Expanding AI Voices Act
The source supplies the latest action, but no lifecycle stage.
Latest action (21 Jul 2026): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
What this bill does
S. 5050, the Expanding AI Voices Act, would amend existing federal law (the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021) to direct the National Science Foundation to create a new competitive grant program supporting artificial intelligence research, education, and workforce development. The NSF Director, in consultation with other federal agencies, would award grants to eligible colleges, universities, or nonprofit consortia to expand AI research programs, recruit and train faculty, create bridge programs for students moving into graduate AI study, provide access to computing and data resources, and host workshops connecting academia, industry, and government.
The program specifically targets institutions that are not among the top 100 recipients of federal research funding, as well as minority-serving institutions, historically Black colleges and universities, and Tribal colleges. The bill directs the NSF to conduct outreach to such institutions, consider geographic diversity and resource constraints in awarding grants, and avoid duplicating existing federal programs. It would primarily benefit smaller or historically under-resourced colleges, their faculty and students, and nonprofit partners seeking to build AI research and workforce capacity.
The bill was introduced in the Senate on July 21, 2026, by Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester, with Senator Sheehy as a cosponsor, and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. It has not yet received committee action, floor votes, or been enacted into law.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Timeline
21 Jul 2026
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Common questions
- What does S. 5050 do?
- S. 5050, the Expanding AI Voices Act, would amend existing federal law (the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021) to direct the National Science Foundation to create a new competitive grant program supporting artificial intelligence research, education, and workforce development. The NSF Director, in consultation with other federal agencies, would award grants to eligible colleges, universities, or nonprofit consortia to expand AI research programs, recruit and train faculty, create bridge programs for students moving into graduate AI study, provide access to computing and data resources, and host workshops connecting academia, industry, and government. The program specifically targets institutions that are not among the top 100 recipients of federal research funding, as well as minority-serving institutions, historically Black colleges and universities, and Tribal colleges. The bill directs the NSF to conduct outreach to such institutions, consider geographic diversity and resource constraints in awarding grants, and avoid duplicating existing federal programs. It would primarily benefit smaller or historically under-resourced colleges, their faculty and students, and nonprofit partners seeking to build AI research and workforce capacity. The bill was introduced in the Senate on July 21, 2026, by Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester, with Senator Sheehy as a cosponsor, and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. It has not yet received committee action, floor votes, or been enacted into law.
- Has S. 5050 become law?
- The source does not supply a confirmed lifecycle stage for S. 5050. Check the latest action and official source below.
- Who sponsored S. 5050?
- S. 5050 was sponsored by Sen. Blunt Rochester, Lisa [D-DE] (D-DE), with 1 cosponsor.
- What's the latest action on S. 5050?
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (21 Jul 2026).
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