I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8700 

To establish international artificial intelligence research partnerships, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 11, 2024 

Mrs. TORRES of California introduced the following bill; which was referred 

to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

A BILL 

To establish international artificial intelligence research 

partnerships, 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 ‘‘International Artificial 

5 Intelligence Research Partnership Act of 2024’’. 

6 SEC. 2. INTERNATIONAL ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE RE7 SEARCH PARTNERSHIP. 

8 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 

9 (1) For over six decades, international city-to10 city partnerships have played a crucial role in proVerDate Sep 11 2014 07:14 Jul 30, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8700.IH H8700

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1 moting United States priorities, fostering mutual 

2 understanding, and strengthening diplomatic ties be3 tween the United States and countries around the 

4 world. 

5 (2) These partnerships have received strong bi6 partisan support over the past 40 years, as dem7 onstrated by the participation of every United States 

8 President since Dwight D. Eisenhower and the pas9 sage of numerous congressional resolutions recog10 nizing the contributions of these partnerships to 

11 international cooperation. 

12 (3) Collaboration between United States cities 

13 and their international counterparts on artificial in14 telligence research can further strengthen these 

15 partnerships while promoting United States leader16 ship in this critical field. 

17 (4) Coordination with the National Science 

18 Foundation and leveraging the National AI Research 

19 Resource can ensure that partnership activities align 

20 with United States research priorities and benefit 

21 from existing resources and expertise. 

22 (b) ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE RESEARCH PART23 NERSHIPS.— 

24 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State 

25 should, either directly or through public-private partVerDate Sep 11 2014 07:14 Jul 30, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8700.IH H8700

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1 nerships, including nonprofits and academic institu2 tions, carry out the following: 

3 (A) Encourage and support the establish4 ment of artificial intelligence research partner5 ships between United States cities and their 

6 international counterparts. 

7 (B) Provide guidance and assistance to 

8 United States cities seeking to establish such 

9 partnerships. 

10 (C) Coordinate with the Director of the 

11 National Science Foundation to align partner12 ship activities with United States artificial intel13 ligence research priorities and leverage the Na14 tional AI Research Resource. 

15 (D) Ensure that such partnerships and re16 lated activities are consistent with United 

17 States foreign policy and national security in18 terests. 

19 (2) ELIGIBILITY.— A foreign city shall not be 

20 eligible to participate in a partnership or related ac21 tivities under this section if— 

22 (A) such city is located in a foreign coun23 try of concern; or 

24 (B) the Secretary of State, in consultation 

25 with the Secretary of Defense and the Director 


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1 of National Intelligence, has determined such 

2 city is engaged in conduct that is detrimental to 

3 the national security or foreign policy of the 

4 United States. 

5 (3) LIMITATIONS.—Partnerships and related 

6 activities under this section shall be subject to the 

7 following limitations: 

8 (A) Research conducted pursuant to such 

9 partnerships shall be limited to non-national se10 curity areas of artificial intelligence. 

11 (B) Such partnerships shall focus on eco12 nomic cooperation and workforce development. 

13 (C) Such activities conducted shall adhere 

14 to all applicable export control regulations. 

15 (c) CONTRACTING AUTHORITY.— 

16 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State is 

17 authorized to enter into contracts with appropriate 

18 entities to facilitate the establishment and implemen19 tation of artificial intelligence research partnerships 

20 under subsection (b). 

21 (2) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

22 There is authorized to be appropriated to the Sec23 retary of State $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 

24 2025 through 2028 to carry out this subsection. 


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1 (d) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 

2 of the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter for 

3 the following two years, the Secretary of State shall sub4 mit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Com5 mittee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives 

6 and the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Com7 mittee on Appropriations of the Senate a report on activi8 ties carried out under this section, including information 

9 relating to the following: 

10 (1) The number and nature of artificial intel11 ligence research partnerships established. 

12 (2) The scope of research areas covered by such 

13 partnerships. 

14 (3) The level of participation from domestic and 

15 foreign cities. 

16 (4) Coordination efforts with the National 

17 Science Foundation and utilization of the National 

18 AI Research Resource. 

19 (5) Any challenges or barriers to implementa20 tion. 

21 (e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

22 (1) ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.—The term ‘‘ar23 tificial intelligence’’ has the meaning given such 

24 term in section 5002 of the National Artificial Intel25 ligence Initiative Act of 2020 (enacted as division E 


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1 of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National De2 fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (15 

3 U.S.C. 9401; Public Law 116–283)). 

4 (2) ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE RESEARCH

5 PARTNERSHIP.—The term ‘‘artificial intelligence re6 search partnership’’ means translational artificial in7 telligence research that bridges foundational and 

8 use-inspired research with the delivery and deploy9 ment of its outcomes to the target community, and 

10 that supports essential bidirectional interplays with 

11 respect to which the delivery and deployment process 

12 informs such research. 

13 (3) EXTERNAL PARTNER.—The term ‘‘external 

14 partner’’ means a nonprofit organization that— 

15 (A) has a proven track record of facili16 tating international city-to-city partnerships; 

17 (B) maintains a network of United States 

18 cities with established international partner19 ships; and 

20 (C) has experience managing Federal 

21 grants and contracts related to international co22 operation and exchange programs. 

23 (4) FOREIGN COUNTRY OF CONCERN.—The 

24 term ‘‘foreign country of concern’’ has the meaning 

25 given such term in section 10638 of the Research 


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1 and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act 

2 (19 U.S.C. 19237; enacted as division B of Public 

3 Law 117–167). 

Æ 


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