[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 115 (Thursday, July 11, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4942-S4943]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2609. Mr. ROUNDS (for himself and Mr. Heinrich) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4638, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2025 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, insert the following:

     SEC. __. ESTABLISHMENT OF MEDSHIELD PROGRAM.

       (a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the 
     ``MedShield Act of 2024''.
       (b) Findings; Sense of Congress.--
       (1) Findings.--Congress finds as follows:
       (A) The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the need to better 
     organize pathogen defense of the people of the United States.
       (B) The National Security Commission on Artificial 
     Intelligence concluded that COVID-19 scientific advancements, 
     notably accelerated by the application of artificial 
     intelligence, in addition to many other existing science and 
     technology initiatives in the United States, should be used 
     to build a comprehensive, operational, and integrated 
     biodefense program that functions like a ``shield'' against 
     manmade and non-manmade pathogens.
       (2) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
       (A) an initiative such as Operation Warp Speed should not 
     be required for the next pandemic;
       (B) there is a requirement for a pandemic preparedness and 
     response program that would negate the need for a future 
     Operation Warp Speed-like program or a declaration of a 
     public health emergency under section 319 of the Public 
     Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d); and
       (C) the program established under subsection (c) would 
     operationalize artificial intelligence and a system-of-
     systems integration across the interagency and private 
     sector, under the direction of the Secretary of Health and 
     Human Services.
       (c) MedShield Program.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services 
     (referred to in this section as the ``Secretary'') shall 
     implement a pandemic preparedness and response program 
     utilizing artificial intelligence and other relevant 
     technologies, to be known as the ``MedShield program'' 
     (referred to in this section as the ``Program''), in 
     accordance with recommendations of the National Security 
     Commission on Artificial Intelligence. The Program shall 
     operationalize a national medical shield that gathers 
     innovations across the public-private ecosystem in the United 
     States, as well as from allies and partners, to improve the 
     efficiency and effectiveness of delivering medical solutions 
     to individuals, functioning as a shield against biological 
     threats. The Program shall continuously operate and monitor 
     threats, for the purpose of safeguarding the public health of 
     the United States.
       (2) Plan and integration.--Pursuant to the Program, the 
     Secretary shall--
       (A) develop a plan to integrate the recommendations of the 
     National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence for 
     pandemic preparedness and response, in accordance with the 
     responsibilities of the Department of Health and Human 
     Services as the primary agency and coordinator for the 
     emergency support function relating to public health and 
     medical services under the National Response Framework of the 
     Federal Emergency Management Agency; and
       (B) consult with heads of appropriate Federal agencies and 
     select allies and partners to ensure the integration of the 
     Program between relevant departments and agencies and 
     international partners to achieve a coordinated international 
     effort to address a pandemic.
       (3) Utilization of artificial intelligence.--In carrying 
     out the Program, the Secretary shall leverage artificial 
     intelligence and other relevant technologies and 
     capabilities, including as follows:
       (A) Development and deployment of a global pathogen 
     surveillance system for the real-time detection and tracking 
     of pathogens.
       (B) Employment of artificial intelligence enabled systems 
     to accelerate the identification and development of effective 
     vaccines.
       (C) Development and deployment of therapeutic treatments 
     for individuals affected by biological threats.
       (D) Advanced artificial intelligence-enabled modeling to 
     optimize strategies for pathogen tracking, vaccine 
     distribution, and therapeutic interventions.
       (E) Streamlining and enhancing rapid manufacturing of 
     vaccines and therapeutics.
       (d) Reporting.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the 
     Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the 
     Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee 
     on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Appropriations of 
     the House of Representatives a report detailing the plan 
     required under subsection (c)(2). Such report shall be 
     submitted in unclassified form, and may include a classified 
     annex.
       (e) Definitions.--In this section--
       (1) the term ``artificial intelligence'' has the meaning 
     given such term in section 1051(f) of the John S. McCain 
     National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 
     (Public Law 115-232; 132 Stat. 1962).

[[Page S4943]]

       (2) the term ``MedShield'' has the meaning given the term 
     ``BioShield'' in the final report of the Commission submitted 
     under section 1051(c)(2) of the John S. McCain National 
     Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (132 Stat. 
     1965; Public Law 115-232); and
       (3) the term ``National Security Commission on Artificial 
     Intelligence'' means such commission established under 
     section 1051 of the John S. McCain National Defense 
     Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (132 Stat. 1962; 
     Public Law 115-232).
       (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--For purposes of 
     carrying out the MedShield program, there are authorized to 
     be appropriated to the Secretary--
       (1) $300,000,000 for fiscal year 2025;
       (2) $350,000,000 for fiscal year 2026;
       (3) $400,000,000 for fiscal year 2027;
       (4) $450,000,000 for fiscal year 2028; and
       (5) $500,000,000 for fiscal year 2029,
     to remain available until expended.
                                 ______