[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 501 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 501
To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop a
strategy for public health preparedness and response to artificial
intelligence threats, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 10, 2025
Mr. Budd (for himself and Mr. Markey) 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 develop a
strategy for public health preparedness and response to artificial
intelligence threats, 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 ``Strategy for Public Health
Preparedness and Response to Artificial Intelligence Threats''.
SEC. 2. STRATEGY FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE TO
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE THREATS.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Artificial intelligence.--The term ``artificial
intelligence'' has the meaning given the term in section 238(g)
of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2019 (10 U.S.C. note prec. 4061; Public Law 115-
232).
(2) PHSA definitions.--The terms ``qualified
countermeasure'', ``security countermeasure'', and ``qualified
pandemic or epidemic product'' have the meanings given the
terms in sections 319F-1(a)(2), 319F-2(c)(1)(B), and 319F-3(i),
respectively, of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d-
6a(a)(2); (42 U.S.C. 247d-6b(c)(1)(B); (42 U.S.C. 247d-6d(i)).
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Health and Human Services.
(b) Strategy for Public Health Preparedness and Response to
Artificial Intelligence Threats.--
(1) Strategy.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with
stakeholders, including stakeholders developing qualified
countermeasures, security countermeasures, or qualified
pandemic or epidemic products and stakeholders with an
understanding of artificial intelligence technologies, shall
prepare and submit to the relevant committees of Congress a
strategy for public health preparedness and response and
biodefense to address the risks of misuse of artificial
intelligence that present a threat to national health security.
(2) Inclusions.--The strategy under paragraph (1) shall
include--
(A) a framework for public health preparedness and
response to mitigate the risks of misuse of artificial
intelligence that present a threat to national health
security;
(B) identifying the duties, functions, and
preparedness goals for which the Secretary is
responsible in order to prepare for, respond to, and
mitigate the risks of such artificial intelligence
threats, including metrics by which to measure success
in meeting preparedness and risk mitigation goals;
(C) identifying gaps in public health capabilities
to achieve such preparedness and risk mitigation goals;
(D) strategies to address identified gaps and
strengthen public health emergency preparedness and
response capabilities to address such artificial
intelligence threats; and
(E) strategies to mitigate--
(i) the risks posed by the threat of the
misuse of artificial intelligence, at a minimum
of--
(I) the development of biological
weapons; and
(II) the design of viruses and
bacteria that are resistant to
treatment; and
(ii) such other risks posed by the threat
of the misuse of artificial intelligence as are
determined by the Secretary.
(3) Protection of national security.--The Secretary shall
make the strategy under paragraph (1) available to the
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the
Senate, the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of
Representatives, and other congressional committees of
jurisdiction, in a manner that does not compromise national
security.
(c) Coordination of Preparedness for and Response to All-Hazards
Public Health Emergencies.--Section 2811(b)(4)(D) of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300hh-10(b)(4)(D)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``deployment of the Federal response'' and
inserting the following: ``deployment of--
``(i) the Federal response'';
(2) in clause (i) (as so designated), by striking ``and
such Federal responses'' and inserting the following:
``(ii) such Federal responses'';
(3) in clause (ii) (as so designated), by striking the
period at the end and inserting ``; and''; and
(4) by adding at the end the following:
``(iii) such Federal responses covered by
the strategy for public health preparedness and
response to address the risks of misuse of
artificial intelligence that present a threat
to national health security described in
section 2(b) of the Strategy for Public Health
Preparedness and Response to Artificial
Intelligence Threats.''.
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