119th Congress

H.R.9506

To amend the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020 to require the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy to establish a prize competition program relating to artificial intelligence, and for other purposes.

Introduced6/29/26

Introduced

H. R. 9506

Introduced in House · July 2, 2026

June 29, 2026

Mr. Begich (for himself and Mr. Obernolte) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

A BILL

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. Federal grand challenges in artificial intelligence.

(a) In general.—

(1) NATIONAL ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE INITIATIVE.—Title LI of the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020 is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

HR9506 U.S. House: Amends the National Artificial…

(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.—The table of contents in section 2(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 and the table of contents at the beginning of title LI of such Act are amended by inserting after the items relating to section 5106 the following new item:
1. (b) Studies.—
(1) INITIAL STUDY.—
1. (A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study of the following:
  1. (i) Ongoing prize competition programs carried out under authorities enacted before the date of the enactment of this Act.
  2. (ii) Prize competitions, generally.
2. (B) ELEMENTS.—The study conducted under subparagraph (A) shall include, to the extent practicable, the following:
  1. (i) An identification of the following:
    1. (I) Best practices for prize competitions.
    2. (II) The metrics the Comptroller General of the United States determines appropriate for evaluating the success of a prize competition.
  2. (ii) An assessment of the following:
    1. (I) Whether such metrics differ between evaluating near-term and long-term impacts of prize competitions.
    2. (II) Whether prize competitions can be designed in a way that would result in more effective or revolutionary technology being developed.
  3. (iii) An assessment of the efficacy and effect of the programs referred to in subparagraph (A)(i), including with respect to the following:
    1. (I) Whether, and what, technology or innovation would have been developed in the absence of such programs.
    2. (II) Whether such programs have shortened the timeframe for the development of technology or innovation.
    3. (III) Whether such programs are cost effective.
    4. (IV) What benefits, if any, are gained from carrying out such programs.
    5. (V) Whether the utilization of a grant program or contract would have resulted in such development.
3. (C) REPORT AND BRIEFING.—Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall provide to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives the following:
  1. (i) A report on the findings of the Comptroller General with respect to the study conducted under subparagraph (A).
  2. (ii) A briefing on such report.
(2) INTERIM STUDY.—
1. (A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than three years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study of each prize challenge program under section 5107 of the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020, as added by subsection (a).
2. (B) ELEMENTS.—The study conducted under subparagraph (A) shall include, to the extent practicable, the following:
  1. (i) An assessment of the efficacy and effect of the set of programs referred to in subparagraph (A), including with respect to the following:
    1. (I) Whether, and what, technology or innovation would have been developed in the absence of such programs.