Washington D.C. – The XR Association (XRA), the industry association representing the dynamic ecosystem of virtual, augmented and mixed reality companies, has been at the forefront of educating lawmakers about the transformative benefits of immersive technologies. Over the years, XRA has served as a trusted convener for industry, academia, policymakers and public interest groups exploring the responsible development and adoption of XR.
“As lawmakers continue to explore the XR industry’s promising opportunities, XRA’s efforts are paving the way for thoughtful regulation and robust investment in this burgeoning field,” said Elizabeth Hyman, XRA’s CEO. “I’m proud of the work our team has done to develop best practices, drive consensus on key issues and spearhead the industry’s agenda across the broader tech landscape.”
Since January 2023, more than 25 federal bills have been introduced with mentions of immersive technology in black letter or in report language across a wide range of applications.
These include Authorizations and Appropriations measures such as:
- Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2024
- FY25 National Defense Authorization Act (H.R.8070)
- FY25 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Health Related Services Act (H.R.9029)
- FY25 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R.9028)
- FY25 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R.8580)
As well as must-pass and other critical bills, including:
- Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 (H.R. 8467)
- Future Advancement of Academic Nursing Act “FAAN Act” (H.R. 7266, S.3770)
- A Stronger Workforce for America Act 2024 (H.R.6655)
The XR language in these bills spans a broad range, from establishing funding for augmented and virtual reality training and research to assessing the benefits of deploying and using XR within federal agencies.
“A growing number of sectors, including education, defense, healthcare, and manufacturing are embracing immersive technologies,” said Joan O’Hara, XRA’s Senior Vice President of Public Policy. “The inclusion of XR in current legislation confirms lawmakers’ growing recognition of XR’s role in achieving their policy objectives. XRA applauds the work being done by Members of Congress and looks forward to continuing to collaborate on future legislative and educational initiatives.”
In 2023, XRA published a white paper discussing the need for the U.S. to prioritize immersive technology not only to drive economic growth but to shore-up the nation’s leadership in the competitive global tech environment (“Reality Check: Why the U.S. Government Should Nurture XR Development”). While the U.S. remains the world’s largest market by revenue for XR, other countries are ahead of the U.S. in terms of developing a vision for the technology and creating the enabling environment needed for it to flourish.
To stay up to date with XRA’s policy tracking and initiatives, subscribe to the XR Alert, XRA’s newsletter recapping everything going on in XR.
