[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4487 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4487

To require the Secretary of Commerce to develop artificial intelligence 
training resources and toolkits for United States small businesses, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 11, 2024

Ms. Cantwell (for herself and Mr. Moran) introduced the following bill; 
    which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To require the Secretary of Commerce to develop artificial intelligence 
training resources and toolkits for United States small businesses, 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 ``Small Business Artificial 
Intelligence Training and Toolkit Act of 2024''.

SEC. 2. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TRAINING RESOURCES AND TOOLKITS FOR 
              SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term 
        ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                Transportation and the Committee on Small Business and 
                Entrepreneurship of the Senate; and
                    (B) the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
                and the Committee on Small Business of the House of 
                Representatives.
            (2) Artificial intelligence.--The term ``artificial 
        intelligence'' has the meaning given such term in section 5002 
        of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense 
        Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (15 U.S.C. 9401).
            (3) Center.--The term ``Center'' has the meaning given such 
        term in section 25(a) of the National Institute of Standards 
        and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k(a)).
            (4) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
        the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
            (5) Hollings manufacturing extension partnership.--The term 
        ``Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership'' has the 
        meaning given such term in section 25(a) of the National 
        Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k(a)).
            (6) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the 
        meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
        Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
            (7) Key emerging technologies.--The term ``key emerging 
        technologies'' means the technologies included in the initial 
        list of key technology focus areas set forth by section 
        10387(c) of the Research and Development, Competition, and 
        Innovation Act (42 U.S.C. 19107(c)), photonics, and 
        electronics.
            (8) Rural community.--The term ``rural community'' means a 
        community that is located in areas that are not classified as 
        urban by the Bureau of the Census.
            (9) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Commerce.
            (10) Small business concern.--The term ``small business 
        concern'' has the meaning given such term in section 3(a) of 
        the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632(a)).
    (b) Development of Training Resources and Toolkits Required.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall, acting through 
        the Director, the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership, 
        and the Centers and in consultation and coordination with the 
        Administrator of the Small Business Administration, the 
        Secretary of Agriculture, and such persons in the private 
        sector as the Secretary of Commerce considers appropriate, 
        develop training resources and toolkits for small business 
        concerns, including small business concerns located in rural, 
        Tribal, or underserved communities or involved in advanced 
        manufacturing, relating to the adoption and use of artificial 
        intelligence and such other key emerging technologies, such as 
        quantum-hybrid computing, as the Secretary considers 
        appropriate.
            (2) Contents.--The training and toolkits developed under 
        paragraph (1) shall include prompt engineering and the use of 
        artificial intelligence or emerging technologies, such as 
        quantum hybrid tools, relating to access to credit and capital, 
        financial management and accounting, business planning and 
        operations, cybersecurity, marketing, supply chain management, 
        government contracting, and exporting.
    (c) Review and Update of Training Resources and Toolkits.--Not 
later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, and not 
less frequently than once every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary 
shall--
            (1) review the training resources and toolkits developed 
        pursuant to subsection (b); and
            (2) update such resources and toolkits as the Secretary 
        considers appropriate.
    (d) Distribution and Use of Training Resources and Toolkits.--The 
Secretary shall coordinate with the Administrator of the Small Business 
Administration on the distribution and use of the training resources 
and toolkits that are developed pursuant to subsection (b) through the 
resource partners of the Small Business Administration, including small 
business development centers, women business centers, SCORE, veteran 
business opportunity centers, and the Apex Accelerator.
    (e) Grants Program.--
            (1) Authority.--The Secretary may carry out a program on 
        the award of grants to persons providing training relating to 
        artificial intelligence to small business concerns using the 
        training resources developed under subsection (b).
            (2) Gift authority.--The Secretary may receive gifts that 
        the Secretary shall use to carry out paragraph (1).
    (f) Reports to Congress.--
            (1) Initial report.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
        of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the 
        appropriate committees of Congress a report on the development, 
        distribution, and use of the training resources and toolkits 
        developed pursuant to subsection (b).
            (2) Biennial reports.--
                    (A) Reports required.--Not later than 3 years after 
                the date of the enactment of this Act, and not less 
                frequently than once every 2 years thereafter, the 
                Secretary shall submit to appropriate committees of 
                Congress a biennial report on the development, 
                distribution, and use of training resources and 
                toolkits developed pursuant to subsection (b).
                    (B) Contents.--Each report submitted to 
                subparagraph (A) shall include, for the period of 
                covered by the report, the following:
                            (i) A list of the training resources and 
                        toolkits developed pursuant to subsection (b).
                            (ii) A description of the measurable 
                        outcomes of the distribution of such training 
                        resources and toolkits, including the 
                        following:
                                    (I) The number and type of small 
                                business concerns using such training 
                                resources and toolkits.
                                    (II) The effect of such use on the 
                                revenues, sales, and workforces of the 
                                small business concerns. 
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