YourVoice.Now Summary
Corporate BenefitsTransparency & AccountabilityFederal grants would fund up to six robot labs scientists run over the internet — most people would notice nothing.
Corporate Benefits
The National Science Foundation would pick up to six labs and pay each one a grant. Private research firms can apply and compete for that money alongside colleges and nonprofits.
When picking labs, the Foundation must favor applicants who bring outside money to the table, or who already own the lab space and equipment. Groups with corporate partners or existing labs start ahead.
Each lab in the network has to work with companies to move its discoveries toward commercial products. The bill lists that as one of the program's goals.
Transparency & Accountability
Within 180 days of picking the last lab, the Foundation must survey other automated labs around the country and report to Congress. It must also publish a public version, with company trade secrets left out.
The network, its rules, and its money all end on September 30, 2031. Congress would have to pass a new law to keep it running.
More about this bill
Most people would see no direct change in daily life. This one is about research tools. The National Science Foundation would set up as many as six "programmable cloud labs." These are real labs full of robots and instruments. Scientists could run experiments in them over the internet, from anywhere. Each lab could get up to $5 million a year, for as long as five years. That money comes from $30 million a year the Foundation would set aside from 2026 through 2030. Colleges, nonprofits, and private companies can all apply. Applicants that bring outside money, or already own lab space, would get preference. The whole program ends on September 30, 2031.
Congressional Summary
National Programmable Cloud Laboratories Network Act of 2025 This bill provides statutory authority for a national programmable cloud laboratories program established by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Programmable cloud laboratories allow researchers to remotely design and run experiments in an automated, artificial-intelligence-enabled laboratory. Under the bill, NSF, in consultation with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), must designate up to six entities to operate cloud laboratories, called nodes, to comprise a national network. Eligible entities include institutions of higher education, private or nonprofit research entities, and groups thereof. In designating nodes, NSF must ensure, to the extent practicable, that at least one node can support biotechnology research. (On July 16, 2025, NSF issued a program solicitation seeking applicants to serve as nodes.) Designated nodes must provide access to advanced scientific and manufacturing instruments and a secure digital infrastructure. Where practicable, nodes must leverage commercially available hardware and software to minimize cost and accelerate deployment of automated capabilities. NIST, in cooperation with NSF and designated nodes, must establish and periodically update network-wide interoperability standards, data-sharing protocols, and minimum technical requirements and operating procedures. Further, after all nodes are designated, NSF must identify other laboratories that have or are developing programmable, automated, or remotely accessible research infrastructure and assess the potential for coordination between nodes and these laboratories. The bill provides for annual grants to each designated node for up to five years. The program and any associated funding terminate on September 30, 2031.
Legislative Subjects
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- Senate
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Reported to Senate
- Action Date
- 2026-07-13
- Date Added
- 2026-09-09
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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