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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5222 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 5222

 To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to implement a 
      pandemic preparedness and response program using artificial 
                             intelligence.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 25, 2024

  Mr. Rounds (for himself and Mr. Heinrich) introduced the following 
  bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, 
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
 To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to implement a 
      pandemic preparedness and response program using artificial 
                             intelligence.

    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 ``MedShield Act of 2024''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds as follows:
            (1) The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the need to better 
        organize pathogen defense of the people of the United States.
            (2) The National Security Commission on Artificial 
        Intelligence concluded that COVID-19 scientific advancements, 
        notably accelerated by the application of artificial 
        intelligence, in addition to many other existing science and 
        technology initiatives in the United States, should be used to 
        build a comprehensive, operational, and integrated biodefense 
        program that functions like a ``shield'' against manmade and 
        non-manmade pathogens.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) an initiative such as Operation Warp Speed should not 
        be required for the next pandemic;
            (2) there is a requirement for a pandemic preparedness and 
        response program that would negate the need for a future 
        Operation Warp Speed-like program or a declaration of a public 
        health emergency under section 319 of the Public Health Service 
        Act (42 U.S.C. 247d); and
            (3) the program established under section 3 would 
        operationalize artificial intelligence and a system-of-systems 
        integration across the interagency and private sector, under 
        the direction of the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF MEDSHIELD PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services 
(referred to in this Act as the ``Secretary'') shall implement a 
pandemic preparedness and response program utilizing artificial 
intelligence and other relevant technologies, to be known as the 
``MedShield program'' (referred to in this Act as the ``Program''), in 
accordance with recommendations of the National Security Commission on 
Artificial Intelligence. The Program shall operationalize a national 
medical shield that gathers innovations across the public-private 
ecosystem in the United States, as well as from allies and partners, to 
improve the efficiency and effectiveness of delivering medical 
solutions to individuals, functioning as a shield against biological 
threats. The Program shall continuously operate and monitor threats, 
for the purpose of safeguarding the public health of the United States.
    (b) Plan and Integration.--Pursuant to the Program, the Secretary 
shall--
            (1) develop a plan to integrate the recommendations of the 
        National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence for 
        pandemic preparedness and response, in accordance with the 
        responsibilities of the Department of Health and Human Services 
        as the primary agency and coordinator for the emergency support 
        function relating to public health and medical services under 
        the National Response Framework of the Federal Emergency 
        Management Agency; and
            (2) consult with heads of appropriate Federal agencies and 
        select allies and partners to ensure the integration of the 
        Program between relevant departments and agencies and 
        international partners to achieve a coordinated international 
        effort to address a pandemic.
    (c) Utilization of Artificial Intelligence.--In carrying out the 
Program, the Secretary shall leverage artificial intelligence and other 
relevant technologies and capabilities, including as follows:
            (1) Development and deployment of a global pathogen 
        surveillance system for the real-time detection and tracking of 
        pathogens.
            (2) Employment of artificial intelligence enabled systems 
        to accelerate the identification and development of effective 
        vaccines.
            (3) Development and deployment of therapeutic treatments 
        for individuals affected by biological threats.
            (4) Advanced artificial intelligence-enabled modeling to 
        optimize strategies for pathogen tracking, vaccine 
        distribution, and therapeutic interventions.
            (5) Streamlining and enhancing rapid manufacturing of 
        vaccines and therapeutics.

SEC. 4. REPORTING.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate 
and the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on 
Appropriations of the House of Representatives a report detailing the 
plan required under section 3(b). Such report shall be submitted in 
unclassified form, and may include a classified annex.

SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act--
            (1) the term ``artificial intelligence'' has the meaning 
        given such term in section 1051(f) of the John S. McCain 
        National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public 
        Law 115-232; 132 Stat. 1962);
            (2) the term ``MedShield'' has the meaning given the term 
        ``BioShield'' in the final report of the Commission submitted 
        under section 1051(c)(2) of the John S. McCain National Defense 
        Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (132 Stat. 1965; Public 
        Law 115-232); and
            (3) the term ``National Security Commission on Artificial 
        Intelligence'' means such commission established under section 
        1051 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act 
        for Fiscal Year 2019 (132 Stat. 1962; Public Law 115-232).

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    For purposes of carrying out the MedShield program, there are 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary--
            (1) $300,000,000 for fiscal year 2025;
            (2) $350,000,000 for fiscal year 2026;
            (3) $400,000,000 for fiscal year 2027;
            (4) $450,000,000 for fiscal year 2028; and
            (5) $500,000,000 for fiscal year 2029,
to remain available until expended.
                                 <all>
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