[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.
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