[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1399 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1399

Expressing support for the designation of the month of November 2022 as 
                         ``National XR Month''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 28, 2022

  Mr. Issa (for himself, Ms. DelBene, Ms. Clarke of New York, and Mr. 
  Lieu) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                   Committee on Oversight and Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing support for the designation of the month of November 2022 as 
                         ``National XR Month''.

Whereas ``XR'' is an umbrella term used to describe immersive technologies, 
        including augmented reality, virtual reality, mixed reality, and other 
        technologies not yet invented, that enable the integration of digital 
        content and the physical environment in a manner that supports user 
        engagement;
Whereas XR is a critical part of the emerging technology ecosystem that includes 
        artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, quantum computing, 
        and advanced communications;
Whereas the House of Representatives and the Senate have passed legislation 
        designating immersive technology as a ``key technology focus area'' for 
        United States research and development prioritization;
Whereas XR is expected to be the next major computing platform, succeeding the 
        laptop and smartphone and forming the foundation for the next iteration 
        of the internet;
Whereas XR will impact all sectors of society, creating new employment 
        opportunities, a new economy, and new ways of communicating, learning, 
        and engaging with the world;
Whereas an estimated 23,000,000 jobs globally will use XR technology by 2030;
Whereas the market for immersive technologies is projected to reach over 
        $450,000,000,000 by 2030;
Whereas XR is positively impacting the delivery of essential human services such 
        as--

    (1) health care and medicine, where it is--

    G    (A) helping surgeons train and increase their skill level for 
complex surgeries;

    G    (B) used to assist stroke survivors with motor recovery;

    G    (C) used for cognitive behavioral therapy, supporting veterans 
recovering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and helping patients 
with mental illness address their anxiety disorders;

    G    (D) used to treat dementia and cognitive decline, allowing elderly 
patients to recall old memories that would be otherwise unattainable due to 
illness or inaccessibility; and

    G    (E) being explored as an alternative to pharmaceuticals for pain 
management; and

    (2) public safety, where it is--

    G    (A) providing safe, effective, risk-free training environments for 
firefighters and allowing firefighters to see through smoke to identify 
people and objects in a fire emergency;

    G    (B) preparing emergency medical personnel to interact with a wide 
range of patients and environments;

    G    (C) supporting real-time coordination among first responders 
during natural disasters; and

    G    (D) helping police officers hone the skills needed to deescalate 
tense situations;

Whereas XR is preparing Americans for the future of work by facilitating 
        workforce training and development, where it--

    (1) has the potential to effectively and efficiently train new workers 
without the need for costly physical resources and facilities;

    (2) could expand opportunities for remote collaboration across 
thousands of miles and provide real-time remote assist which allows experts 
to guide workers through complicated tasks;

    (3) facilitates the upskilling of the current workforce to support 
worker retention;

    (4) increases safety in hazardous work environments by allowing 
businesses to virtually train employees on complex or dangerous tasks;

    (5) provides knowledge capture to ensure that expertise and know-how is 
not lost if an experienced employee leaves;

    (6) provides text-to-speech capability for visually impaired employees; 
and

    (7) has the potential to provide captions or subtitles for live audio 
for individuals that are deaf or hard of hearing;

Whereas XR is improving efficiency in manufacturing, construction, logistics, 
        and agriculture, where it is--

    (1) used to improve speed and accuracy in engineering and product 
design;

    (2) used to create interactive 3D virtual models that save 
manufacturers time and money associated with developing countless physical 
prototypes;

    (3) streamlining complex assembly on the factory floor by allowing 
engineers to see renderings of cables, bolts, parts, and instructions for 
how to assemble a component;

    (4) used to remotely monitor the condition of infrastructure and assist 
with predictive maintenance;

    (5) facilitating cost-savings in urban planning by providing the 
opportunity to identify and remove potential design flaws before and during 
the construction phase; and

    (6) facilitating new advancements in smart farming, giving farmers 
real-time visualization of crops and providing assessments of land quality;

Whereas XR is used in the classroom to improve educational outcomes and provide 
        career training, where it--

    (1) provides multisensory learning experiences not available in 
physical classrooms;

    (2) promotes cognitive, social, and emotional development for diverse 
learners;

    (3) provides immersive career exploration experiences for students;

    (4) prepares students for the growing demand for technology expertise 
and immersive media development skills in the workforce; and

    (5) inspires students' creativity and confidence to try new things;

Whereas XR brings people together, fosters a sense of community, and helps build 
        empathy, where it--

    (1) has the potential to facilitate real-time translation, giving 
people easier, more natural ways to overcome language barriers;

    (2) provides diverse and inclusive immersive experiences that encourage 
greater empathy between individuals; and

    (3) bridges physical separation and isolation for coworkers, friends, 
and families by providing shared, synchronous spaces for community and 
collaboration; and

Whereas XR plays an essential role in supporting United States national security 
        objectives, where it is--

    (1) used by the United States military for training programs; and

    (2) used for emergency preparedness and disaster response and 
management: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the positive economic and cultural impact of 
        XR in the United States; and
            (2) supports the designation of ``National XR Month'' to 
        promote the development of this important emerging technology.
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