I 

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. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘AIxBio Defense Sand5 box Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. PLAN FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF SECURE COM2 PUTING AND DATA STORAGE ENVIRONMENT 

3 FOR TESTING OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 

4 TRAINED ON BIOLOGICAL DATA. 

5 (a) PLAN REQUIRED.—The Under Secretary of De6 fense for Research and Engineering, in coordination with 

7 the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer, shall 

8 develop a plan for the establishment of a secure computing 

9 and data storage environment to facilitate— 

10 (1) the testing of artificial intelligence models 

11 trained on biological data; and 

12 (2) the development and testing of products 

13 generated by such models. 

14 (b) ELEMENTS.—The plan under subsection (a) shall 

15 provide as follows: 

16 (1) DESIGNATION.—The secure computing and 

17 data storage environment described in subsection (a) 

18 shall be known as the ‘‘AIxBio sandbox’’. 

19 (2) COMPUTING AND DATA STORAGE INFRA20 STRUCTURE.—The AIxBio sandbox shall consist of a 

21 secure computing and data storage infrastructure to 

22 be used for the testing and development activities 

23 described in subsection (a). To the extent feasible, 

24 such infrastructure shall be assembled from the ex25 isting computing and data storage infrastructure or26 ganizations and elements of the Department of DeVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:43 Sep 24, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H9626.IH H9626

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1 fense with relevant capabilities, such as the Test Re2 source Management Center and the AI Accelerator 

3 of the Department of the Air Force. 

4 (3) RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL.—The Under Sec5 retary of Defense for Research and Engineering 

6 shall be responsible for— 

7 (A) managing and overseeing the activities 

8 of the sandbox; 

9 (B) coordinating the efforts of the organi10 zations of the Department involved in the ac11 tivities of the sandbox; 

12 (C) selecting projects for development and 

13 testing using the sandbox in accordance with 

14 paragraph (4); and 

15 (D) arranging partnerships in accordance 

16 with paragraph (5). 

17 (4) SELECTION OF PROJECTS.—The Under 

18 Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering 

19 shall— 

20 (A) identify projects funded, in whole or in 

21 part, by the Department of Defense that— 

22 (i) have demonstrated a proof-of-con23 cept or another similar indicator of early 

24 success or feasibility; and 


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1 (ii) involve the development of a 

2 model, technology, or product at the inter3 section of artificial intelligence and bio4 technology that has potential defense appli5 cations, such as a project using artificial 

6 intelligence and biological data— 

7 (I) to direct and produce medical 

8 countermeasures; 

9 (II) to predict and produce new 

10 or enhanced biological materials for 

11 military purposes; or 

12 (III) to analyze how biology could 

13 fulfill different components of the sup14 ply chain, including by improving the 

15 domestic supply chain through the use 

16 of biomanufacturing; and 

17 (B) from projects identified under sub18 paragraph (A), select projects for further devel19 opment and testing using the AIxBio sandbox. 

20 (5) PARTNERSHIPS.— 

21 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Under Secretary of 

22 Defense for Research and Engineering shall es23 tablish mechanisms through which organiza24 tions and entities involved in projects of the 

25 AIxBio sandbox may work with Department of 


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1 Defense laboratories and Department-funded 

2 laboratories of academic institutions to carry 

3 out activities in support of such projects, in4 cluding biological testing and experimentation 

5 and testing and experimentation to validate ar6 tificial intelligence models in development. 

7 (B) STREAMLINED PROCESSES.—In car8 rying out subparagraph (A), the Under Sec9 retary shall establish a streamlined processes to 

10 facilitate efficient collaboration between labora11 tories, organizations of the Department of De12 fense, and private entities for purposes of devel13 oping products for national security purposes 

14 and carrying out activities in support of 

15 projects under AIxBio sandbox, including test16 ing and experimentation. 

17 (6) OTHER ELEMENTS.—The plan shall ad18 dress— 

19 (A) the manner in which existing com20 puting and data storage infrastructure of the 

21 Department of Defense shall be made available 

22 for the AIxBio sandbox in accordance with 

23 paragraph (2); 

24 (B) the development of any mechanisms 

25 needed to facilitate collaboration among individVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:43 Sep 24, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H9626.IH H9626

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1 uals and organizations involved in projects 

2 under the AIxBio sandbox, including any nec3 essary agreements concerning intellectual prop4 erty, funding, and the transfer of materials or 

5 other resources; 

6 (C) the process for selecting projects for 

7 development and testing using the sandbox in 

8 accordance with paragraph (4); and 

9 (D) the process for determining the 

10 amount of funding needed for projects under 

11 the sandbox, including the length of time each 

12 project is expected to receive such funding. 

13 (c) REPORT AND BRIEFING.—Not later than one year 

14 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under 

15 Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering 

16 shall— 

17 (1) submit to the Committees on Armed Serv18 ices of the Senate and the House of Representatives 

19 a report that includes the plan developed under sub20 section (a); and 

21 (2) provide to the Committees a briefing on the 

22 plan. 

Æ 


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