LEGISLATIVE LANDSCAPE: XR TECHNOLOGY’S 2025 POLICY WINS
Washington, D.C. – The XR Association (XRA), the industry association representing the dynamic ecosystem of virtual, augmented, and mixed reality companies, continues to be at the forefront of educating lawmakers about the transformative benefits of immersive technologies. Throughout 2025, XRA served as a trusted convener for industry, academia, policymakers, and public interest groups to ensure the responsible development and adoption of XR.
“As we navigate a new era of computing, the bipartisan momentum we saw in 2024 & 2025 has matured into a strategic legislative agenda,” said Elizabeth Hyman, XRA’s CEO. “I’m proud of our team’s work in moving beyond awareness to help advocate for cornerstone legislation that secures U.S. leadership in this critical field.”
Since the start of the 119th Congress, immersive technology has seen a surge in legislative activity, appearing in black letter law and report language across a diverse array of sectors. Over 25+ pieces of legislation introduced in 2025 included immersive technologies. These include major authorizations and must-pass bills such as:
- United States Leadership in Immersive Technology Act of 2025 (H.R. 2321 / S. 1106): Reintroduced with bicameral, bipartisan support to establish a multi-stakeholder advisory panel under the Department of Commerce.
- FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA): Scaling the use of XR and digital twins for mission planning and advanced synthetic training environments.
- Immersive Technology for the American Workforce Act of 2025 (H.R.6968 / S.2988): Authorizing $50 million annually to fund programs that integrate XR into community colleges and technical training centers.
The XR language in these bills spans a broad range, from authorizing funding for simulated workforce training to assessing the national security implications of spatial computing.
“We are seeing a fundamental shift in how Congress views immersive tools,” said Chris Brown, XRA’s Vice President of Public Policy. “The inclusion of XR in these critical bills confirms that lawmakers recognize XR not just as a tool for innovation, but as a pillar of national competitiveness and economic growth.”
While the U.S. remains the world’s largest market for XR by revenue, 2025 was a year of “playing catch-up” with global competitors, many of whom have articulated national strategies for XR manufacturing and deployment, and its connection to artificial intelligence.
