Robotics policy.

Four hearings involving robotics between March and July. April focused on manufacturing and automation; March also covered AI and autonomy; June and July considered broader legislative packages. These records show congressional attention, but do not establish an unprecedented hearing frequency.

Executive action and proposed bills

The FCC’s July 28 Covered List addition rests on an interagency national-security determination, reproduced in Appendix C of its notice. It restricts new equipment authorizations, with conditional approvals; it is separate from Commerce’s September 2025 Section 232 investigation, which ended in the October 28, 2026 proclamation. The six legislative items above concern procurement, security review or coordination. They are proposals or House-passed text, rather than enacted robotics programs as of October 14, 2026.

FCC notice and determination Section 232 notice

Policy options from this comparison

These are our proposals, not recommendations attributed to the sources. Deployment trials for small manufacturers could measure uptime, cost per task and paid worker training; the risk is subsidizing purchases firms would make anyway. A published security approval route could preserve access to trusted equipment, but requires ongoing testing. A commission needs an implementation owner and milestones if its reports are to lead to decisions. Component support tied to customer orders could target shortages; broad subsidies may instead protect weak suppliers.

Source archive and metadata Synthesis and tradeoffs Potential policies

• Pass the National Commission on Robotics Act as a step toward a national robotics strategy. Jason Fiorillo, Boston Dynamics, American Global Competitiveness at 250 (House E&C CMT), Boston Dynamics written testimony, 2026-06-30. Pass the National Commission on Robotics Act, as a Step Towards a National Robotics Strategy Source
• Senate companion establishing an independent Commission on American Leadership in Robotics within Commerce (up to 18 members). Sen. Dave McCormick with Sens. Hickenlooper, Young and Heinrich (S. 4686), S. 4686, National Commission on Robotics Act (introduced), 2026-06-04. the Secretary shall establish an independent commission to be known as the Commission on American Leadership in Robotics Source
• Develop a coordinated national strategy for robotics and physical AI, supporting H.R. 7334. Michael Robbins, AUVSI, DeepSeek and Unitree Robotics hearing (House Homeland Security), written testimony, 2026-03-17, p. 11. Congress should support the development of a coordinated national strategy for robotics and physical artificial intelligence. Source
• Establish an independent 18-member National Commission on Robotics (within Commerce) reviewing competitiveness, workforce, supply chains, manufacturing and national security. Rep. Jay Obernolte, Rep. Jennifer McClellan, Rep. Latta (H.R. 7334), H.R. 7334, National Commission on Robotics Act (introduced; referred to Science Committee), 2026-02-03. To establish a commission on robotics, and for other purposes. Source
• Develop a national robotics strategy to turn US invention into scaled production, connect workers to opportunity and secure industrial supply. Anoosh Kumar, CSIS Strategic Technologies Program, Why The United States Needs Robots to Rebuild (CSIS blog), 2025-07. what’s missing is the national strategy to turn invention into impact Source
• White House leads a National Robotics Strategy and implementation plans for manufacturing, autonomous vehicles, agriculture and energy. Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), Memorandum for President Trump on a National Robotics Strategy, 2025-02. The White House should lead the development of a National Robotics Strategy and implementation plans Source

• Interim steps while the robotics commission is pending: more hearings, public requests for information, or a special subcommittee to gather insight. Jedidah Isler, Federation of American Scientists, American Global Competitiveness at 250 (House E&C CMT), written testimony, 2026-06-30. standing up a special subcommittee to begin gathering insight Source
• Create a White House Office of Automation and Robotics (or similar central office) alongside a National Robotics Strategy Commission, to lead and update a national strategy. Jeff Burnstein, Association for Advancing Automation (A3), Robots Made in America (House Science R&T Subcommittee), A3 written statement, 2026-04-21. the establishment of a White House Office of Automation and Robotics or similar central office, in coordination with a multidisciplinary National Robotics Strategy Commission Source
• Establish a National Robotics Council to guide federal robotics policy. AUVSI (Partnership for Robotics Competitiveness), Securing U.S. Leadership in Robotics and Physical AI (AUVSI PFRC white paper), 2026-02, p. 19. Congress and the Administration should establish a National Robotics Council to guide federal policy efforts Source
• Establish a centralized Federal Government Robotics Office to create, oversee and steer a national robotics strategy. Association for Advancing Automation (A3), A3 comment on Commerce Section 232 robotics investigation (BIS-2025-0257-0200), 2025-10-17, p. 3. Establish a Federal Government Robotics Office. Source
• Commerce should set up a federal advisory committee, mostly industry members, to advise on robotics industry needs and policy. Robert D. Atkinson, Meghan Ostertag, Trelysa Long (ITIF), A Time to Act: Policies to Strengthen the US Robotics Industry, 2025-07-18. The Department of Commerce should establish a federal advisory committee to advise the government on the needs of the robotics industry Source
• OSTP should set up a cross-cutting robotics research working group, similar to the National Nanotechnology Initiative. Robert D. Atkinson, Meghan Ostertag, Trelysa Long (ITIF), A Time to Act: Policies to Strengthen the US Robotics Industry, 2025-07-18. should establish a cross-cutting robotics research working group to coordinate and align all agency mission-oriented research related to robotics Source

• Stimulate domestic or friend-shored production of robot components (sensors, processors, actuators, ball screws) and identify reliable allied sources. Jason Fiorillo, Boston Dynamics, American Global Competitiveness at 250 (House E&C CMT), Boston Dynamics written testimony, 2026-06-30. the U.S. government should meaningfully stimulate the domestic or friend-shored production of essential components for advanced mobile robotics Source
• National robotics strategy plus trade tools such as tariffs and anti-dumping measures and ally coordination for trusted supply chains. Agility Robotics (CEO Peggy Johnson), Safeguarding America's Humanoid Future: Six policy pillars (Agility paper), 2026-06-12. Federal policy should include the development of a national robotics strategy, leveraging trade tools such as tariffs and anti-dumping measures Source
• Use Defense Production Act Title III purchase guarantees for domestically made robotics hardware, and a Buy-American Robotics Preference for federally funded automation projects. Evan Beard, Standard Bots, Robots Made in America (House Science R&T Subcommittee), written testimony, 2026-04-21. a clear Buy-American Robotics Preference for federally funded automation projects Source
• Bar executive agencies from procuring or operating unmanned ground vehicle systems made by covered foreign entities. Rep. Elise Stefanik (H.R. 8189), H.R. 8189, American Security Robotics Act of 2026 (introduced), 2026-04-02. To prohibit executive agencies from procuring or operating certain unmanned ground vehicle systems, and for other purposes. Source
• Senate companion barring executive agencies from procuring or operating unmanned ground vehicle systems made by covered foreign entities. Sen. Tom Cotton with Sen. Chuck Schumer (S. 4235), S. 4235, American Security Robotics Act of 2026 (introduced), 2026-03-26. To prohibit executive agencies from procuring or operating certain unmanned ground vehicle systems, and for other purposes. Source
• Prohibit federal procurement of uncrewed ground vehicles (including robots) made in countries of concern, as a standalone bill and in the NDAA. Michael Robbins, AUVSI, DeepSeek and Unitree Robotics hearing (House Homeland Security), written testimony, 2026-03-17, p. 12. we urge Congress to take up this measure again as a standalone bill as well as in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act Source
• Expand US robotics manufacturing and use federal procurement and demand signals to support trusted systems and domestic production of sensors, batteries, magnets and electronics. Michael Robbins, AUVSI, DeepSeek and Unitree Robotics hearing (House Homeland Security), written testimony, 2026-03-17, p. 13. use federal procurement and demand signals to support trusted systems Source
• Reform CFIUS to a proactive technology-protection strategy covering the entire AI and robotics stack. Rush Doshi, Georgetown University / Council on Foreign Relations, DeepSeek and Unitree Robotics hearing (House Homeland Security CIP Subcommittee), written testimony, 2026-03-17. secures the entire AI and robotics stack Source
• Prohibit federal agencies and contractors from procuring robotic systems or AI models from companies subject to PRC national security laws. Rush Doshi, Georgetown University / Council on Foreign Relations, DeepSeek and Unitree Robotics hearing (House Homeland Security CIP Subcommittee), written testimony, 2026-03-17. prohibiting federal agencies and federal contractors from procuring robotic systems or AI models developed by companies subject to PRC national security laws Source
• Expand and codify prohibitions on federal procurement and use of PRC-origin or PRC-linked robotics platforms and components. AUVSI (Partnership for Robotics Competitiveness), Securing U.S. Leadership in Robotics and Physical AI (AUVSI PFRC white paper), 2026-02, p. 20. Congress should expand and codify prohibitions on the procurement and use of PRC-origin or PRC-linked robotics platforms and components Source
• Do not tariff countries whose robots and key components the US industry depends on; instead adopt a comprehensive national robotics strategy. Association for Advancing Automation (A3), A3 comment on Commerce Section 232 robotics and industrial machinery investigation (BIS-2025-0257-0200), 2025-10-17, p. 1. not to impose tariffs on countries whose robots and key components are crucial to making the American robotics industry stronger Source
• Commerce (through NTIA) convenes industry and government to identify supply chain challenges to American robotics and drone manufacturing. White House (America's AI Action Plan), Winning the Race: America's AI Action Plan, 2025-07-23, p. 7. convene industry and government stakeholders to identify supply chain challenges to American robotics and drone manufacturing Source
• Significantly limit or ban Chinese robotics imports, for example via a BIS rule restricting imports of China-linked robots and related hardware and software. Robert D. Atkinson, Meghan Ostertag, Trelysa Long (ITIF), A Time to Act: Policies to Strengthen the US Robotics Industry, 2025-07-18. the Trump administration should work to significantly limit, if not ban, Chinese robotics imports Source
• Launch a Made in America Robotics Initiative building robotics production clusters, with tax credits, grants and loans via Commerce and FDI from allies. Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), Memorandum for President Trump on a National Robotics Strategy, 2025-02. The United States should aim to build several clusters of robotics production across the nation Source
• Commerce BIS should use ICTS supply-chain authorities to restrict robotics components from China and other countries of concern. Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), Memorandum for President Trump on a National Robotics Strategy, 2025-02. should use its Information and Communication Technology & Services (ICTS) supply chain authorities to restrict robotics components from China Source
• Pursue economic security agreements with Japan, the EU and South Korea to reduce trade barriers and jointly block Chinese robotics firms. Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), Memorandum for President Trump on a National Robotics Strategy, 2025-02. pursue targeted economic security agreements with advanced industrial economies with strengths in robotics Source

• Require a national-security risk determination on communications equipment from six named Chinese entities, with FCC listing consequences. Rep. Scott Perry (H.R. 9687), H.R. 9687, Blocking CCP Spy Tech Act of 2026 (introduced), 2026-07-14. To require a review of the national security risk posed by communications equipment and services produced or provided by certain entities Source
• Harmonized, risk-based national framework for AI and robotics with targeted federal preemption of state rules on safety standards, testing protocols and deployment. Jason Fiorillo, Boston Dynamics, American Global Competitiveness at 250 (House E&C CMT), Boston Dynamics written testimony, 2026-06-30. adopt a harmonized, risk-based national framework Source
• Bar DoD from procuring, leasing or obtaining humanoid robotic systems made or developed by foreign adversaries or carrying their software, AI, cloud or remote-control services (testing waiver; fixed industrial robots excluded). Rep. Lance Gooden (FY2027 NDAA, H.R. 8800 Sec. 163; passed House, not enacted), H.R. 8800, FY2027 NDAA, Section 163, 2026-06-04. The Secretary of Defense may not procure, lease, or otherwise obtain a covered humanoid robotic system Source
• Require a national-security determination on humanoid and quadruped robotics communications equipment and, if risky, place it on the FCC Covered List. Rep. John Moolenaar with Reps. Obernolte and McClellan (H.R. 9129), H.R. 9129, GUARD Act of 2026 (introduced; subcommittee-forwarded), 2026-06-03. to be placed on the covered list of the Federal Communications Commission Source
• Resource OSHA, NIOSH and NIST to develop standards and guidance for worker-safe robotics implementation; condition adoption funding on health and safety outcomes. Susan Helper, Case Western Reserve University, Robots Made in America (House Science R&T Subcommittee), written testimony, 2026-04-21. OSHA, NIOSH, and NIST should be resourced to develop standards and guidance for worker -safe robotics implementation Source
• Restrict adversary-made LiDAR in sensitive infrastructure (Securing Infrastructure from Adversaries Act) and examine similar measures across the robotics stack (SAFE LiDAR Act). Michael Robbins, AUVSI, DeepSeek and Unitree Robotics hearing (House Homeland Security), written testimony, 2026-03-17, p. 12. we urge Congress to consider similar measures across the robotics technology stack Source
• Codify and extend the ICTS executive-order framework to cover PRC-manufactured robotic systems. Rush Doshi, Georgetown University / Council on Foreign Relations, DeepSeek and Unitree Robotics hearing (House Homeland Security CIP Subcommittee), written testimony, 2026-03-17. Congress should codify and significantly extend the Information and Communications Technology and Services (ICTS) executive order framework to cover PRC -manufactured robotic systems. Source
• Direct CISA to require critical-infrastructure operators to inventory and report PRC-made robotic systems and AI platforms, with mandatory security audits. Rush Doshi, Georgetown University / Council on Foreign Relations, DeepSeek and Unitree Robotics hearing (House Homeland Security CIP Subcommittee), written testimony, 2026-03-17. require operators of critical infrastructure to inventory and report all PRC- manufactured robotic systems and AI platforms currently deployed in their networks Source
• Direct DHS/CISA to run a national security evaluation of foreign adversarial robots used in American industry and government. Matthew Malchano, Boston Dynamics, DeepSeek and Unitree Robotics hearing (House Homeland Security CIP Subcommittee), written testimony, 2026-03-17. expeditiously undertake a national security evaluation of the use of foreign adversarial robots in American industry and governmental operations Source
• Bar federal procurement and contractor use of humanoid robots from covered foreign entities, with CFIUS review and threat reporting. Sen. Bill Cassidy with Sen. Chris Coons (S. 3275), S. 3275, Humanoid ROBOT Act of 2025 (introduced), 2025-11-20. To reduce the risk to the national security of the United States posed by humanoid robots produced in certain countries, and for other purposes. Source
• Investigate Unitree's role in PLA objectives and consider designating it under Section 1260H, adding it to the Entity List and putting it on the FCC Covered List. House Select Committee on the CCP (letter to Hegseth, Lutnick and FCC Chair Carr), Select Committee on the CCP letter on Unitree Robotics, 2025-05-06, p. 1. adding it to the Entity List, and including it on the Covered List Source

• Tax mechanisms (accelerated depreciation, credits) for US-made robots, including robot-as-a-service installations. Jason Fiorillo, Boston Dynamics, American Global Competitiveness at 250 (House E&C CMT), Boston Dynamics written testimony, 2026-06-30. Congress should explore tax mechanisms that incentivize the manufacture and adoption of robots made in the United States. Source
• Introduce a 25 percent tax credit for adoption of robotics and other automation, expand the R&D credit, and pass the National Commission on Robotics Act. Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), America Needs a National Robotics Strategy (ITIF blog), 2026-06-18. introduce a 25 percent tax credit for adoption of robotics and other automation technologies Source
• Support deployment through early adopter programs and tax incentives for end users, with tailored tools for SMEs. Agility Robotics (CEO Peggy Johnson), Safeguarding America's Humanoid Future: Six policy pillars (Agility paper), 2026-06-12. Federal policy should support deployment through commercially viable early adopter programs, tax incentives for end-users, and other tools. Source
• Lower the financial risk of robotic trials for manufacturers and modernize how automation is treated under the tax code. Robots for America (industry coalition: Formic, Standard Bots, Dexterity, Path Robotics and others), Robots for America launches national coalition to advance U.S. robotics deployment policy (policy framework), 2026-05. Lowering the financial risk of robotic trials Modernizing how automation is treated under the tax code Source
• Dedicated investment tax credit for automation plus extended and expanded bonus depreciation; make robots-as-a-service depreciable. Evan Beard, Standard Bots, Robots Made in America (House Science R&T Subcommittee), written testimony, 2026-04-21. Congress should establish a dedicated investment tax credit for automation, alongside extending and expanding the accelerated bonus depreciation in Public Law 119-21 Source
• Refundable investment tax credit for US manufacturing of robotics subsystems. Evan Beard, Standard Bots, Robots Made in America (House Science R&T Subcommittee), written testimony, 2026-04-21. A refundable investment tax credit for U.S. manufacturing of robotics subsystems Source
• Tariff-funded grants for robotics adoption aimed at small and mid-sized manufacturers stalled at integration. Evan Beard, Standard Bots, Robots Made in America (House Science R&T Subcommittee), written testimony, 2026-04-21. Congress should also authorize tariff-funded grants for robotics adoption Source
• Tax credits and accelerated depreciation for automation that cover integration and training costs, plus an automation technology factory tax credit and Section 174 R&D expensing reform. Jeff Burnstein, Association for Advancing Automation (A3), Robots Made in America (House Science R&T Subcommittee), A3 written statement, 2026-04-21. policy could be implemented to provide an automation technology factory tax credit Source
• Extend production and investment tax credits to robotics manufacturing. AUVSI (Partnership for Robotics Competitiveness), Securing U.S. Leadership in Robotics and Physical AI (AUVSI PFRC white paper), 2026-02, p. 21. Congress should therefore extend proven industrial-policy tools, such as production and investment tax credits, to robotics manufacturing. Source
• Refocus SBA loans and loan guarantees toward US manufacturers financing new production technology including robotics. Robert D. Atkinson, Meghan Ostertag, Trelysa Long (ITIF), A Time to Act: Policies to Strengthen the US Robotics Industry, 2025-07-18. Refocus Small Business Association (SBA) loans and programs to help more U.S. manufacturers finance new production technologies. Source
• Congress would ideally pass a machinery (including robotics) tax credit. Robert D. Atkinson, Meghan Ostertag, Trelysa Long (ITIF), A Time to Act: Policies to Strengthen the US Robotics Industry, 2025-07-18. Ideally, Congress would pass a machinery (including robotics) tax credit. Source
• Expand capital access programs for small and medium manufacturers to adopt robots and match state-level adoption grants. Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), Memorandum for President Trump on a National Robotics Strategy, 2025-02. The United States should expand capital access programs to accelerate the adoption of robotic systems among SMMs Source

• Direct and fund federal agencies to adopt robots and run robotics challenges like the DOT Bots competition. Jason Fiorillo, Boston Dynamics, American Global Competitiveness at 250 (House E&C CMT), Boston Dynamics written testimony, 2026-06-30. Congress should, when working on reauthorization legislation and budgets, instruct and fund agencies to adopt robots Source
• Explore and quickly define federal procurement pathways for humanoid robotics and dual-use applications. Agility Robotics (CEO Peggy Johnson), Safeguarding America's Humanoid Future: Six policy pillars (Agility paper), 2026-06-12. Federal policy should explore and quickly define procurement pathways for humanoid robotics Source
• Make federal agencies early adopters of robotics by raising agency budgets for and acquisitions of robotics technologies. Jeff Burnstein, A3, Robots Made in America (House Science R&T Subcommittee), A3 written statement, 2026-04-21. increasing agency budgets for, and initiating acquisitions of, robotics technologies Source
• Government procurement including advance market commitments for domestically made robotic systems, with job-quality conditions on federal contracts. Susan Helper, Case Western Reserve University, Robots Made in America (House Science R&T Subcommittee), written testimony, 2026-04-21. government procurement — including advance market commitments for domestically manufactured robotic systems Source
• Federal investment in AI-enabled next-generation manufacturing technologies including robotics, using CHIPS Act, DPA Title III and OTA authorities. White House (America's AI Action Plan), Winning the Race: America's AI Action Plan, 2025-07-23, p. 7. The Federal government should prioritize investment in these emerging technologies and usher in a new industrial renaissance Source
• NEC should task each major agency to identify where robotics can help its mission and how its procurement could enable adoption, starting with an RFI to industry. Robert D. Atkinson, Meghan Ostertag, Trelysa Long (ITIF), A Time to Act: Policies to Strengthen the US Robotics Industry, 2025-07-18. The National Economic Council (NEC) should task each major agency with identifying application areas where robotics can assist Source
• Fund a NIST robotics best-practices adoption award where small firms get half-funded robot projects and share lessons, possibly about 10 million dollars per year. Robert D. Atkinson, Meghan Ostertag, Trelysa Long (ITIF), A Time to Act: Policies to Strengthen the US Robotics Industry, 2025-07-18. Appropriate a modest amount of funds to NIST for a robotics best practices adoption award. Source
• DoD creates a network of scalable AI-enabled factories with a national program office to rebuild the defense industrial base. Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), Memorandum for President Trump on a National Robotics Strategy, 2025-02. the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) should create a network of scalable, AI-enabled factories that can adaptively produce goods Source

• Relaunch National Robotics Initiative-style research funding; create an Industrial Finance Corporation; raise NIST MEP and Manufacturing USA funding for automation. Jeff Burnstein, A3, Robots Made in America (House Science R&T Subcommittee), A3 written statement, 2026-04-21. The new national strategy should relaunch research funding initiatives resembling the prior National Robotics Initiative (NRI). Source
• Congress could fund small grants for researchers, engineers and labor representatives to co-design worker-augmenting robots. Susan Helper, Case Western Reserve University, Robots Made in America (House Science R&T Subcommittee), written testimony, 2026-04-21. Congress could fund small grants that bring together researchers, engineers, and labor representatives to design more of the kinds of robots Source
• Ask the national security apparatus to study risks of over-reliance on Chinese robotics data; make federal data AI-ready. Max Fenkell, Scale AI, DeepSeek and Unitree Robotics hearing (House Homeland Security CIP Subcommittee), written testimony, 2026-03-17. Congress should immediately ask the National Security apparatus to study the risks associated with an over-reliance on Chinese robotics data. Source
• Invest through NSF, DOE and NIST in automated cloud-enabled labs across scientific fields. White House (America's AI Action Plan), Winning the Race: America's AI Action Plan, 2025-07-23, p. 8. invest in automated cloud-enabled labs for a range of scientific fields Source
• Speed up Census release of Annual Integrated Economic Survey data, which includes robotics, now nearly two years after collection. Robert D. Atkinson, Meghan Ostertag, Trelysa Long (ITIF), A Time to Act: Policies to Strengthen the US Robotics Industry, 2025-07-18. The U.S. Census Bureau should accelerate the timeline for releasing data from the Annual Integrated Economic Survey Source
• Select robotics as NSF TIP's next major technology area and fund new robotics Industry-University Research Partnership and engineering research centers. Robert D. Atkinson, Meghan Ostertag, Trelysa Long (ITIF), A Time to Act: Policies to Strengthen the US Robotics Industry, 2025-07-18. NSF’s Technology Innovation and Partnerships (TIP) program should select robotics for its next major technology area for support. Source
• NIST should work with industry to identify barriers to robotics data collection and sharing and solutions to them. Robert D. Atkinson, Meghan Ostertag, Trelysa Long (ITIF), A Time to Act: Policies to Strengthen the US Robotics Industry, 2025-07-18. NIST should work with industry to coordinate data collection and sharing to support AI and robotics. Source
• Create a trusted third-party Data Foundry that collates and shares private-sector industrial datasets for training embodied AI, linked to the AI for Resilient Manufacturing Institute. Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), Memorandum for President Trump on a National Robotics Strategy, 2025-02. the United States must create a trusted third-party hub that works to collate and distribute private-sector industrial datasets Source

• Direct NIST within 90 days to identify barriers to robotics data sharing, coordinate standards for humanoid and AI-enabled robots, promote robotics use via its Office of Advanced Manufacturing, and work with Education and Labor on curricula; Commerce to report annually on robotics adoption. Sen. Mike Rounds with Sen. John Hickenlooper (S. 5310), S. 5310, Robotics Supply Chain Improvement Act (introduced), 2026-08-06. coordinate with the robotics industry to identify areas for the promulgation of useful standards Source
• Prioritize voluntary federal and industry standards for humanoids over prescriptive regulation, e.g. human-robot collaboration frameworks and workplace safety guidance. Agility Robotics (CEO Peggy Johnson), Safeguarding America's Humanoid Future: Six policy pillars (Agility paper), 2026-06-12. Federal policy should prioritize voluntary standards development at the federal level and industry bodies, rather than prescriptive regulation. Source
• Evaluate and encourage new robot standards and best practices for AI-powered robots working near people; government as convener of industry self-governance. Jeff Burnstein, A3, Robots Made in America (House Science R&T Subcommittee), A3 written statement, 2026-04-21. Government can act as the convener and facilitator of industry self-governance efforts, as it has done in other industries. Source
• NIST proposes a Baseline Performance Benchmark for humanoid robots: a low-footprint set of locomotion and manipulation tasks to compare minimum capabilities across manufacturers. NIST Intelligent Systems Division, Humanoid Robot Baseline Performance Benchmark (NIST), 2026-04. The proposed Baseline Performance Benchmark is a low-footprint set of locomotion and manipulation tasks. Source
• NIOSH, with NIST, should modernize workplace robotics standards into performance-based standards that let companies safely experiment. Robert D. Atkinson, Meghan Ostertag, Trelysa Long (ITIF), A Time to Act: Policies to Strengthen the US Robotics Industry, 2025-07-18. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) should work with researchers, private companies, and government agencies Source
• Streamline the regulatory environment and institute a licensing system for trusted robotic systems. Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), Memorandum for President Trump on a National Robotics Strategy, 2025-02. instituting a common-sense licensing system for trusted systems Source

• Reward employers who cut safety incidents through robotics deployment; support technician training and apprenticeships. Agility Robotics (CEO Peggy Johnson), Safeguarding America's Humanoid Future: Six policy pillars (Agility paper), 2026-06-12. Federal policy should properly reward employers who are able to decrease safety incidents through the proper deployment of robotics Source
• Streamline permitting and regulatory approvals for robot deployment and build the workforce to support it; establish robotics as a recognized pillar of US industrial policy. Robots for America (industry coalition), Robots for America launches national coalition to advance U.S. robotics deployment policy (policy framework), 2026-05. Streamlining permitting and regulatory approvals Building the workforce needed to support deployment Source
• Establish and expand government-funded STEM and robotics education and training programs, coordinating with and funding effective state programs. Jeff Burnstein, A3, Robots Made in America (House Science R&T Subcommittee), A3 written statement, 2026-04-21. The national strategy should develop and expand government- funded STEM and robotics education and training programs. Source
• Authorize a Center of Robotics and Manufacturing Excellence in every state offering robotics assessments, integration support and certified training to small and mid-sized manufacturers. Evan Beard, Standard Bots, Robots Made in America (House Science R&T Subcommittee), written testimony, 2026-04-21. Congress should authorize one Center of Robotics and Manufacturing Excellence in every state Source
• Resource NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership centers to give hands-on robotics assessment and implementation support, possibly via competitively chosen national centers of excellence. Susan Helper, Case Western Reserve University, Robots Made in America (House Science R&T Subcommittee), written testimony, 2026-04-21. MEP should be explicitly resourced to provide hands -on robotics assessment and implementation support Source
• Charge NIST MEP with a robotics initiative to help all centers support small manufacturers adopting robots. Robert D. Atkinson, Meghan Ostertag, Trelysa Long (ITIF), A Time to Act: Policies to Strengthen the US Robotics Industry, 2025-07-18. Charge NIST’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) with creating a new robotics initiative Source
• NSF Advanced Technical Education should fund at least one center for robotics technician training. Robert D. Atkinson, Meghan Ostertag, Trelysa Long (ITIF), A Time to Act: Policies to Strengthen the US Robotics Industry, 2025-07-18. NSF’s Advanced Technical Education (ATE) program should establish a center focused on technical training for robotics. Source
• Scale successful workforce programs such as the ARM Institute's. Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), Memorandum for President Trump on a National Robotics Strategy, 2025-02. The United States should scale successful workforce programs, such as that established by the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Institute Source