The OSTP director defended his plans for a federal AI standard at a House Science Committee hearing and called on Congress to help.
Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, appeared before the House Science Committee. Wednesday Defend President Donald Trump’s AI strategy and encourage Congress to work toward federal AI standards rather than state-level standards or a patchwork of international standards not set by the United States.
The hearing focused on the Trump administration’s policies. AI action plan, It aims to advance U.S. leadership in AI technology and standards development. The plan, released in July 2025, was co-authored by Kratsios and White House AI and crypto czar David Sachs.
At Wednesday’s hearing, Kratsios defended his administration’s efforts to prevent states from enacting their own AI laws. At the request of the White House, Congress considered a similar ban. settlement mega building Summer has passed and more recently, National Defense Authorization Act It passed in December, but in both cases the language was removed in the face of bipartisan opposition.
After the ban was removed from the NDAA last month, President Trump presidential order The goal is to block state-level AI regulation through federal lawsuits and broadband funding cuts.
Science Committee Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) said in her opening statement that she believes President Trump’s order is unconstitutional.
“I’m not here to defend every state AI law that’s been proposed or passed,” Lofgren said. “While some of the bills California has adopted to protect its citizens are good, others the governor has vetoed with the support of his delegation.”
Trump’s December order also directed Kratsios and Sacks to “jointly prepare legislative recommendations that establish a uniform federal policy framework,” but Kratsios stressed during the hearing that the legislation sought in the order “does not preempt lawful national action regarding child safety measures, AI compute and data infrastructure, or even state procurement and use of AI.”
He also emphasized the Trump administration’s opposition to international regulation. “We will continue to oppose global AI governance at the United Nations, G7, APEC, and other forums, and we will continue to protect great American companies from stifling foreign regulatory regimes,” Kratsios said.
Lofgren expressed general support for the AI Action Plan, but said it does not adequately address the risks of AI. He also expressed deep concern about the Trump administration profiting from or owning parts of private companies.
“The government now owns nearly 10% of Intel and is its largest shareholder. It owns stakes in rare earth mining companies and is negotiating similar deals with quantum computing companies,” Lofgren said, accusing the Trump administration of “engaging in socialism” and “copying China.”
Rep. Jay Obanolte (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Science Committee’s research and technology subcommittee, offered a more generous view of the administration’s position on state AI laws.
“I don’t think anyone believes that states shouldn’t have lanes in regulating AI, but I think what everyone believes is that there should be federal lanes and there should be state lanes,” Obernolte said, adding that the federal government should decide where the guardrails will be.
Obernolte praised the AI Action Plan for its overlap with the recommendations of the House Select Committee on AI, which he chaired. The special committee announced that final report “This bipartisan effort resulted in 66 findings and 89 recommendations, many of which are consistent with the AI Action Plan, including expanding access to computing power for researchers, investing in K-12 AI education, and advancing AI assessment,” Obernolte said.
Both the AI Action Plan and the House Select Committee report also highlight the role of federal research agencies, such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology, in setting AI standards. Obernolte said the upcoming Great American AI Act will formally establish NIST’s Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI). previously known As the American AI Safety Association. I also introduced Obernolte before. law Codifying the National Science Foundation’s National AI Research Resource (NAIRR).
Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the Research and Technology Subcommittee, expressed concern about the NIST cuts and the administration’s decision to pull support from initiatives such as the Manufacturing Extension Program and American Manufacturing. “We’re losing talent and institutional knowledge, we’re shrinking, and frankly, when we’re supposed to be touting how we can lead with AI, we’re destroying our research capabilities and hurting our global competitiveness,” Stevens said.
The Trump administration’s fiscal year 2026 budget proposal recommended cuts to NIST. budget Despite a 28% decline, Congress is on track to pass the bill. expenditure invoice package It will be approximately evenly funded.
Kratsios said AI has always been a key research priority in the president’s attempts to “right-size” the federal budget. Apart from this, he also mentioned initiatives such as the Genesis Mission and government initiatives. Main initiatives Promoting scientific research using AI will ensure “America’s technological and scientific superiority for future generations” and fend off competition from countries such as China.
The threat of competition from China was a recurring theme and separate topic of discussion during the hearing. hearing, It was also held by the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday.
Near the end of the hearing, Kratsios said his office “wants to emphasize the use of federal research and development dollars for U.S. scientists and engineers whose laboratories are staffed by Americans.” He added that the office “makes sure that when we issue (notifications of funding opportunities) or other funding requests, we are funding American students.”
It is unclear whether these comments were intended to suggest that OSTP is considering new citizenship requirements for federal research funding opportunities. OSTP did not respond to requests for comment before publication.
Kratsios’ comments came in response to a question from Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.) about how to deal with leading U.S. universities recruiting large numbers of Chinese students who return to China after completing their studies. “What do we do about this competition that we’re basically educating here and sending back there?” McCormick asked.
