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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9626 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9626

     To direct the Department of Defense to develop a plan for the 
 establishment of a secure computing and data storage environment for 
the testing of artificial intelligence trained on biological data, and 
                          for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 17, 2024

  Mr. Khanna introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
     To direct the Department of Defense to develop a plan for the 
 establishment of a secure computing and data storage environment for 
the testing of artificial intelligence trained on biological data, and 
                          for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``AIxBio Defense Sandbox Act''.

SEC. 2. PLAN FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF SECURE COMPUTING AND DATA STORAGE 
              ENVIRONMENT FOR TESTING OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 
              TRAINED ON BIOLOGICAL DATA.

    (a) Plan Required.--The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and 
Engineering, in coordination with the Chief Digital and Artificial 
Intelligence Officer, shall develop a plan for the establishment of a 
secure computing and data storage environment to facilitate--
            (1) the testing of artificial intelligence models trained 
        on biological data; and
            (2) the development and testing of products generated by 
        such models.
    (b) Elements.--The plan under subsection (a) shall provide as 
follows:
            (1) Designation.--The secure computing and data storage 
        environment described in subsection (a) shall be known as the 
        ``AIxBio sandbox''.
            (2) Computing and data storage infrastructure.--The AIxBio 
        sandbox shall consist of a secure computing and data storage 
        infrastructure to be used for the testing and development 
        activities described in subsection (a). To the extent feasible, 
        such infrastructure shall be assembled from the existing 
        computing and data storage infrastructure organizations and 
        elements of the Department of Defense with relevant 
        capabilities, such as the Test Resource Management Center and 
        the AI Accelerator of the Department of the Air Force.
            (3) Responsible official.--The Under Secretary of Defense 
        for Research and Engineering shall be responsible for--
                    (A) managing and overseeing the activities of the 
                sandbox;
                    (B) coordinating the efforts of the organizations 
                of the Department involved in the activities of the 
                sandbox;
                    (C) selecting projects for development and testing 
                using the sandbox in accordance with paragraph (4); and
                    (D) arranging partnerships in accordance with 
                paragraph (5).
            (4) Selection of projects.--The Under Secretary of Defense 
        for Research and Engineering shall--
                    (A) identify projects funded, in whole or in part, 
                by the Department of Defense that--
                            (i) have demonstrated a proof-of-concept or 
                        another similar indicator of early success or 
                        feasibility; and
                            (ii) involve the development of a model, 
                        technology, or product at the intersection of 
                        artificial intelligence and biotechnology that 
                        has potential defense applications, such as a 
                        project using artificial intelligence and 
                        biological data--
                                    (I) to direct and produce medical 
                                countermeasures;
                                    (II) to predict and produce new or 
                                enhanced biological materials for 
                                military purposes; or
                                    (III) to analyze how biology could 
                                fulfill different components of the 
                                supply chain, including by improving 
                                the domestic supply chain through the 
                                use of biomanufacturing; and
                    (B) from projects identified under subparagraph 
                (A), select projects for further development and 
                testing using the AIxBio sandbox.
            (5) Partnerships.--
                    (A) In general.--The Under Secretary of Defense for 
                Research and Engineering shall establish mechanisms 
                through which organizations and entities involved in 
                projects of the AIxBio sandbox may work with Department 
                of Defense laboratories and Department-funded 
                laboratories of academic institutions to carry out 
                activities in support of such projects, including 
                biological testing and experimentation and testing and 
                experimentation to validate artificial intelligence 
                models in development.
                    (B) Streamlined processes.--In carrying out 
                subparagraph (A), the Under Secretary shall establish a 
                streamlined processes to facilitate efficient 
                collaboration between laboratories, organizations of 
                the Department of Defense, and private entities for 
                purposes of developing products for national security 
                purposes and carrying out activities in support of 
                projects under AIxBio sandbox, including testing and 
                experimentation.
            (6) Other elements.--The plan shall address--
                    (A) the manner in which existing computing and data 
                storage infrastructure of the Department of Defense 
                shall be made available for the AIxBio sandbox in 
                accordance with paragraph (2);
                    (B) the development of any mechanisms needed to 
                facilitate collaboration among individuals and 
                organizations involved in projects under the AIxBio 
                sandbox, including any necessary agreements concerning 
                intellectual property, funding, and the transfer of 
                materials or other resources;
                    (C) the process for selecting projects for 
                development and testing using the sandbox in accordance 
                with paragraph (4); and
                    (D) the process for determining the amount of 
                funding needed for projects under the sandbox, 
                including the length of time each project is expected 
                to receive such funding.
    (c) Report and Briefing.--Not later than one year after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary of Defense for Research 
and Engineering shall--
            (1) submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the 
        Senate and the House of Representatives a report that includes 
        the plan developed under subsection (a); and
            (2) provide to the Committees a briefing on the plan.
                                 <all>
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