Government Relations Update July 2023

By Matthew Hall Internet2 External Relations Program Manager

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Internet2 Presents at FCC Routing Security Event

On July 31, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) held a public workshop on Border Gateway Protocol Security.  This workshop brought together experts from across industry, government, and academia to share their views and experience to better inform both the FCC and the public regarding the challenges, solutions, and efforts that are already underway to foster a more secure routing environment across networks in the United States.

Steve Wallace, Director – Internet2 Routing Integrity, gave a presentation on Internet2’s Routing Integrity Initiative and how it can serve as a blueprint for others to systematically address the needs and vulnerabilities of their networks and the constituencies they serve.

The workshop was part of the FCC’s ongoing Internet Routing proceeding that was initiated last February with a Notice of Inquiry (NOI). Internet2 filed comments in response to the NOI and highlighted the importance for the research and education community to adopt Resource Public Key Infrastructure Route Origin Authorizations and the need for consistent registration of intended routing policy in Internet Routing Registries. This proceeding remains open and the FCC will likely announce additional steps in the coming months.

Bipartisan AI Research Bill Introduced in Both Chambers

On July 28, the Co-Chairs of the Senate Artificial Intelligence Caucus, Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Mike Rounds (R-SD), unveiled the Creating Resources for Every American to Experiment with Artificial Intelligence Act of 2023 (CREATE AI Act).  They were joined by their colleagues Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Todd Young (R-IN) as cosponsors on the bill (S. 2714). A companion bill (H.R. 5077) was also filed in the House on July 28 by Representatives Anna Eshoo (D-CA-16), Michael McCaul (R-TX-10), Don Beyer (D-VA-08), and Jay Obernolte (R-CA-23). The proposed legislation would establish the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) as a federally-sponsored shared research infrastructure to provide researchers across the country improved access to datasets and computing resources to further research and development of AI technologies and applications. 

In accordance with the recommendations of the final report of the NAIRR Task Force, the CREATE AI Act would place NAIRR under the responsibility of the National Science Foundation. An interagency steering committee chaired by the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and comprised of representatives from agencies chosen by the Director, would guide the NAIRR and provide support from across the federal government.

Pursuant to the Act, an independent non-governmental entity (chosen via a competitive process established by NSF) would be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the NAIRR and also for procuring computational and data resources that are necessary for conducting AI research. Entities eligible to serve in this capacity would include individual educational institutions, federally-funded research and development centers (FFRDCs), or a consortium of universities or FFRDCs. Once established, the NAIRR would facilitate access to NAIRR resources for researchers at institutions of higher education (and certain small businesses) through a merit-based process. Researchers in need of additional resources would be able to rent supplemental time allocations on the NAIRR.

Under this proposal, the NAIRR would be funded through the normal annual appropriations process, thereby making it an ordinary part of NSF’s budget going forward and avoiding the need for a separate funding bill to support the program. As the primary agency responsible for funding and management of the NAIRR, NSF would utilize the $1 billion per year authorized by Congress under the National AI Initiative Act to run the NAIRR.

The two versions of the bill were referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology respectively.  Both committees will consider these pieces of legislation and determine what the next steps for their potential passage may be. 

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