Congress·In Committee·S. 2615

Congress Proposes New Voluntary Standards to Test and Verify Artificial Intelligence Systems

VET Artificial Intelligence Act

8 months ago·View on Congress.gov

⏸

Stalled

No legislative action in over 90 days.

Legislative Progress

Senate

House

President

Law

Key Points

Congress is proposing a plan to create a set of voluntary guidelines to help companies test their artificial intelligence (AI) systems. The goal is to make sure AI works the way it is supposed to and does not cause unexpected harm to the public.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology would lead the project. They would work with experts to decide how companies should check their own AI and when they should hire outside experts to double-check that the technology is safe and reliable.
These guidelines would be voluntary, meaning companies are not forced by law to use them. However, having a standard set of rules helps build trust with the public and makes it easier for businesses to prove their technology is responsible.
The plan includes protections for consumer privacy and business secrets. It also creates a special committee of experts from colleges, tech companies, and civil rights groups to help figure out who is qualified to perform these AI safety checks.
If passed, the first set of guidelines would be ready within one year. After that, the government would update the rules every two years to keep up with how fast AI technology changes.

Technology Digital

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Who is affectedScoreImpactCertaintyScopeDurationSentiment

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Broader Impacts

DomainScoreShort-termLong-termReversibilityConfidence

Score

Scores: -5 (harmful) to +5 (beneficial)Short-term: 0-2 yearsLong-term: 10-30 years

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions

Jul 31, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Jul 31, 2025

Introduced in Senate

Related News

5 articles

FedScoop·over 1 year ago

Senate legislation to establish third-party AI audit guidelines is now bipartisan

The VET AI Act, introduced by Senators Hickenlooper and Capito, directs NIST to develop voluntary guidelines for third-party AI evaluations. The bill aims to create a pathway for independent evaluators to verify that AI development and testing comply with established safety guardrails.

MeriTalk·8 months ago

Senate Revisits AI Testing, Development Assurance With VET AI Act

Bipartisan lawmakers reintroduced the VET AI Act in August 2025, tasking NIST with leading the development of specifications and recommendations for third-party evaluators. The bill seeks to provide independent verification of AI systems' safety, privacy, and dataset quality.

TechPolicy.Press·over 1 year ago

Mandated Third-Party AI Audits are Coming—Addressing AI's Socio-Technical Challenges Will Be Key

This analysis of the VET AI Act explores the shift toward independent verification in AI. While the bill proposes a framework for NIST-led voluntary guidelines, experts warn that audits must address human assumptions and socio-technical risks to be truly effective at mitigating harm.

CL~