U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and John Fetterman (D-Pa.) have introduced the National Programmable Cloud Laboratories Network Act, which aims to establish a network of six remotely accessible programmable cloud laboratories for academic research. The initiative would be led by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and seeks to enhance the use of laboratory data processing by automating research processes and integrating large datasets.
Senator Budd stated, “Integrating our nation’s world class laboratories will increase the rate of breakthroughs, streamline and better automate the research process, and reduce the barriers and costs that throttle experimentation. North Carolina is at the cutting edge of innovation, and I am glad to work with Senator Fetterman to help our great institutions push the boundaries of discovery even further.”
Senator Fetterman added, “Pennsylvania is home to thousands of academic and industry researchers that are expanding the boundaries of human knowledge and developing the products of the future. We can help cut barriers researchers face and supercharge America’s innovation engine with a national network of PCLs. This has never been built before, and I’m proud to partner with Senator Budd to make this a reality.”
The bill has received endorsements from SeedAI, the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, and Carnegie Mellon University.
Currently, high costs associated with laboratory infrastructure can limit opportunities for smaller academic institutions or businesses. The proposed national network would allow users who pay fees to access lab space remotely rather than having to build their own facilities or travel elsewhere for in-person experiments.
Under this legislation, up to six programmable cloud laboratory nodes would be selected through a competitive process open to academic institutions, private sector organizations, non-profits, or partnerships among these groups. Applicants would be evaluated based on their existing automated lab infrastructure, capacity for supporting multiple users through cloud workflows, sustainability without ongoing federal funding, ability to collaborate with other entities, protocols for security and responsible access, as well as demonstrated user interest.
Once designated, standards regarding interoperability, data sharing, cybersecurity, and technical requirements would be developed by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology), NSF, and participants from selected nodes. Reports mapping out additional laboratory capabilities beyond those selected as nodes would also be provided to Congress.
