. Pettersen) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, 
                             and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To support National Science Foundation education and professional 
    development relating to artificial intelligence, 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 ``NSF AI Education Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. SCHOLARSHIPS AND FELLOWSHIPS IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

    Paragraph (2) of section 540l(e) of the National Artificial 
Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020 (15 U.S.C. 9451(e); enacted as part 
of title LIV of division E of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116-283)) is 
amended--
            (1) in the heading, by striking ``Faculty''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
                    ``(D) Student scholarships and fellowships in 
                artificial intelligence.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The Director of the 
                        National Science Foundation may support 
                        scholarships and fellowships for undergraduate 
                        and graduate students by making awards through 
                        institutions of higher education, including 
                        community colleges, to students who are 
                        enrolled in programs of study leading to 
                        degrees or concentrations in or related to the 
                        design, research, assessment, development, 
                        deployment, integration, or application of 
                        artificial intelligence.
                            ``(ii) Considerations.--In carrying out 
                        clause (i), the Director of the National 
                        Science Foundation may prioritize making awards 
                        to students who are enrolled in programs of 
                        study leading to degrees or concentrations in 
                        or related to any of the following:
                                    ``(I) The teaching of artificial 
                                intelligence at elementary schools, 
                                secondary schools, career and technical 
                                education schools, institutions of 
                                higher education, or through other 
                                higher education and professional 
                                education programs.
                                    ``(II) Artificial intelligence and 
                                advanced manufacturing, including the 
                                integration of artificial intelligence 
                                into advanced manufacturing operations.
                                    ``(III) Artificial intelligence and 
                                agriculture, including the integration 
                                of artificial intelligence into 
                                agricultural operations, prediction, 
                                and decision making.
                            ``(iii) Awards.--Scholarships and 
                        fellowships awarded under this subparagraph may 
                        be in the form of awards that may cover the 
                        cost of tuition, education-related fees, a 
                        stipend, and professional development funds for 
                        a period of up to five years. Such scholarships 
                        and fellowships shall be paid directly to the 
                        institution of higher education in which the 
                        student is enrolled.
                            ``(iv) Outreach.--The Director of the 
                        National Science Foundation shall conduct 
                        outreach and encourage applications from rural-
                        located institutions of higher education, 
                        rural-serving institutions of higher education, 
                        emerging research institutions, Tribal Colleges 
                        or Universities, and institutions located in an 
                        Established Program to Stimulate Competitive 
                        Research (EPSCoR) jurisdiction.
                            ``(v) Method.--The Director of the National 
                        Science Foundation may carry out this 
                        subparagraph by making awards through new or 
                        existing programs.
                    ``(E) Artificial intelligence professional 
                development fellowships.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The Director of the 
                        National Science Foundation may support 
                        activities to promote the exchange of ideas and 
                        encourage collaborations between institutions 
                        of higher education and industry partners in 
                        the field of artificial intelligence, including 
                        through fellowships for students, teachers, 
                        faculty, and industry professionals.
                            ``(ii) Supplementals for students and 
                        faculty.--The Director of the National Science 
                        Foundation may award fellowships for students 
                        and faculty to pursue professional development 
                        programs in STEM fields that are administered 
                        by or affiliated with institutions of higher 
                        education, including community colleges, in 
                        order to enable recipients to attain skills, 
                        training, or education in partnership with 
                        industry members on the design, research, 
                        assessment, development, deployment, 
                        integration, or application of artificial 
                        intelligence.
                            ``(iii) Fellowships for industry 
                        professionals.--The Director of the National 
                        Science Foundation may award fellowships to 
                        industry professionals to enable recipients to 
                        seek short-term appointments to instruct and 
                        educate students on the design, research, 
                        assessment, development, deployment, 
                        integration, or application of artificial 
                        intelligence.
                            ``(iv) Fellowships for school 
                        professionals.--The Director of the National 
                        Science Foundation may award fellowships to 
                        teachers, school counselors, and other school 
                        professionals for professional development 
                        programs in order to enable recipients to 
                        attain skills, training, or education in 
                        partnership with industry members on the 
                        teaching, use of, or application of artificial 
                        intelligence in K-12 settings.
                            ``(v) Awards.--Awards made under this 
                        subparagraph may be in the form of an award 
                        that covers the cost of tuition, education-
                        related fees, a stipend, and professional 
                        development funds for up to one year. Such 
                        awards shall be paid directly to the 
                        institution of higher education that 
                        administers, or is affiliated with, the program 
                        in which the fellowship recipient is 
                        participating.
                    ``(F) National science foundation outreach 
                campaign.--The Director of the National Science 
                Foundation may carry out a nationwide outreach campaign 
                to industry as well as students at elementary schools, 
                secondary schools, career and technical education 
                schools, and institutions of higher education, or 
                through other higher education and professional 
                education programs, to increase awareness regarding 
                National Science Foundation-funded artificial 
                intelligence education opportunities.
                    ``(G) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a 
                scholarship or fellowship under this paragraph, an 
                individual shall satisfy all of the following:
                            ``(i) Be a citizen, national, or lawful 
                        permanent resident of the United States.
                            ``(ii) Demonstrate a commitment to a career 
                        in advancing the field of artificial 
                        intelligence.
                            ``(iii) Accept the terms of a fellowship 
                        under this subparagraph.
                    ``(H) Reports.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Not later than seven 
                        years after the date of the enactment of this 
                        subparagraph, the Director of the National 
                        Science Foundation shall submit to Congress, 
                        and make widely available to the public, a 
                        report including any recommendations for 
                        legislative action that could optimize the 
                        effectiveness of the scholarships and 
                        fellowships under this paragraph.
                            ``(ii) Requirements.--In preparing the 
                        reports under clause (i), the Director of the 
                        National Science Foundation may, as 
                        practicable--
                                    ``(I) include an assessment of the 
                                effectiveness of such scholarships and 
                                fellowships in expanding 
                                apprenticeships, internships, and other 
                                applied or experiential learning 
                                opportunities offered by employers in 
                                conjunction with community colleges or 
                                other institutions of higher education;
                                    ``(II) assess the number of 
                                students who received such scholarships 
                                and fellowship;
                                    ``(III) assess the percentage of 
                                such students who successfully complete 
                                their education programs and who intend 
                                to enter the workforce;
                                    ``(IV) assess the percentage of 
                                undergraduate, graduate, and 
                                postdoctoral students who enter the 
                                workforce in a field relating to such 
                                scholarship or fellowship;
                                    ``(V) assess the impact on the 
                                number of K-12 teachers, school 
                                counselors, and other school 
                                professionals who received such 
                                scholarships or fellowships; and
                                    ``(VI) include an assessment of the 
                                effects such scholarships and 
                                fellowships have on related fields.''.

SEC. 3. COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND AREA CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATIONAL 
              SCHOOL CENTERS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE EXCELLENCE.

    (a) In General.--Subparagraph (B) of section 5401 of the National 
Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020 (15 U.S.C. 9451(e)(3); 
enacted as part of title LIV of division E of the William M. (Mac) 
Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 
(Public Law 116-283)) is amended to read as follows:
                    ``(B) Centers of ai excellence.--
                            ``(i) Definitions.--In this subparagraph:
                                    ``(I) Area career and technical 
                                education school.--The term `area 
                                career and technical education school' 
                                has the meaning given such term in 
                                section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career 
                                and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 
                                U.S.C. 2302).
                                    ``(II) Eligible applicant.--The 
                                term `eligible applicant' means a 
                                community college, or area career and 
                                technical education school, in 
                                partnership with one or more of the 
                                following:
                                            ``(aa) A Federal, State, 
                                        local, Tribal, or territorial 
                                        government entity.
                                            ``(bb) An institution of 
                                        higher education.
                                            ``(cc) An entity in private 
                                        industry.
                                            ``(dd) An economic 
                                        development organization or 
                                        venture development 
                                        organization.
                                            ``(ee) A nonprofit 
                                        organization.
                                    ``(III) Venture development 
                                organization.--The term `venture 
                                development organization' has the 
                                meaning given such term in section 
                                27(a) of the Stevenson-Wydler 
                                Technology Innovation Act of (15 U.S.C. 
                                3722(a)).
                            ``(ii) Establishment of centers of ai 
                        excellence.--The Director of the National 
                        Science Foundation, in coordination with the 
                        Regional Technology Hubs program of the 
                        Department of Commerce, subject to the 
                        availability of appropriations, shall establish 
                        up to eight regionally and geographically 
                        diverse eligible applicants to be designated as 
                        Community College and Area Career and Technical 
                        Education Centers of AI Excellence (referred to 
                        in this subparagraph as `Centers of AI 
                        Excellence'). Such Centers of AI Excellence 
                        shall enhance educational outcomes and drive 
                        workforce development by integrating artificial 
                        intelligence into teaching, learning, and 
                        community engagement.
                            ``(iii) Application.--An eligible applicant 
                        seeking to be designated as a Center of AI 
                        Excellence under this subparagraph shall submit 
                        to the Director of the National Science 
                        Foundation an application at such time, in such 
                        manner, and containing such information as the 
                        Director may require. Such application shall 
                        include the following:
                                    ``(I) A description of the focus 
                                area or areas for such proposed Center 
                                of AI Excellence and how such area or 
                                areas are aligned with regional 
                                investments made by industry and the 
                                Federal Government.
                                    ``(II) A description of the 
                                capacity of the applicant to carry out 
                                the purpose of such proposed Center of 
                                AI Excellence.
                                    ``(III) A description of 
                                demonstrate current and anticipated 
                                future workforce demands in occupations 
                                directly related to such proposed 
                                Center of AI Excellence.
                                    ``(IV) A description of how the 
                                eligible applicant will support the 
                                collection of information and data for 
                                purposes of evaluation of such proposed 
                                Center of AI Excellence.
                                    ``(V) An evaluation plan that 
                                includes the use of outcome-oriented 
                                measures to assess the impact and 
                                efficacy of such proposed Center for AI 
                                Excellence.
                            ``(iv) Activities.--A designated Center of 
                        AI Excellence shall develop and disseminate 
                        information regarding best practices for 
                        matters such as the following:
                                    ``(I) Artificial intelligence 
                                research and education, and research on 
                                the effects of artificial intelligence 
                                in education, at community colleges and 
                                area career and technical education 
                                schools.
                                    ``(II) Methods to scale up 
                                successful programs that perform 
                                research or provide education on 
                                artificial intelligence at community 
                                colleges and area career and technical