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Bill

S 4934

National Fab Lab Network Act of 2026

119th Congress Introduced by Lisa Murkowski and 1 co-sponsor

Creates a nationwide nonprofit network to provide universal access to digital fabrication, linking labs for education, workforce development, and community impact.

Introduced in Senate
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 4934

Overview

  • Bill: S.4934, National Fab Lab Network Act of 2026
  • Session: 119th Congress, 2nd Session
  • Introduced: June 24, 2026 by Sen. Van Hollen, with Sen. Murkowski as co-sponsor
  • Status: Referenced to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
  • Purpose: Establish a nonprofit national network, the National Fab Lab Network, comprised of local digital fabrication facilities (fab labs) that provide universal access to advanced manufacturing tools for workforce development, STEM education, invention, entrepreneurship, personalized production, and risk mitigation.

What the bill would do (main purpose)

  • Create a new nonprofit corporation—the National Fab Lab Network (the Network)—that is not a U.S. government agency.
  • Promote universal access to digital fabrication capabilities across the United States.
  • Link local fab labs into a coordinated national network.
  • Support education, workforce development, innovation, entrepreneurship, and community impact through distributed digital fabrication tools.
  • Serve as a hub for standards, guidelines, training, and best practices for fab labs.

Key provisions and requirements

  • Section 3 – National Fab Lab Network
    • Definition of a fab lab: A facility with the range of capabilities to turn digital designs into physical form, including additive and subtractive fabrication, electronic circuit fabrication, short-run production, and 3D design/digitization workflows; committed to education, innovation, entrepreneurship, self-sufficiency, and social impact.
    • Establishment: Creates a nonprofit corporation that operates independently of the federal government, governed under DC nonprofit law where applicable.
    • Goals:
    • Provide universal access to digital fabrication.
    • Foster existing and new fab labs nationwide.
    • Build a national network linking local labs to empower communities.
    • Promote distributed fabrication tools to advance STEM skills, invention, business creation, personal and community needs, risk mitigation, self-sufficiency, and alignment of workforce development with new jobs.
    • Create education and research platforms to advance STEM education and digital fabrication literacy.
    • Activities:
    • Establish at least one fab lab in every congressional district, prioritizing underserved communities.
    • Add further fab labs within the network in response to local demand; provide sustainability guidelines.
    • Link labs regionally, nationally, and globally; maintain a national registry of fab labs.
    • Provide standards, protocols, and support to operate labs and connect them, including training and mentorship.
    • Assist existing labs in creating additional labs.
  • Section 4 (implied in text) – Membership and Organization
    • Eligibility for membership aligns with tax-exempt DC law.
    • Governance:
    • Board of directors: 7 to 15 members representing geographic regions, Tribal communities, educational/research institutions, libraries, nonprofits, businesses, diverse demographics, and the Fab Foundation.
    • Initial board selection includes appointments by Senate Majority/Minority Leaders and House leadership, in consultation with the Fab Foundation.
  • Section 5 – Powers and operations
    • The Network can coordinate the national fab lab network, issue guidelines and standards, assist in lab creation and operation, maintain a registry, and facilitate connections among organizations.
    • Accept and distribute funds, support lab operations, assist with training, and assess impact.
    • Facilitate projects that combine workforce training, job creation, enabling technology research, and civic infrastructure production.
    • Develop risk mitigation processes, manage a constitution/by-laws, and perform typical nonprofit activities (contracts, property, borrowing, dues).
  • Intellectual property and branding
    • Exclusive right to use the name “National Fab Lab Network” and associated seals/emblems/badges.
  • Financial and governance restrictions
    • No stock issuance or dividends; income/assets cannot inure to private individuals (with standard executive compensation allowed).
    • No loans to directors or employees.
    • Cannot claim governmental approval authority; may recognize establishment under the Act.
  • Transparency and accountability
    • Mandatory records (accounts, board minutes, member lists).
    • Annual reporting to Congress (to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology).

Who would be affected

  • Local fab labs (MakerSpaces, Hackerspaces, community labs) seeking access to a national network and standardized guidelines.
  • Educational and research institutions, libraries, nonprofits, and private sector organizations involved in fabrication, STEM education, entrepreneurship, and community development.
  • Communities, especially underserved areas, that would gain access to digital fabrication tools and training.
  • The Fab Foundation (as a collaborating entity in initial board composition and network development).
  • The public through expanded access to fabrication education and potential local job creation.

Procedural and timeline notes

  • The Act would establish a new nonprofit entity and begin operations to deploy fab labs nationwide.
  • Initial board composition requires coordination with the Fab Foundation and appointees from Congressional leadership.
  • Annual reporting to Congress would begin within one year of enactment and continue annually.

Potential impact (summary)

  • Creates a formal, nationwide, nonprofit network to democratize access to advanced manufacturing technologies.
  • Aims to accelerate STEM education, workforce readiness, and regional economic development through distributed fabrication facilities.
  • Establishes standardized guidelines, training, and a registry to streamline lab creation and operation, while enabling cross-lab collaboration and knowledge sharing.
  • Emphasizes equitable access by prioritizing underserved communities and ensuring geographic and demographic diversity in governance.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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