Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11)
Washington, D.C. –This week, Congresswoman Haley Stevens (D-MI) passed yet another piece of legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives—her bipartisan Small Business AI Advancement Act. The legislation, which was co-led by Congressman Mike Collins (R-GA), passed the full House on Monday after advancing unanimously out of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee last summer. The bill now heads to the Senate for approval.
Small businesses are increasingly finding new ways to use AI to facilitate their operations, ranging from logistics to design to customer service to cybersecurity. The Small Business AI Advancement Act ensures small businesses have access to clear guidance so they can compete and grow without unnecessary risk. It directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop and distribute guidance to help small businesses understand, evaluate, and adopt AI technologies, including technical standards, best practices, and case studies.
“As someone who works closely with Michigan manufacturers and small businesses, I know innovation works best when businesses have the information they need to succeed,” said Rep. Stevens. “This legislation helps ensure Michigan’s small businesses aren’t left behind in our 21st-century economy.”
The bill also requires NIST to update these resources every two years and report back to Congress after four years with feedback from small businesses and recommendations for improvement. The approach builds on NIST’s successful Small Business Cybersecurity Corner, a widely used resource that has helped strengthen cybersecurity practices across small businesses nationwide.
Passing bills like the Small Business AI Advancement Act is what makes Stevens the most effective Democratic lawmaker from Michigan and the most effective Democrat in Congress on science and technology issues.
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