Coalition Letter Urging Investment in IT Modernization of NIST Face Recognition Vendor Tests

The Security Industry Association (SIA) joined the Alliance for Digital Innovation, the Internet Association and the U.S. Chamber Technology Engagement Center in expressing strong support for modernizing the IT infrastructure of the laboratories and facilities at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

In an April 14, 2021, letter to Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), chair and ranking member of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies within the Senate Committee on Appropriations, and Reps. Matt Cartwright (D-Pa.) and Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.), chair and ranking member of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies within the House Committee on Appropriations, the associations discussed the essential role NIST plays in maintaining American leadership in emerging technologies and urged Congress to require improvement of NIST’s testing capabilities through integration of cloud-based testing into NIST’s existing Face Recognition Vendor Test (FRVT).

In the letter, the associations urged Congress to provide full, robust funding support for the staff, equipment and facilities responsible for performing the FRVT within the Information Technology Lab at NIST. The associations emphasized that these modernizations would strengthen the FRVT program and help continue its mission in providing objective, high-quality face recognition test data that can be leveraged by the federal government and commercial sector.