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March 10, 2025

Dear Chairman Moran, Ranking Member Van Hollen, Chairman Rogers, and Ranking Member Meng:

As you begin work on the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, we write in support of the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) and several of its critical missions.

While fully aware of the tight constraints of the budget agreement, we urge you to provide as much funding as possible to uphold NIST’s mission: to promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance efficiency and economic security and improve our quality of life.

In concrete terms, this entails:

• At least a four percent increase in funding plus provisions to account for the effects of inflation for NIST’s Scientific and Technical Research and Services (STRS) programs to further advance research projects in key areas, including quantum science and technology, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity for the Internet of things (IoT).
• At least $200 million for NIST’s Construction of Research Facilities account to urgently reduce the over $900 million infrastructure state-of-good-repair backlog, which impacts NIST’s ability to provide critical services to industry.

NIST works with our nation’s businesses and universities to drive American economic growth, improve efficiency and create jobs. Companies, academic institutions, and other federal agencies rely on STRS programs to provide foundational research and material development for their products and programs. NIST supports America’s global competitiveness by aiding businesses to overcome technical obstacles � fulfilling a vital function that companies cannot do themselves. NIST’s core measurement science programs, for example, provide calibrations and standards for industry broadly—from oil and gas to aerospace and medicine.

The agency also plays an essential role in emerging industries, such as quantum technology and artificial intelligence (AI) that require foundational measurements to enable U.S. dominance. The National Quantum Initiative Act, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in 2018, includes NIST as one of three key agencies that will help ensure the U.S. remains a global leader in quantum. The bill also

authorizes the Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C), a jointly funded government and private sector collaboration designed to tackle some of the challenges of moving quantum technologies from the lab to market.

NIST plays a critical role in maintaining the U.S.'s leadership in artificial intelligence, as highlighted by Executive Order 14179, "Removing Barriers to American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence." This Executive Order aims to strengthen America's global dominance in AI, promoting human flourishing, economic competitiveness, and national security. NIST is essential in setting AI technical standards, creating testing environments, and establishing evaluation guidelines that help ensure the security and resilience of AI systems.

With an investment of over $100 billion for the construction of data centers, the Stargate project recently announced by President Trump further underscores the importance of NIST's work on artificial intelligence. The high profile of the project calls for heightened protection against cyberattacks and misuse of AI, making it even more crucial for NIST to be adequately funded and equipped to mitigate these risks. As AI continues to expand, NIST's role in developing best practices, ensuring security, and driving innovation has never been more urgent.

Lastly, modern, functional facilities are required for NIST to remain the world-leader in measurement science. NIST currently has a backlog of over $900 million in deferred maintenance at their 50+ year-old laboratories in Maryland and Colorado. Recurring failures of these utility systems in recent years have resulted in lost work and costly damage. A study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends more than tripling the agency’s current construction and maintenance budget annually for at least 12 years.

We believe the critical role NIST plays in supporting advancements in science and technology is worth prioritizing strong investments, even in these tough budgetary times. For FY26 appropriations, we urge increased investment in NIST’s core laboratory research programs in the STRS account at a minimum of four percent plus inflation. Additionally, we urge Congress to appropriate $200 million for NIST facilities.

Thank you for your consideration, and we look forward to working with you as the appropriations process continues.

Sincerely,