Memphis Standard

U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn and Mark Warner have put forward the Promoting United States Leadership in Standards Act, a legislative proposal aimed at reestablishing America’s leadership role in the international standards setting for emerging technologies. The initiative seeks to counter the growing influence of Chinese entities in shaping global norms.

"For decades, the United States led the world in developing new technologies, which allowed our country to set the rules of the road when it came to global standards," the senators noted. However, recent trends have seen China overtaking the U.S. in this arena. "The Chinese Communist Party has made it their mission to undermine the U.S. and our interests around the globe by exploiting our deficiencies," said Senator Blackburn. "As our adversary ramps up efforts to dominate global standards for emerging technologies, the U.S. must be a global leader in innovation, and that includes setting standards that reflect our interests and values."

Senator Warner echoed these concerns, pointing out the shift in technological dominance. "In recent years, the Communist Party of China has asserted their dominance in the global technology space, and as their status has risen, our authority and influence have fallen. This legislation clearly outlines steps we must take to reestablish our leadership and ensure that we are doing all we can to set the global standards for critical and emerging technologies."

The bill proposes several key actions, including a directive for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to report to Congress on U.S. participation in standards development for artificial intelligence and other Critical and Emerging Technologies (CETs). Additionally, it calls for the creation of a web portal to assist stakeholders in engaging with international standardization efforts and a pilot program awarding $10 million in grants over four years to support the hosting of standards meetings in the U.S.

As background, the roles of standards-setting bodies are pivotal as they not only determine technical specifications but also ensure the incorporation of values such as openness, safety, and accessibility in emerging technologies.