U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick wants to create a national commission on robotics

By John Cole
The Center Square

U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pa., is among a bipartisan group of lawmakers who want to establish a national commission on robotics.

On Thursday, McCormick, fellow Republican U.S. Sen. Todd Young, and Democrats John Hickenlooper and Martin Heinrich introduced the National Commission on Robotics Act. The authors of the proposal say that the independent commission would evaluate America’s robotics competitiveness and recommend policies to strengthen U.S. leadership in the field.

“Pennsylvania, and Pittsburgh especially, is an incredible hub of robotics talent and demonstrates that American leadership in robotics creates high-paying jobs, strengthens domestic supply chains, and drives long-term growth,” McCormick said. “The Commission on American Leadership in Robotics will bring together leading experts to help ensure the United States maintains its technological edge over our adversaries and builds the workforce needed to succeed in a technology-driven future.”

McCormick and the other authors of this legislation believe that America’s dependence on foreign-manufactured robotics technology raises questions about supply chain security, economic competitiveness, national defense, and workforce development.

The commission will be tasked with delivering an interim report within one year after it is established to Congress and the President. Within two years, a final report with recommendations will be made by the commission.

The group of lawmakers pinpointed six areas that the commission will have to examine and make recommendations on.

The competitiveness of the United States in robotics and the strength of the domestic marketplace.Whether the U.S. has the appropriate means and methods to assert and maintain a technological advantage across industrial, retail, and commercial sectors.Foreign actions and policies to advance robotics.Whether certain strategic partnerships in robotics with industry, the public, and academic institutions could enhance economic competitiveness and manufacturing.Workforce incentives and programs to attract and recruit leading talent in robotics and associated STEM fields.Supply chain risks and policies to increase domestic manufacturing of robotics.

The proposal is being backed by a variety of organizations in Pennsylvania, including Gecko Robotics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh Technology Council, and Carnegie Robotics.

“Robotics is poised to be one of the defining technologies of the 21st century, with profound implications for economic growth, national security and societal well-being,” said Farnam Jahanian, President of Carnegie Mellon University. “At a time of increasing global competition, the United States must take an ambitious and deliberate approach to maintaining its leadership in this critical field.”

“By bringing together leaders from industry, academia, government and the workforce, this effort can help develop a shared national strategy that accelerates innovation, strengthens American competitiveness and ensures the benefits of robotics are broadly shared across society,” Jahanian continued.

In February, Carnegie Mellon University opened a Robotics Innovation Center in Pittsburgh.

Jake Loosararian is the co-founder and CEO of Gecko Robotics, which operates internationally with offices in Houston, Boston, New York City, Washington DC, and Abu Dhabi, however, they remain headquartered in Pittsburgh. He said that global competition around robotics and AI is “accelerating quickly” and believes that the United States “must move decisively to remain the global leader.”

“A national robotics strategy is essential to strengthening American industry, infrastructure, energy, and national security, while accelerating innovation and high-skilled jobs,” Loosararian said. “Gecko, from our Pittsburgh headquarters to facilities around the world, is at the forefront of companies transforming critical industries using robotics and stands firmly behind Senator McCormick and Senator Hickenlooper’s initiative.”

Gecko has interacted with elected officials on both sides of the aisle in recent years about their industry.

They participated in the Pennsylvania Energy & Innovation Summit held last summer in Pittsburgh. That conference, hosted by McCormick and featured appearances from President Donald Trump and Gov. Josh Shapiro, according to the Associated Press, also featured leaders from Blackstone, Bridgewater, Amazon Web Services, and more.

Shapiro has also toured Gecko Robotics and has emphasized support for the region’s tech sector.

Several organizations outside of Pennsylvania have also endorsed this effort from McCormick, citing a variety of factors.

Michael Robbins, President & CEO of Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International, AUVSI, said “with the People’s Republic of China moving strategically and aggressively to shape and win this market, the United States needs a clear national strategy to align policy, strengthen trusted industrial capacity, and compete to win.”

Robots for America, a national coalition of U.S. robotics companies, manufacturers, and industry leaders, said that despite inventing the modern robotics industry, the United States currently operates less than 10% of the world’s industrial robots, which “significantly threatens America’s position as the global economic leader.”

Jeff Burnstein is the President of the Association for Advancing Automation, A3, which is North America’s largest automation trade association representing more than 1,400 organizations involved in robotics, artificial intelligence, machine vision & imaging, motion control & motors and related automation technologies.

“The accelerated adoption of robotics, along with enabling technologies like artificial intelligence, machine vision, and motion control, will strengthen every US industry in the future,” Burnstein said. “Robotics and automation are essential to bringing more manufacturing back to the US while creating better, safer and higher paying jobs for American workers.”

The New American Industrial Alliance, NAIA, believes that robotics “has the potential to power America’s manufacturing renaissance.”

In addition to McCormick’s effort in the U.S. Senate, there is companion legislation in the U.S. House with H.R. 7334.

The Robot Report notes that in addition to McCormick’s proposal, there are other policy efforts underway with robotics.

Last year, the U.S. Department of Commerce opened investigations into whether tariffs should be levied on imported robotics, industrial machinery, personal protective equipment, and medical devices, according to The Robot Report, adding that the comment period for the Section 232 investigation closed in October, but it has not officially made any conclusions.

On June 1, a presidential proclamation specified duties on metals by U.S. content and temporarily reduced rates for mobile industrial equipment and machinery, according to Robot Report, while U.S. Sens. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Chris Coons, D-Del., also have introduced the Humanoid Robotics Oversight and Blocking of Obtainment from Totalitarians Act of 2025, which would “prohibit the federal government from acquiring humanoids with integrated AI from military suppliers to China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia.”