Ai in Government Act of 2020
Floor Speech
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. McNERNEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member and chairwoman of the committee for their support of this bill, and all members of the committee.
The work of the Federal Government impacts every single American. Artificial intelligence presents many opportunities for the Federal Government to be better able to serve all Americans.
There are also certain risks that AI presents. As Federal agencies adopt AI technology, it is critical that they are equipped with the expertise and tools they need to succeed and that they address the potential risks of adopting this technology. That is why this legislation is critical. It will help Federal agencies scale AI adoption in a smart and responsible way.
First, this legislation will create a Center of Excellence within the General Services Administration. The Center of Excellence will provide a pool of AI experts within the Federal Government that can help agencies adopt AI and will also help better coordinate AI adoption across the Federal Government.
Second, this legislation will require agencies to develop governance plans to guide their AI adoption and use. These governance plans must address privacy and civil liberties considerations. The goal of these governance plans is to ensure agencies adopt and use AI in a responsible way.
Third, this legislation will make it easier for the Federal Government to attract AI talent by establishing a new occupational series for AI experts.
As co-chair of the Congressional AI Caucus, I have heard about the different ways in which the Federal agencies are adopting and looking to adopt AI to improve their operations and to be able to more effectively serve Americans. Some of these include the Food and Drug Administration, the Department of Energy, the Department of Defense, the USDA, the Veterans Affairs Administration, the Department of Labor, and the Environmental Protection Agency. The AI in Government Act will enable these Federal agencies and others to scale AI adoption, while reducing and addressing the potential risks of using AI.
I again want to thank Chairwoman Maloney and the Oversight Committee staff for working with me and my staff on this important bill.
I also want to thank Senators Portman, Harris, and Gardner for their leadership on this bill in the Senate.
I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this legislation.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source