[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 117 (Thursday, June 25, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3556-S3557]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2144. Mrs. BLACKBURN (for herself and Mr. Heinrich) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 4049, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2021 for military activities 
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for 
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military 
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which 
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place in subtitle B of title XVI, insert 
     the following:

[[Page S3557]]

  


     SEC. ___. GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION ON USE OF DIRECT HIRING 
                   PROCESSES FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 
                   PROFESSIONALS AND OTHER DATA SCIENCE AND 
                   SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT PERSONNEL.

       (a) Guidance Required.--Not later than 180 days after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
     shall issue guidance to the secretaries of the military 
     departments and the heads of the defense components on 
     improved use of the direct hiring processes for artificial 
     intelligence professionals and other data science and 
     software development personnel.
       (b) Objective.--The objective of the guidance issued under 
     subsection (a) shall be to ensure that organizational leaders 
     assume greater responsibility for the results of civilian 
     hiring of artificial intelligence professionals and other 
     data science and software development personnel.
       (c) Contents of Guidance.--At a minimum, the guidance 
     required by subsection (a) shall--
       (1) instruct human resources professionals and hiring 
     authorities to utilize available direct hiring authorities 
     (including excepted service authorities) for the hiring of 
     artificial intelligence professionals and other data science 
     and software development personnel, to the maximum extent 
     practicable;
       (2) instruct hiring authorities, when using direct hiring 
     authorities, to prioritize utilization of panels of subject 
     matter experts over human resources professionals to assess 
     applicant qualifications and determine which applicants are 
     best qualified for a position;
       (3) authorize and encourage the use of ePortfolio reviews 
     to provide insight into the previous work of applicants as a 
     tangible demonstration of capabilities and contribute to the 
     assessment of applicant qualifications by subject matter 
     experts; and
       (4) encourage the use of referral bonuses for recruitment 
     and hiring of highly qualified artificial intelligence 
     professionals and other data science and software development 
     personnel in accordance with volume 451 of Department of 
     Defense Instruction 1400.25.
       (d) Report.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date on 
     which the guidance is issued under subsection (a), the 
     Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of 
     the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House 
     of Representatives a report on the guidance issued pursuant 
     to subsection (a).
       (2) Contents.--At a minimum, the report submitted under 
     paragraph (1) shall address the following:
       (A) The objectives of the guidance and the manner in which 
     the guidance seeks to achieve those objectives.
       (B) The effect of the guidance on the hiring process for 
     artificial intelligence professionals and other data science 
     and software development personnel, including the effect on--
       (i) hiring time;
       (ii) the use of direct hiring authority;
       (iii) the use of subject matter experts; and
       (iv) the quality of new hires, as assessed by hiring 
     managers and organizational leaders.
                                 ______