Representative Adriano Espaillat Leads AI Leadership Roundtable on Equity, Access, and Opportunity 

WASHINGTON, DC – Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) issued the following statement on the introduction of his bill, H.R. 3210 - the Artificial Intelligence Literacy and Inclusion Act, co-led by Reps. Yvette Clarke (NY-09), and Ted Lieu (CA-39). The bill aims to close the AI literacy gap—particularly among Latino, Black, AAPI, and underserved populations and would direct the National Science Foundation (NSF) to provide grant funding awards to K-12 schools, nonprofits, and other organizations to promote AI literacy and foster inclusive participation. 

The full text of the legislation can be found HERE. 

“We have to meet communities where they are—students, working moms, seniors—and build from the ground up. That means making AI education and literacy as fundamental as reading, writing, and math,” said Congressman Espaillat. "My legislation puts AI directly into the curriculum of our schools and our workforce development programs to ensure everyone—no matter their zip code—has the opportunity to understand and succeed in a tech-driven future. If we don’t act now, we risk widening the digital divide and locking entire communities out of the economy of tomorrow.”
 

“Artificial intelligence has opened a world of possibilities, and it is critical we prepare the next generation of workers with the skills to harness this technology,” Congressman Lieu said. “We’re investing in our country’s future when we ensure students of all backgrounds can learn about artificial intelligence and how to use it. I’m pleased to join Reps. Espaillat and Clarke in introducing the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Literacy and Inclusion Act to help close the AI literacy gap among students, particularly those in Latino, Black, AANHPI, and underserved communities.”

“As Artificial Intelligence technologies continue to grow more effective in their capabilities and more ubiquitous in our communities, ensuring America’s diverse and underserved students are not left behind by the widening AI literacy gap must be a priority. Positioning our nation to thrive in this exciting new technological era means empowering our brightest, most talented young people with the skills and education they need to thrive, no matter their background. I’m proud to support this initiative that will meaningfully bridge the digital divide and ensure every young person can seize the opportunities AI provides,” said Congresswoman Clarke.

Earlier this week, Espaillat, as Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), in collaboration with Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chair Clarke and House Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Lieu, hosted a Congressional AI Leadership Roundtable: Looking Ahead 2025.  

The discussion featured AIandYou and focused on ensuring equitable access, AI literacy, education, and opportunity as artificial intelligence rapidly transforms the global economy. During the discussion, the Tri-Caucus leaders emphasized the urgency of preparing Latino and other historically excluded communities for the future of work. 

Click here to view photos from the latest AI roundtable series. 

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Representative Espaillat is the first Dominican American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and his congressional district includes Harlem, East Harlem, West Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill and the north-west Bronx. First elected to Congress in 2016, Representative Espaillat is serving his fifth term in Congress. Representative Espaillat currently serves as a member of the influential U.S. House Committee on Appropriations responsible for funding the federal government’s vital activities and serves as Ranking Member of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee of the committee during the 119th Congress. He is Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), and serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. To find out more about Rep. Espaillat, visit online at https://espaillat.house.gov/. 

Media inquiries: Candace Person at Candace.Person@mail.house.gov