[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7907 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7907
To direct the Director of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology to facilitate the establishment of definitions, standards,
resources, and frameworks to ensure certain biological datasets are
ready for use in artificial intelligence models, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 12, 2026
Mr. Khanna (for himself and Mr. Obernolte) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Director of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology to facilitate the establishment of definitions, standards,
resources, and frameworks to ensure certain biological datasets are
ready for use in artificial intelligence models, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``AI-Ready Bio-Data Standards Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS, STANDARDS, RESOURCES, AND FRAMEWORKS BY THE
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY FOR
CERTAIN BIOLOGICAL DATASETS.
(a) Establishment.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Director of the National
Institute of Standards and Technology (in this section referred
to as the ``Director''), pursuant to recommendations from the
advisory group under subsection (f) and taking into account any
feedback received under subsection (e), shall facilitate the
establishment of definitions, standards, resources, and
frameworks to ensure each biological dataset generated as a
result of qualified federally funded research is artificial
intelligence-ready.
(2) Requirements for definitions, standards, resources, and
frameworks.--
(A) Definitions.--
(i) In general.--In carrying out paragraph
(1), the Director shall facilitate the
establishment of definitions for the following
terms:
(I) Artificial intelligence-ready.
(II) Biomanufacturing.
(III) Biotechnology.
(IV) Qualified federally funded
research.
(ii) Requirements for definition of
artificial intelligence-ready.--
(I) In general.--In facilitating
the establishment of the definition of
the term ``artificial intelligence-
ready'' under clause (i)(I), the
Director shall take such actions as may
be necessary to ensure such definition,
when applied to a biological dataset,
requires such dataset be generated and
formatted in a manner that--
(aa) enables the effective
use of the dataset for training
artificial intelligence models;
and
(bb) supports advancements
in research relating to
artificial intelligence and
biotechnology.
(II) Discretion.--With respect to a
biological dataset that otherwise
satisfies the definition of
``artificial intelligence-ready'' under
clause (i)(I), the Director may, in
consultation with the Chief Data
Officer of the Federal department or
agency that is responsible for such
biological dataset, determine that such
dataset is not artificial intelligence-
ready.
(iii) Requirements for definition of
qualified federally funded research.--In
facilitating the establishment of the
definition of the term ``qualified federally
funded research'' under clause (i)(IV), the
Director shall take such actions as may be
necessary to include in such definition certain
conditions that, if satisfied, will result in
certain federally funded research being
qualified federally funded research. Such
conditions shall include the following:
(I) The amount of Federal funding
awarded to a recipient.
(II) The capability of the
recipient to generate a biological
dataset that is artificial
intelligence-ready.
(III) The expertise of the
recipient in generating a biological
dataset that is artificial
intelligence-ready.
(IV) The size of the biological
dataset generated by the recipient.
(V) Any other condition the
Director considers appropriate.
(B) Standards.--In carrying out paragraph (1), the
Director shall facilitate the establishment of
standards relating to making biological datasets
artificial intelligence-ready, in accordance with the
definition of artificial intelligence-ready under
subparagraph (A)(i)(I).
(C) Resources and frameworks.--In carrying out
paragraph (1), the Director shall facilitate the
establishment of data management resources and
cybersecurity frameworks for the following:
(i) Federal departments and agencies that
provide either full or partial Federal funding
for research that generates biological
datasets.
(ii) Federally funded researchers who are
collecting, cleaning, curating, or generating
biological datasets to make the datasets
artificial intelligence-ready.
(D) Additional requirements.--The Director shall
take such actions as may be necessary to ensure the
definitions, standards, resources, and frameworks
referred to in paragraph (1)--
(i) are not overly burdensome on recipients
of funding for qualified federally funded
research, such that the act of generating
biological datasets that are artificial
intelligence-ready requires resources and
expertise beyond those available to the
recipients; and
(ii) are tested and evaluated in accordance
with subsection (c).
(3) Annual updates.--Not later than 1 year after the date
of the establishment of the definitions, standards, resources,
and frameworks under paragraph (1), and annually thereafter,
the Director shall review such definitions, standards,
resources, and frameworks and, as the Director considers
appropriate, shall update such definitions, standards,
resources, and frameworks in accordance with this section.
(4) Consultation.--To facilitate the establishment of the
definitions, standards, resources, and frameworks under
paragraph (1), and any update under paragraph (3), the Director
shall carry out the following:
(A) Assess any existing standard related to
biotechnology or artificial intelligence, including any
standards inventoried pursuant to subsection (b)(1)(A),
and, if appropriate, facilitate the incorporation of
any such standards in the establishment of the
standards referred to in paragraph (2)(B).
(B) Consult with the following:
(i) The Secretary of Agriculture.
(ii) The Secretary of Defense.
(iii) The Secretary of Energy.
(iv) The Director of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration.
(v) The Director of the National Institutes
of Health.
(vi) The Administrator of the National
Science Foundation.
(vii) The head of any other Federal
department or agency the Director considers
appropriate.
(C) Seek to consult with the following:
(i) Private sector entities from the
biotechnology industry.
(ii) Members of academia.
(5) Personnel.--To facilitate the establishment of the
definitions, standards, resources, and frameworks under
paragraph (1), and any update under paragraph (3), the Director
shall hire staff as the Director determines necessary.
(b) Information Gathering.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Director shall inventory the
following:
(A) Existing biotechnology standards utilized by
recipients of Federal funding for biotechnology
research to generate biological datasets.
(B) Existing biological datasets generated by
recipients of Federal funding for biotechnology
research.
(2) Publication.--Not later than 1 year after the Director
completes the inventory requirement under paragraph (1), the
Director shall make any information inventoried under that
paragraph available to the public through a website of the
National Institute of Standards and Technology.
(c) Test and Evaluation.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Director shall coordinate with the
Administrator of the National Science Foundation to conduct a test and
evaluation of the definitions, standards, resources, and frameworks
referred to in subsection (a)(1) on a sample of biological datasets
generated as a result of qualified federally funded research to
determine the following:
(1) Whether such definitions, standards, resources, and
frameworks are clearly written, easy to follow, and easily
applicable for the generation of biological datasets that are
artificial intelligence-ready.
(2) Whether compliance with such definitions, standards,
resources, and frameworks when generating or curating
biological datasets results in an undue burden on the
recipients of such qualified federally funded research, and if
so, how to modify such definitions, standards, resources, or
frameworks, as the case may be, so as to reduce such burden.
(d) Advice and Assistance Related to Federal Department or Agency
Data Standards.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the head of a Federal department or
agency that provides funding for qualified federally funded
research and that seeks to utilize a biological dataset of such
department or agency to train an artificial intelligence model
may make a request to the Director to provide advice or
assistance with respect to developing the following:
(A) Data standards for such training.
(B) Any data management plan related to such data
standards.
(2) Resources.--A head of a Federal department or agency
that makes a request pursuant to paragraph (1) may enter into
an agreement with the Director to provide to the Director any
resources as may be necessary for the Director to provide any
advice or assistance related to such request.
(3) Oversight mechanisms.--The Director shall establish the
following:
(A) A regularly updated central repository, made
available to the public as the Director determines
appropriate, on which the head of any Federal
department or agency may publish any data standards,
and data management plan related to such standards,
relating to utilizing a biological dataset of such
department or agency to train an artificial
intelligence model.
(B) A publicly available database to serve as a
single point of access, updated as the Director
determines necessary, on which the head of any Federal
department or agency may publish artificial
intelligence-ready biological datasets.
(C) A mechanism available to each Federal
department or agency to make a request pursuant to
paragraph (1).
(4) Public input.--The Director may solicit input and
feedback from the public with respect to any advice or
assistance related to a request made pursuant to paragraph (1).
(e) Public Input and Feedback; Consultation.--In carrying out
subsection (a)(1), the Director shall carry out the following:
(1) Solicit input and feedback from the public regarding
the definitions, standards, resources, and frameworks referred
to in such subsection.
(2) Consult the heads of Federal departments and agencies
that provide funding for qualified federally funded research to
ensure such departments and agencies are able to develop data
standards, and any data management plan associated with such
data standards, related to utilizing a biological dataset of
such department or agency to train an artificial intelligence
model, including the following:
(A) The Secretary of Agriculture.
(B) The Secretary of Defense.
(C) The Secretary of Energy.
(D) The Director of the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration.
(E) The Director of the National Institutes of
Health.
(F) The Administrator of the National Science
Foundation.
(G) The head of any other Federal department or
agency as determined by the Director.
(f) Advisory Group.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Director shall establish an
advisory group to carry out the following:
(A) Provide recommendations relating to the
definitions, standards, resources, and frameworks
referred to in subsection (a)(1).
(B) Review and provide feedback with respect to any
advice or assistance related to a request made pursuant
to subsection (d)(1).
(C) Provide recommendations to academic journals
for guidelines relating to artificial intelligence-
ready biological datasets.
(D) Solicit recommendations from the academic
community regarding implementation of the definitions,
standards, resources, and frameworks.
(E) Provide any other guidance the Director may
request.
(2) Membership.--
(A) In general.--The advisory group established
under paragraph (1) shall be composed of not fewer than
12 members. The Director shall carry out the following:
(i) Appoint representatives of Federal
departments or agencies that award funds to
recipients to carry out qualified federally
funded research.
(ii) Seek to appoint representatives of
academia, private sector entities, and academic
publishers.
(B) Terms.--
(i) In general.--Each member shall serve
for a term of 2 years.
(ii) Renewal.--Subject to the discretion of
the Director, the term of each member may be
renewed for an additional 2-year term.
(3) Chairperson.--
(A) Appointment.--The Chairperson of the advisory
group shall be designated by the Director from among
the members.
(B) Term.--The term of the Chairperson shall be 1
year.
(C) Renewal.--Subject to the discretion of the
Director, the term of a Chairperson may be renewed for
an additional 1-year term.
(4) Reports.--
(A) Interim report.--Not later than 1 year after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the advisory
group shall submit to the Director an interim report
that contains advice and guidance with respect to the
matters described in paragraph (1).
(B) Subsequent reports.--If the advisory group or
the Director determines appropriate, the advisory group
shall submit to the Director subsequent reports
relating to the matters described in paragraph (1).
(g) Federal Acquisition Regulation Revisions.--The Federal
Acquisition Regulatory Council shall revise the Federal Acquisition
Regulation as necessary to implement the definitions, standards,
resources, and frameworks established under subsection (a)(1).
(h) Annual Report.--
(1) Interim report.--Not later than 1 year after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit to
Congress and the Comptroller General of the United States an
interim report that includes information relating to the
progress of facilitating the establishment of the definitions,
standards, resources, and frameworks under subsection (a)(1)
and any advice or assistance related to a request made pursuant
to subsection (d)(1).
(2) Subsequent reports.--Not later than 2 years after the
date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the
Director shall submit to Congress and the Comptroller General
of the United States a report that includes information
relating to the following:
(A) The establishment, implementation, and, if
applicable, revision, of the definitions, standards,
resources, and frameworks referred to in subsection
(a)(1).
(B) Any advice or assistance related to a request
made pursuant to subsection (d)(1).
(3) Additional requirement for first subsequent report.--
With respect to the first subsequent report under paragraph
(2), the Director shall include a summary of the testing and
evaluation under subsection (c) that includes information
relating to the following:
(A) The findings of the testing and evaluation.
(B) The manner by which the Director addressed any
concern identified as a result of the testing and
evaluation.
(C) An assessment of any burden on recipients of
funding for qualified federally funded research
regarding ensuring that biological datasets are
artificial intelligence-ready.
(D) A cost-benefit analysis of the value of
ensuring that biological datasets are artificial
intelligence-ready in relation to any such burden.
(i) Government Accountability Office Report.--Not later than 5
years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller
General of the United States shall submit to Congress a report on the
impact of the definitions, standards, resources, and frameworks
referred to in subsection (a)(1), including the following:
(1) An assessment of the effectiveness of the definitions,
standards, resources, and frameworks in ensuring each
biological dataset generated by a recipient of funding for
qualified federally funded research is artificial intelligent-
ready.
(2) An assessment of whether the implementation of the
definitions, standards, resources, and frameworks as the case
may be, has resulted in an undue burden on any recipient of
Federal funding.
(3) Any recommendations with respect to the implementation
of the definitions, standards, resources, and frameworks.
(j) Sunset.--This section shall terminate on the date that is 10
years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(k) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Biological data.--The term ``biological data'' means
information that is measured, collected, or aggregated for
analysis, including associated descriptors, derived from the
structure, function, or process of a biological system.
(2) Biological dataset.--The term ``biological dataset''
means a discreet collection of biological data.
(3) Biological data repository.--The term ``biological data
repository'' means any centralized data storage capacity meant
for managing or storing biological data.
<all>
AI-Ready Bio-Data Standards Act
#7907 | HR Congress #119
Policy Area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects:
Last Action: Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. (3/12/2026)
Bill Text Source: Congress.gov
Summary and Impacts
Original Text