USA Act

The USA Act would supersede a portion of the current Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act by directing the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to place greater emphasis on open, transparent, and fair development of international standards. It requires the Director to promote voluntary, consensus-based standards developed through private-sector-led processes—domestically and internationally—and to ensure coordination across federal agencies to support private-sector stakeholders in standards work for emerging technologies. The bill also reinforces the role of public-private partnerships in advancing U.S. interests in standards. The changes would apply using the framework that existed before the bill’s enactment, meaning it would modify but not completely rewrite the underlying standards law. In practical terms, the bill aims to make international standards development more accessible and deliberative, strengthen collaboration between government and industry, and orient U.S. standardization toward private-sector leadership and consensus, with a focus on emerging technologies and global market access.