{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://foushee.house.gov/posts/ranking-member-foushee-and-chairman-lucas-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-increase-diversity-in-ai-research-and-workforce", "Ranking Member Foushee and Chairman Lucas Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Increase Diversity in AI Research and Workforce", "2024-08-27", "2024", "2024-08", "Democrat", "House", "NC", "Valerie P. Foushee", "F000477", "foushee.house.gov", "foushee", "https://foushee.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC (August 27, 2024) \u2014 Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (D-NC), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology\u2019s Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee, and Congressman Frank Lucas (R-OK), Chairman of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, introduced H.R. 9403, the Expanding AI Voices Act of 2024, bipartisan legislation to facilitate capacity building, promote increased access, and broaden participation in artificial intelligence research, education, and workforce development.\n\n\u201cIn order to address our greatest challenges, we must use all the amazing talent our nation has to offer,\u201d said Congresswoman Valerie Foushee. \u201cLearning how to navigate the ever-evolving AI landscape is no different. My bill will ensure that we expand, foster, and support a diverse workforce ready to take on the risks and benefits to society spurred by AI. By empowering the tremendous talent of MSIs, HBCUs, and TCUs\u2014like the ones in my home state of North Carolina and across the nation\u2014we can better equip ourselves to lead and set a strong path for others to follow. As a Member of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Bipartisan AI Taskforce, I am especially dedicated to this effort. I thank Chairman Lucas for joining me in introducing this bill and I look forward to moving it through the Science Committee and onward.\u201d\n\n\u201cStrengthening and advancing our nation\u2019s STEM workforce has been a long-standing priority of Science Committee members from both sides of the aisle,\u201d Chairman Frank Lucas said. \u201cThis is especially important today as we face rapidly evolving technological advancements, including artificial intelligence. To uphold our position as a global leader in science and technology, we must cultivate a diverse and talented workforce, drawing from our country\u2019s entire range of skills and abilities. This bill will help to do just that through NSF\u2019s Expand AI program, creating opportunities for emerging institutions to participate in the rapid advancement of AI. Many thanks to Rep. Foushee for her partnership on this critical piece of legislation, and I look forward to moving it through the House.\u201d\n\nSpecifically, the Expanding AI Voices Act of 2024 will:\n\nCodify and expand the ExpandAI program at the National Science Foundation (NSF), which supports artificial intelligence (AI) capacity-building projects for eligible entities including Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs).\n\nBroaden the ExpandAI program in scope and types of activities it supports to further build and enhance partnerships between eligible entities and awardees of the National AI Research Institutes ecosystem to broaden AI research and development.\n\nDirect the National Science Foundation to engage in outreach to increase their pool of applications and address common barriers preventing these organizations from submitting an application.\n\nThe Expanding AI Voices Act is endorsed by: Americans for Responsible Innovation, Association of Community College Trustees, Carnegie Mellon, Computing Alliance of Hispanic Serving Institutions (CAHSI), Duke University, Federation of American Scientists, IBM, National Hispanic Health Foundation, SeedAI, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), and Thurgood Marshall College Fund.\n\n\u201cCarnegie Mellon is honored to endorse the Expanding AI Voices Act. This bipartisan effort of the House Science Committee reflects CMU\u2019s longstanding tradition of interdisciplinary research in AI and developing unique models of collaboration with a wide diversity of academic, private, community-based and industry partners to inform AI research and development. Expanding existing programs at the National Science Foundation, the nation\u2019s preeminent basic research agency, and leveraging the agency\u2019s STEM and other research programs, is essential to achieving the goal of broadening the benefits of AI across society.\u201d \u2013 Dr. Theresa Mayer, Vice President for Research, Carnegie Mellon University.\n\n\u201cCAHSI enthusiastically endorses the Expanding AI Voices through Capacity Building Act. Passage of the Act will be an important step toward democratizing access to the cyberinfrastructure and resources needed to conduct AI research broadly and provide opportunities for all communities to benefit from AI solutions and products that consider each of their unique needs. Expanding AI involvement, particularly in rural and low-resourced communities, will certainly contribute resources that can impact economic development.\u201d \u2013 Ann Quiroz Gates, Executive Director of the Computing Alliance of Hispanic-Serving Institutions\n\n\u201cThe Expanding AI Voices Act is an important step in fostering an inclusive and diverse AI ecosystem. By expanding the National Science Foundation\u2019s ExpandAI program, we can ensure that researchers at historically black colleges and universities, tribal colleges and universities, as well as other minority-serving institutions, have both resources and opportunities to participate in the AI innovation ecosystem. This will both enhance U.S. competitiveness and continue to advance AI development in a way that is both inclusive and beneficial to the American people. We congratulate Congresswoman Foushee on introducing this important piece of legislation.\u201d \u2013 Daniel Correa, Chief Executive Officer of the Federation of American Scientists.\n\n\u201cArtificial intelligence is transforming jobs and creating new career possibilities, but there are not enough opportunities for all Americans to participate in AI research, education, and workforce development. The Expanding AI Voices Act would address this critical gap by empowering HBCUs and minority-serving institutions to better equip their students with a greater understanding of and more access to this transformational technology. IBM is grateful to Representative Foushee and Chairman Lucas for their leadership to help close the tech skills gap and prepare more US workers for meaningful careers in the AI era.\u201d \u2013 Lydia Logan, Vice President, Global Education and Workforce Development, IBM\n\n\u201cDr. Elena Rios, president of the National Hispanic Health Foundation, applauds Representative Valerie Foushee?and Chairman Frank Lucas for introducing the \u2018\u2018Expanding AI Voices Act\u2019\u2019 so that the National Science Foundation can expand Hispanic Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and HBCU\u2019s faculty recruitment and post-baccalaureate programs and nonprofit organization\u2019s research and workforce development pathways in artificial intelligence.\u201d \u2013 Elena Rios, MD, MSPH, MACP, President, National Hispanic Health Foundation\n\n\u201cThere are hundreds of thousands of college students in the country that can make meaningful, rewarding, substantive contributions to the AI ecosystem \u2014 but they have no pathway to doing so. The Expanding AI Voices Act would broaden the pipeline so that these students can be competitive for some of the highest-paying jobs in the country, make real positive change in the field, and put AI to work for the betterment of their communities. SeedAI applauds Representative Foushee and Chairman Lucas for their leadership on this issue.\u201d \u2013 Austin Carson, Founder and CEO of SeedAI\n\n\u201cThe Expanding AI Voices Act will be crucial for increasing Hispanic participation in Artificial Intelligence education and the workforce. By extending award eligibility for potential applicants and primary grantees, the bill will enable SHPE to compete for community development programs, allowing us to showcase the strength of our infrastructure and be credited for our intellectual property as we contribute to enhance the AI workforce and education system. Overall, this bill offers community-based organizations, like SHPE, the opportunity to leverage their strong community connections and industry partnerships to develop culturally informed AI programs.\u201d \u2013 Suzanna Valdez Wolfe, CEO of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers.\n\n\u201cAs our nation continues to solidify our position as the world leader in research, development and innovation, it is paramount that we be intentional about building the research capacity across the landscape of our institutions of higher education, most particularly in emerging and expanding technologies such as artificial intelligence. The Expanding AI Voices Act codifies and improves smart work already being done to ensure that Americans from across our diverse landscape are prepared for the jobs of the future by investing in the institutions that serve them best.\u201d \u2013 Dr. Harry L. Williams, President and CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:36:13Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://foushee.house.gov/posts/ranking-member-foushee-and-chairman-lucas-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-increase-diversity-in-ai-research-and-workforce"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4373972080647945, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}