[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 649 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 649

    Calling on the United States to champion a regional artificial 
 intelligence strategy in the Americas to foster inclusive artificial 
intelligence systems that combat biases within marginalized groups and 
  promote social justice, economic well-being, and democratic values.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             August 8, 2023

Mr. Espaillat submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
 the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on 
    Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    Calling on the United States to champion a regional artificial 
 intelligence strategy in the Americas to foster inclusive artificial 
intelligence systems that combat biases within marginalized groups and 
  promote social justice, economic well-being, and democratic values.

Whereas the United States is a Nation built on the contributions of diverse 
        populations, whose collective experiences and achievements have shaped 
        the fabric of American society and made indelible contributions to its 
        progress and prosperity;
Whereas the United States Hispanic population reached 62,100,000 in 2020, 
        accounting for 19 percent of all Americans;
Whereas, in 2020, the United States Afro-Latino population reached 6,000,000, 
        making up about 2 percent of the United States adult population and 12 
        percent of the adult Latino population;
Whereas, in 2020, the Black or African-American alone population reached 
        41,100,000 accounting for 12.4 percent of all people living in the 
        United States;
Whereas the 2020 Census shows that 19,900,000 people identified as Asian alone, 
        and 4,100,000 people identified as Asian in combination with another 
        race;
Whereas the 2020 Census shows that roughly 690,000 people identified as Native 
        Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (NHPI) alone but almost 900,000 
        identified as NHPI in combination with another race;
Whereas, in 2020, the American Indian and Alaska Native alone population reached 
        3,700,000 accounting for 1.1 percent of all people living in the United 
        States, compared with a population of 2,900,000 accounting for 0.9 
        percent in 2010;
Whereas the United States is a global leader in the development of artificial 
        intelligence (AI) and has a unique chance to help shape the future of AI 
        to avoid the perpetuation of existing biases against marginalized groups 
        around the globe;
Whereas AI systems have the potential to amplify and reinforce existing biases 
        and inequalities if they fail to consider inclusion and diverse 
        populations in AI design and perpetuate biases and inequalities;
Whereas AI relies on the collection of algorithmic data that is chosen by the 
        humans who design these algorithms, making it extraordinarily easy for 
        humans' own unconscious biases to enter machine learning models, leading 
        to racially biased AI systems that recommend and drive decisions that 
        perpetuate historical social inequalities amongst marginalized groups;
Whereas the world has already seen the potential for AI algorithms to neglect 
        and exacerbate race-based disparities, as demonstrated by the 
        statistically significant and heavily documented racial biases 
        identified in many widely used facial recognition algorithms;
Whereas research conducted by respected institutions such as the Institute of 
        Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the Massachusetts Institute of 
        Technology, Cornell University, and others has shown that these 
        algorithms exhibit significant accuracy disparities, working more 
        effectively on White faces while frequently misidentifying or failing to 
        recognize brown, Black, Indigenous, and darker skinned faces;
Whereas ensuring the inclusion and representation of underrepresented 
        populations is crucial in the development of AI to protect all children 
        and democracy, and create a more inclusive society while avoiding the 
        demonstrated pitfalls of AI algorithms that fail to account for 
        diversity in their inputs;
Whereas United States funding for the development of AI must prioritize 
        algorithms that source data from inputs and models that account for 
        diversity to include the experiences of underserved populations in order 
        to promote social equity and economic justice, and ensure that such 
        communities reap the benefits of diversity in the coming age of AI;
Whereas diversity in AI development teams and decisionmaking processes also 
        invariably leads to a wider range of perspectives, experiences, and 
        insights, fostering creativity, innovation, and the development of AI 
        solutions that are more inclusive, fair, and unbiased;
Whereas the Western Hemispheres abundance of diverse populations and 
        perspectives sets it apart as a prime resource for AI development and 
        research;
Whereas the Western Hemisphere is home to countries that are strong trade 
        partners of the United States, as well as a rapidly expanding startup 
        and venture capital ecosystem that creates a thriving environment for 
        AI-driven entrepreneurship, which would foster economic growth, job 
        creation, and technological advancement in Latin America and the Western 
        Hemisphere at large;
Whereas the application of AI technologies in the Western Hemisphere has the 
        potential to address complex challenges, enhance productivity, improve 
        public services, and transform industries that connect to the United 
        States, promoting economic prosperity throughout the region;
Whereas United States-led investments in the development of AI in the Western 
        Hemisphere would promote the inclusion and representation of underserved 
        populations in the global development and deployment of AI technologies, 
        ensuring that no individual country dominates AI but rather 
        collaborative developments in the Western Hemisphere;
Whereas the Western Hemisphere possesses a wealth of natural resources and a 
        skilled human workforce, making it well-positioned to develop and 
        promote future AI technologies that prioritize safety, diversity, 
        equity, inclusion, and accessibility;
Whereas by actively engaging underrepresented populations in AI research, 
        development, and governance, the United States can ensure that AI 
        technologies address the specific needs, concerns, and aspirations of 
        diverse communities, leading to more representative outcomes and just 
        opportunities for all;
Whereas the United States future policies for AI governance will have 
        significant implications for the global governance of AI, influencing 
        whether global AI technologies reflect democratic values, inclusivity, 
        and respect for human rights or are influenced by authoritarian 
        practices and norms, including ``digital colonialism'', whereby most of 
        the AI advancements utilized by the Western Hemisphere consumers would 
        be developed in, and controlled by, a select few nations located outside 
        of the region;
Whereas Western Hemisphere leader's active collaboration with the United States 
        in shaping the global governance frameworks and standards for AI would 
        also contribute to a more equitable, responsible, and human-centric 
        approach, ensuring the development and deployment of AI technologies 
        that align with democratic principles and societal well-being;
Whereas uniting and working together with partners in the Western Hemisphere in 
        the field of AI is essential to ensuring continued United States 
        leadership in technology, fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, 
        and innovation across borders; and
Whereas by championing inclusion in AI and investing in AI in the Western 
        Hemisphere, the United States can create a future where AI technologies 
        authentically reflect the multifaceted diversity of our societies, 
        uphold the fundamental human rights that lie at the core of our 
        Constitution, and contribute to the realization of a world that 
        transcends inequalities rather than perpetuates them: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) applauds the White House Office of Science and 
        Technology Policy for publishing the Blueprint for an AI Bill 
        of Rights consisting of 5 principles that should be applied to 
        all automated systems to protect and advance civil rights, 
        civil liberties, privacy, equal opportunities, and access to 
        critical resources or services;
            (2) declares inclusive artificial intelligence (AI) 
        research, design, use, regulation, and deployment a priority 
        for the United States domestic and foreign policy, and urges 
        the development and implementation of a safe and responsible 
        Regional AI Strategy in the Americas guided by principles that 
        will protect and advance civil rights, civil liberties, 
        privacy, equal opportunities, and access to critical resources 
        or services;
            (3) declares the safe design, use, development, and 
        deployment of artificial intelligence in the Western Hemisphere 
        to be a strategic priority for United States domestic and 
        foreign policy;
            (4) declares the creation of a domestic and international 
        ratified agreement regarding the design, use, and deployment of 
        automated systems is a strategic priority for the United States 
        domestic and foreign policy in order to combat potential 
        misuses of AI and instead foster AI systems that promote social 
        justice, economic well-being, and democratic values;
            (5) calls on the United States Government to leverage 
        funding from the United States economic and international 
        development agencies to invest in research and development of 
        AI education, training, and infrastructure throughout the 
        Western Hemisphere, with the aim of harnessing the potential of 
        the region's diverse populations to leverage the power of AI 
        for economic growth, societal progress, and the betterment of 
        all individuals in the hemisphere;
            (6) calls on the United States Government to protect the 
        United States investments in the Western Hemisphere region and 
        global democratic values by supporting the establishment of 
        common ethical frameworks, standards, and regulations for AI 
        development and deployment in the hemisphere, with the goal of 
        fostering responsible AI practices which prioritize fairness, 
        accountability, trustworthiness, privacy, and the protection of 
        individual rights and democratic values; and
            (7) calls on the United States Government to increase its 
        cooperation and dialogue with international organizations, such 
        as the Organization of American States and the Inter-American 
        Development Bank, to share resources and facilitate regional 
        coordination in the implementation of ethical rules for AI 
        governance, investments, and development, with the goal of 
        launching the Western Hemisphere to the forefront of AI 
        innovation and governance for generations to come.
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