Search

Search bills, members, committees and pages...

H.R. 6461

U.S. HouseIn House Committee

Summary

H.R. 6461, the READ AI Models Act, was introduced in the House on Dec 4, 2025 by Rep. Sarah McBride (D) with 10 co-sponsors. It last saw action on Jun 25, 2026: Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 35 - 0.


Record

Text

H.R. 6461 has 10 co-sponsors.

hb6461/introduced-in-house.txt
119 HR 6461 IH: Resources for Evaluating and Documenting AI Models
U.S. House of Representatives
2025-12-04
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 6461 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES December 4, 2025 Ms. McBride (for herself and Mr. Obernolte ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology A BILL
To direct the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop best practices and technical guidance on artificial intelligence model documentation, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Resources for Evaluating and Documenting AI Models or the READ AI Models Act .
2.
Resources for artificial intelligence model documentation
(a)
Resources
(1)
In general
Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, in consultation with the heads of other Federal agencies, as appropriate, shall initiate a pilot program to establish a structured template and associated technical guidelines for documentation to accompany artificial intelligence models and associated data developed and used by the public sector or private sector.
(2)
Activities
Subject to the availability of appropriations, in carrying out paragraph (1), the Director shall carry out the following:
(A)
Produce a structured template designed to enable a user to document information about an artificial intelligence model and associated data, which may include the following information:
(i)
The name of such model.
(ii)
The identification of the developer of such model.
(iii)
The identification of the location where such developer is incorporated.
(iv)
The release date of such model.
(v)
The knowledge cutoff date for such model’s training data.
(vi)
Languages supported by such model.
(vii)
Terms of service of such model.
(viii)
Any other information the Director determines appropriate.
(B)
Ensure such template is modular in nature, such that users can flexibly adopt and complete sections, categories, or other similar components of such template in accordance with a specific use case, including relating to sector-specific needs, intended audiences, and a set of desired characteristics.
(C)
Provide detailed technical guidelines accompanying such template that—
(i)
make available relevant metrics or benchmarks for each component of such template for a range of artificial intelligence model types, as applicable; and
(ii)
incorporate voluntary consensus-based technical standards and industry best practices, as appropriate.
(3)
Stakeholder input
In carrying out paragraph (2), the Director shall carry out the following:
(A)
Collaborate with private sector entities, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, international standards organizations, and Federal agencies, as the Director determines appropriate, including conducting periodic outreach to such entities, institutions, organizations, and agencies.
(B)
Publish in the Federal Register a draft of the structured template and associated technical guidelines referred to in paragraph (1), and provide an opportunity for submission of public comments for a period of not less than 60 days to be considered for incorporation into such template and guidelines.
(4)
Reporting and publication
Not later than 12 months after the date on which the Director establishes the pilot program pursuant to paragraph (1), the Director shall carry out the following:
(A)
Submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report that includes the following:
(i)
An assessment on the effectiveness of such pilot program.
(ii)
If so assessed to be effective, a plan for permanent implementation, including relating to administration, of such pilot program.
(B)
Make publicly available on the website of the National Institute of Standards and Technology the structured template and associated technical guidelines referred to in paragraph (1), including the incorporation of any appropriate comments in accordance with paragraph (3)(B).
(5)
Definitions
In this Act:
(A)
Director
The term Director means the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
(B)
Artificial intelligence
The term artificial intelligence has the meaning given such term in section 5002 of the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020 ( 15 U.S.C. 9401 ).
(C)
Artificial intelligence model
The term artificial intelligence model means a software component of an information system that implements artificial intelligence technology and uses computational, statistical, or machine-learning techniques to produce outputs from a defined set of inputs.
(D)
Institution of higher education
The term institution of higher education has the meaning given such term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1001(a) ).
(E)
Nonprofit organization
The term nonprofit organization means an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of such Code.
(F)
International standards organization
The term international standards organization has the meaning given such term in section 451 of the Trade Agreements Act of 1979 ( 19 U.S.C. 2571 ).

Tracker

The tracker indicates the progress of this legislation as it moves through the legislative process.

  1. Introduced2025-12-04
  2. Passed House
  3. Passed Senate
  4. Conference
  5. To President
  6. Became Law

CRS Summary

The summaries are the Congressional Research Service’s, one per stage. Read them in full.

Introduced in House Dec 4, 2025

hb6461/introduced-in-house.md

Shown Here:
Introduced in House (12/04/2025)

Resources for Evaluating and Documenting AI Models or the READ AI Models Act

This bill requires the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop a customizable template for information to accompany artificial intelligence (AI) models.

Specifically, NIST must initiate a pilot program to establish a structured template that may be used to document information about an artificial intelligence model and any associated data, such as the model’s name, the developer, and the cutoff date for the model’s training data. The template must be modular to enable users to adopt and complete various sections to suit their needs and intended audience. NIST must also provide technical guidelines to accompany the template that incorporate consensus-based standards and industry best practices, as appropriate.

In developing these materials, NIST must collaborate with and conduct periodic outreach to various stakeholders, including private sector entities, international standards organizations, and institutions of higher education.

NIST must publish and solicit public comment on a draft of the template and guidelines. Within 12 months of the start of the pilot program, NIST must publish the finished products and report to Congress with an assessment of the program.

Sponsors

Rep. Sarah McBride (D) sponsors H.R. 6461, and 10 members have co-sponsored it, 1 of them from the day it was introduced.

Committees

H.R. 6461 went before 1 committee: Science, Space, and Technology.

Science, Space, and Technology
Science, Space, and Technology
Markup By · Jun 25, 2026 · 178 Bills

Actions

H.R. 6461 has taken 4 actions since Dec 4, 2025, the latest on Jun 25, 2026.

ChamberAction
Jun 25, 2026
House
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session HeldScience, Space, and Technology Committee
Jun 25, 2026
House
Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 35 - 0.Science, Space, and Technology Committee
Dec 4, 2025
House
Introduced in House
Dec 4, 2025
House
Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.Science, Space, and Technology Committee

Votes

H.R. 6461 has not gone to a roll call.

Titles

H.R. 6461 goes by 4 titles, 2 of them short titles.

  • READ AI Models Act — Display Title
  • READ AI Models Act — Short Title(s) as Introduced
  • Resources for Evaluating and Documenting AI Models — Short Title(s) as Introduced
  • To direct the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop best practices and technical guidance on artificial intelligence model documentation, and for other purposes. — Official Title as Introduced

Cost estimate

The Congressional Budget Office has filed 1 estimate for H.R. 6461, the latest on Aug 25, 2026.


Lobbying

3 clients hired 3 firms and 120 registered lobbyists who named H.R. 6461 in 12 quarterly filings, 2025 to 2026. Reported under the Lobbying Disclosure Act; a filing’s income covers everything its registrant worked that quarter, so the amounts below are the filings’, not this bill’s.

Filed under Trade (domestic/foreign), Telecommunications, Foreign Relations, Science/Technology, Budget/Appropriations, Copyright/Patent/Trademark, Education, Energy/Nuclear.

Clients

Who paid to be heard, by how many filings named the bill.

ClientBusinessStateFirmsFilingsReported
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE U.S.A.District of Columbia17
DIGITALEUROPENonprofit trade association for companies operating and investing in Europe13
LENOVO (UNITED STATES) INC.Consumer electronics manufacturerNorth Carolina12

Firms

Registrants who filed on the bill, by filings.

Lobbyists

Named on the filings that cite the bill. The 20 named most often, of 120.

Filings

The documents themselves, on the Senate’s Lobbying Disclosure site, largest reported first.

ClientRegistrantPeriodReportedDocument
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE U.S.A.CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE U.S.A.2026 first_quarter$19.8M1st Quarter - Amendme…
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE U.S.A.CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE U.S.A.2026 first_quarter$19.8M1st Quarter - Report
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE U.S.A.CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE U.S.A.2025 second_quarter$19.3M2nd Quarter - Report
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE U.S.A.CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE U.S.A.2025 first_quarter$19.3M1st Quarter - Report
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE U.S.A.CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE U.S.A.2025 fourth_quarter$18M4th Quarter - Report
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE U.S.A.CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE U.S.A.2026 second_quarter$17M2nd Quarter - Report
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE U.S.A.CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE U.S.A.2025 third_quarter$13.7M3rd Quarter - Report
LENOVO (UNITED STATES) INC.LENOVO (UNITED STATES) INC.2026 second_quarter$570K2nd Quarter - Report
LENOVO (UNITED STATES) INC.LENOVO (UNITED STATES) INC.2026 first_quarter$570K1st Quarter - Report
DIGITALEUROPEDIGITALEUROPE2026 second_quarter$30K2nd Quarter - Amendme…
DIGITALEUROPEDIGITALEUROPE2026 second_quarter$30K2nd Quarter - Report
DIGITALEUROPEDIGITALEUROPE2026 first_quarter$10K1st Quarter - Report

Classification

The Congressional Research Service files H.R. 6461 under Science, Technology, Communications, one of its 31 policy areas, and gives it 6 legislative subjects.

CRS Subjects

CRS assigns every bill one policy area from its 31; H.R. 6461’s is Science, Technology, Communications.

hr6461/policy-areas.txt
Science, Technology, CommunicationsAgriculture and FoodAnimalsArmed Forces and National SecurityArts, Culture, ReligionCivil Rights and Liberties, Minority IssuesCommerceCongressCrime and Law EnforcementEconomics and Public FinanceEducationEmergency ManagementEnergyEnvironmental ProtectionFamiliesFinance and Financial SectorForeign Trade and International FinanceGovernment Operations and PoliticsHealthHousing and Community DevelopmentImmigrationInternational AffairsLabor and EmploymentLawNative AmericansPublic Lands and Natural ResourcesSocial WelfareSports and RecreationTaxationTransportation and Public WorksWater Resources Development

Legislative Subjects

H.R. 6461 carries 6 of CRS’s legislative subjects, from Advanced technology and technological innovations to Technology assessment.

hr6461/subjects.txt
Advanced technology and technological innovationsComputers and information technologyData collection, sharing, protectionGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigationsTechnology assessment

Constitutional authority

The clause the sponsor cites as Congress’s power to enact H.R. 6461, as entered in the Congressional Record.

[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 203 (Thursday, December 4, 2025)][House]From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]By Ms. McBRIDE:H.R. 6461.Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuantto the following:Article 1, Section 8.[Page H5052]

Source: congress.gov · legiscan.com