S. 3468 — National Programmable Cloud Laboratories Network Act of 2025

This section establishes definitions for the following terms used in the Act: (1) artificial intelligence, as defined in 15 U.S.C. 9401; (2) Director, meaning the Director of the National Science Foundation (unless otherwise provided); (3) institution of higher education, as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001); (4) Network, meaning the National Programmable Cloud Laboratories Network; (5) node, meaning a programmable cloud laboratory designated as part of the Network; (6) non-designated laboratory, meaning any Federal, academic, nonprofit, or private industry programmable cloud laboratory not selected as a node under section 3; and (7) programmable cloud laboratory, meaning a physical laboratory equipped with research instrumentation and advanced manufacturing capabilities, including robotics and artificial intelligence, that can be securely and remotely programmed and controlled to conduct experiments and collect associated data.

This section establishes a National Programmable Cloud Laboratories Network (Network) of not more than 6 nodes, to be designated by the NSF Director in consultation with the NIST Director not later than 1 year after enactment, to enable programmable workflows, automated science, access to advanced instruments including AI-enabled tools, common standards, and interoperability for remote experimentation in fields such as materials science, biotechnology, and chemistry. Eligible entities—including institutions of higher education, nonprofit research organizations, private-sector research entities, and consortia—may apply via public solicitation, submitting plans for laboratory operations, long-term self-sustainability with metrics and milestones, and non-Federal cost-sharing; the NSF Director must select nodes through competitive, merit-reviewed processes prioritizing pre-existing infrastructure, sustainability potential, collaboration, research security, and user demand, with preference for meaningful third-party cost-sharing. Each designated node must (1) facilitate Network collaboration and standards development with NIST; (2) support secure data sharing, remote AI-assisted experimentation, and reproducible science; (3) pursue public-private partnerships for technology transfer; (4) develop a financial sustainability plan reducing Federal reliance via user fees or other models; and (5) track performance metrics including scientific output, cost-effectiveness, and user satisfaction.

This section directs the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, in cooperation with the Director and participating eligible entities (including institutions of higher education), not later than 180 days after all nodes of the Network are designated, to (1) develop and promulgate standards to ensure interoperability across Network nodes, including laboratory instrumentation, data infrastructure, communication protocols, and experiment execution systems; (2) establish protocols for secure, seamless, and standardized data-sharing among all members of the Network aligned with node-level cybersecurity and research security protocols; (3) define minimum technical requirements and operating procedures to support remote experimentation, experiment reproducibility, and artificial intelligence-assisted workflows; and (4) periodically update such standards in consultation with private-sector partners and nodes of the Network to reflect advancements in hardware, software, and automation technology.

This section directs the Director, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy and the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, to conduct and submit to the appropriate congressional committees not later than 180 days after designating the final node of the Network under section 3 a comprehensive assessment of non-designated laboratories. The assessment must identify, to the extent practicable, (1) federal laboratories, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and private-sector laboratories that possess or are developing programmable, automated, or remotely accessible research infrastructure; (2) the instrumentation, automation, and data capabilities of such laboratories; (3) cybersecurity and research security measures relevant to interoperability; (4) existing or potential pathways for such laboratories to coordinate with Network nodes, such as data-sharing, standards adoption, or pilot interoperability projects; and (5) legal, contractual, or intellectual property considerations that may affect participation. Proprietary information must be protected from public disclosure consistent with applicable law, with the Director required to publish a nonproprietary public summary and authorized to submit a proprietary annex to the congressional committees of jurisdiction.

This section directs the Director to brief the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology not later than one year after enactment and annually thereafter on the status of the Network. Each briefing must include assessments of (1) the alignment of supported research with national scientific and economic priorities, (2) the progress each node of the Network has made toward achieving self-sustainability as described in section 3(d)(2), and (3) the performance metrics established in section 3(g)(8).