State of Play
The House and Senate are in session this week - the final week before the House enters its last week before its summer recess. The Senate is scheduled to be in session through August 7.
Members are facing a packed agenda including possible votes on NDAA, a government funding measure, and a budget resolution that could shape defense and technology spending for the remainder of the year.
Driving the News
This is a pivotal week for technology and national security policy. The NDAA remains the primary vehicle for AI, semiconductor, and export control measures, while lawmakers also confront broader debates over surveillance authorities, government funding, and escalating U.S. involvement in the Middle East.
Although House leaders hope to clear a packed legislative agenda before recess, procedural disputes and partisan divisions could delay action on several key priorities until the fall.
Three Things to Watch in Tech
Will Chips Export Controls Make It Into NDAA?: Congressional efforts to tighten AI and semiconductor export controls on China are gaining momentum as several high-profile measures, including the AI OVERWATCH Act, MATCH Act, and Chip Security Act, advance toward inclusion in the Senate's National Defense Authorization Act.
While China hawks see the NDAA as the best opportunity to strengthen restrictions on advanced AI chips, semiconductor equipment, and AI model security, the proposals face political headwinds from House lawmakers, industry lobbying, and broader uncertainty surrounding the defense bill's path through Congress.
The coming NDAA negotiations will be a critical test of how aggressively Washington is willing to expand technology controls as part of its strategy to preserve the U.S. advantage in the AI race with China.
Trump’s Trade Policy Vision Comes Into Focus: Senate Finance Committee lawmakers are expected to press U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on the Trump Administration's evolving trade strategy as temporary tariff authorities near expiration and uncertainty continues over Trump’s legal authority to impose tariffs.
The hearing will likely focus on Trump’s broader trade agenda, including negotiations with key trading partners, efforts to strengthen U.S. manufacturing and supply chains, and the use of tariffs and export controls to compete with China.
Greer may also face questions about how trade policy intersects with emerging technologies, including semiconductor supply chains, AI competitiveness, and the administration's broader economic security strategy.
House Science Tackles the Research Enterprise: Michael Kratsios, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) is back in the House Science hotseat on Wednesday to discuss the Trump Administration’s current research and technology priorities. Kratsios is expected to highlight President Trump’s strategy for maintaining U.S. leadership in AI and other critical technologies amid intensifying competition with China.
Lawmakers are likely to press Kratsios on federal AI research priorities, efforts to accelerate commercialization and scientific innovation, workforce and compute investments, and how the administration is coordinating research policy with national security and export control objectives.
The hearing could also provide insight into how the Administration plans to balance support for frontier AI development with safeguards for emerging technologies as Congress considers its own technology competitiveness agenda.
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🏛️ Tech Hearings
The House Small Business Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Workforce Development Subcommittee holds a hearing on "Main Street Meets Crypto: What Digital Assets Mean for Small Businesses" - Tuesday, July 21 at 10:00 AM EST
The House Financial Services National Security, Illicit Finance, and International Financial Institutions Subcommittee hearing on "Oversight of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network" - Tuesday, July 21 at 10:00 AM EST
The Senate Commerce Committee holds a hearing on “Measuring What Matters: Science, Standards, and Strategic Competition” - Tuesday, July 21 at 10:30 AM EST
The House Administration Committee holds a hearing on "Modernizing Public Access to Legislative Data and Information - Tuesday, July 21 at 2:00 PM EST
The Senate Finance Committee holds a hearing on "The President's 2026 Trade Policy Agenda" - Wednesday, July 22 at 10:00 AM EST
The House Science, Space and Technology Committee holds a hearing on "Unleashing the Golden Age of Science: Examining the Priorities of the FY2027 Research and Technology Enterprise" - Wednesday, July 22 at 10:15 AM EST
The House Energy and Commerce Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Subcommittee holds a hearing on "Legislative Proposals to Strengthen Consumer Protection in a Changing Marketplace” - Wednesday, July 22 at 10:15 AM EST
The House Energy and Commerce Communications and Technology Subcommittee holds a hearing on "Protecting Communications Networks and Improving Connectivity" - Wednesday, July 22 at 2:00 PM EST
The House Education and the Workforce Committee holds a field hearing on "Building an AI-Ready America: How AI Is Creating Opportunities Across America's Workforce” - Friday, July 24 at 10:00 AM EST
🗓️ Upcoming Events
The Special Competitive Studies Project - AI+Discovery Summit - Tuesday, July 21 at 9:00 AM EST
The Government Executive Media Group and Carahsoft - Carahsoft Summit on FedRAMP - Thursday, July 23 at 8:00 AM EST
The American Association for the Advancement of Science - Virtual Discussion on "AI in the Classroom: Opportunities and Risks, and State Policy Responses" - Thursday, July 23 at 3:00 PM EST
The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation's Schumpeter Project on Competition Policy - Virtual Debate on "Would AICOA (American Innovation and Choice Online Act) Help or Hurt Innovation and Consumer Choice?" - Thursday, July 23 at 3:00 PM EST
