Bipartisan Bill Would Set Standards for Federal Agency AI Use

A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced legislation that seeks to increase transparency, oversight and the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) throughout federal government agencies.

On March 6, House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) introduced the Federal AI Governance and Transparency Act, which “centrally codifies federal governance of agency AI systems, establishes new mechanisms for transparency and accountability, and consolidates and streamlines other existing AI laws,” according to a statement summarizing the bill.

“Agencies have already begun to use artificial intelligence to improve oversight, save taxpayer dollars and increase government efficiency,” said Chairman Comer, in the aforementioned statement, adding that the legislation “ensures that the federal government’s use of AI will improve government operations while protecting privacy, civil rights and civil liberties, and upholding American values.”

With co-sponsors from both sides of the Congressional aisle, the bill lays out a number of key objectives, such as:

⃰ Defining federal standards for responsible AI use, codifying in law key safeguards for the development, acquisition, use, management and oversight of AI used by federal agencies.

⃰ Strengthening governmentwide federal AI use policy authority and requirements, recodifying and clarifying the role of the Office of Management and Budget in issuing governmentwide policy guidance, in concert with existing federal IT and data policy requirements.

⃰ Establishing agency AI governance charters, requiring the publication of governance charters for high-risk AI systems and other AI systems used by federal agencies that interact with sensitive personal records covered by the Privacy Act.

⃰ Repealing repetitive law, streamlining and consolidating existing law regarding the government’s use of AI, including requirements for agencies to provide protections or safeguards for federal AI systems that are commensurate with risk, and repealing repetitive provisions in the AI in Government Act of 2020 and the 2022 Advancing American AI Act.

“Like the telephone, the computer and the Internet, artificial intelligence is a revolutionary new technology that will remake our society, our commerce, our government and our lives,” said Rankin, in a statement.

“In Congress, we must act to make sure that AI works to improve public functions, but does not undermine our constitutional rights, liberties and values. We’re introducing the bipartisan Federal AI Governance and Transparency Act to ensure that any federal AI use promotes the fair, just and impartial treatment of all. It would also create an oversight framework that will help Congress effectively meet the challenges of this powerful new technology over time.”