Luján, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Improve AI Testing and Evaluation Systems, Safeguard Americans Against Risks

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), and Peter Welch (D-VT) introduced the Testing and Evaluation Systems for Trusted Artificial Intelligence (TEST) AI Act of 2025, legislation to improve the federal government’s capacity to test and evaluate Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems to drive innovation, protect national security, and build trust and confidence for Americans utilizing AI systems.

The TEST AI Act aims to ensure that AI systems used by federal agencies are trustworthy, secure, and objective, and lays the groundwork for broader national AI evaluation standards through a transparent and collaborative approach. The TEST AI Act would direct the collaboration between the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish a testbed pilot program to develop and refine measurement standards for evaluating AI systems.

“AI has reached every sector in our country and driven innovation, but we cannot ignore the vulnerabilities and risks that come with it. While these systems have the power to change lives, they can also fall short – providing inaccurate or biased data – and are at risk of malicious attacks or misuse by our adversaries,” said Senator Luján. “The TEST AI Act addresses these shortcomings by creating government testbeds to better evaluate AI systems. This will help leverage the talent of our National Laboratories and strengthen the federal government’s ability to implement responsible guardrails that protect our national security and the American people.”

“Innovation at the Department of Energy, our National Laboratories, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology has significantly advanced the boundaries of scientific discovery, but we need to ensure there are safeguards in place to prevent the misuse of AI,” said Senator Blackburn. “The TEST AI Act would direct these teams to establish safeguards, enabling AI to evolve while lowering the risk of manipulating this technology.”

“While AI holds enormous positive potential, this new technology must be tested thoroughly to ensure that it is used responsibly,” said Senator Durbin. “With the TEST AI Act, we can direct the Department of Energy and the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop AI testbeds, allowing us to safely explore the boundaries of AI, establish necessary guardrails, and protect against misuses.”

“While AI offers an opportunity to revolutionize American research and innovation, we must be cognizant of bad actors and potential threats to privacy and national security,” said Senator Risch. “The Idaho National Laboratory is already a leader in AI, national security, and cybersecurity, and the TEST AI Act will use the National Labs’ capabilities to establish safeguards to prevent misuse of this growing technology.”

“Artificial Intelligence brings limitless potential to every industry, from agriculture to green energy and small businesses. To harness the full power of AI, we need to develop tools and safeguards that manage its risks. That includes supporting federal research at our nation’s higher education institutions that give us a better understanding of AI’s full potential,” said Senator Welch. “The bipartisan TEST AI Act will ensure everyone can reap the full benefits of new and emerging AI technologies safely and responsibly.”

“The TEST AI Act is a step towards transparency and accountability in artificial intelligence,” said Americans for Responsible Innovation (ARI) President Brad Carson. “Right now, AI systems are being deployed in high-stakes environments without independent oversight or clear standards. By building federal capacity for rigorous AI evaluations, this bill helps ensure AI tools are secure, effective, and ready for deployment.”

Specifically, the TEST AI Act would:

• Codify the ongoing collaboration between NIST and DOE to evaluate AI models;
• Improve public-private partnerships through an AI Testing Working Group to guide standard development related to performance, reliability, security, privacy, and bias; and 
• Direct the development of a public strategy for testing, construction of testbeds, and compilation of a report to Congress on the results and recommendations for future standards development.

Senators Luján, Durbin, Blackburn, and Risch are co-leads of the Senate National Labs Caucus. The caucus works to identify legislative opportunities that elevate the National Labs’ visibility and meet national energy and security objectives. This caucus also helps identify bipartisan initiatives to maintain and extend U.S. leadership in critical scientific sectors.

Full text of the bill is available here.

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