Illustration: Gabriella Turrisi/Axios
Kids' online safety, supply chains and AI are the major themes of the bills lawmakers are introducing to set the tech policy agenda in the new Congress.
Here's a roundup of the bills you need to know right now.
1. The Kids Off Social Media Act would set a minimum age of 13 to use social media platforms and prohibit companies from recommending algorithmically-targeted content to anyone under 17.
- KOSMA would make the FTC and state attorneys general the primary enforcement authority.
- Senate Commerce Chair Ted Cruz is backing the bill, introducing the legislation along with Sens. Brian Schatz, Chris Murphy, and Katie Britt.
- The bipartisan bill, which is making its return this Congress, is also cosponsored by Sens. Peter Welch, Ted Budd, John Fetterman, Angus King, Mark Warner, and John Curtis.
- Things are moving fast: There'll be a Senate Commerce executive session on Wednesday at 10am to consider the legislation.
2. The Promoting Resilient Supply Chains Act would expand the role of the Commerce assistant secretary for industry and analysis to tackle supply chain issues and uncertainty.
- Sens. Maria Cantwell, Marsha Blackburn, and Lisa Blunt Rochester reintroduced the bill this week.
- The legislation would also create a government-wide working group headed up by the assistant secretary to try to prepare for and respond to supply chain shocks.
- Like KOSMA, this bill is on the agenda at Wednesday's Senate Commerce meeting.
3. The Foreign Anti-Digital Piracy Act would target foreign-run piracy websites and prevent them from exploiting loopholes in the law.
- Rep. Zoe Lofgren, who's ranking member on House Science and a senior member of the House Judiciary IP panel, said she introduced the measure "after working for over a year with the tech, film, and television industries."
- The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation and the Motion Picture Association are among the groups backing the bill.
4. The Semiconductor Technology Advancement and Research Act would extend the advanced manufacturing tax credit beyond 2026.
- The STAR Act would extend the 25% tax credit for chip production and expand its eligibility to include certain qualified design expenses.
- Reps. Blake Moore, Suzan DelBene, Michael McCaul, Doris Matsui, John Moolenaar and Raja Krishnamoorthi reintroduced the bill this Congress, along with a host of cosponsors from both sides of the aisle.
- Industry is lining up behind the bill: "At a time when global competitors are making historic investments in their own chip ecosystems, we urge Congress to pass the STAR Act to help America win the chip race," said Semiconductor Industry Association CEO John Neuffer.
5. The Decoupling America's Artificial Intelligence Capabilities from China Act would try to restrict AI exports to and from China and prohibit U.S. companies from investing money or conducting research in Chinese AI development.
- The legislation comes in response to the launch of DeepSeek, which has shaken up the AI industry.
