SenateS. 5130119th Congress
Human Dignity and Emerging Technologies Act
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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5130 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 5130
To establish the United States Commission on Human Dignity, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 23, 2026
Mr. Cruz (for himself and Mr. Warnock) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the United States Commission on Human Dignity, 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 ``Human Dignity and Emerging
Technologies Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
of the House of Representatives.
(2) Artificial intelligence.--The term ``artificial
intelligence'' has the meaning given the term in section 5002
of the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020
(15 U.S.C. 9401).
(3) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the United
States Commission on Human Dignity established by section 3.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.
There is established within the legislative branch of the Federal
Government an independent, advisory commission to be known as the
``United States Commission on Human Dignity''.
SEC. 4. PURPOSE.
The purpose of the Commission is to provide independent advice to
the Federal Government, including Congress, on the ethical and policy
dimensions of developments in emerging technologies such as artificial
intelligence to inform Federal policy. In carrying out this purpose,
the Commission shall recognize the geopolitical dimensions of emerging
technologies, including the challenge posed by foreign state actors
whose documented use of such technologies threatens human dignity.
SEC. 5. COMPOSITION AND APPOINTMENT.
(a) Membership.--
(1) Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of 17
members, of whom--
(A) 5 members shall be appointed by the President;
(B) 4 members shall be appointed by the majority
leader of the Senate, 2 of whom shall be chosen on the
recommendation of the minority leader of the Senate;
(C) 4 members shall be appointed by the Speaker of
the House of Representatives, 2 of whom shall be chosen
on the recommendation of the minority leader of the
House of Representatives; and
(D) 4 members shall be appointed by the appropriate
congressional committees, with 2 members appointed by
the respective chairs and 2 members appointed by the
respective ranking members of each committee.
(2) Qualifications.--Members appointed under paragraph (1)
shall be selected only from among those who have demonstrated
expertise and integrity in the fields of philosophy, ethics,
civil rights, religion, social sciences, science, technology,
medicine, or law.
(3) Appointment deadline.--Members shall be appointed to
the Commission under paragraph (1) not later than 180 days
after the date of the enactment of this Act. If 1 or more
appointments under paragraph (1) is not made by the appointment
date, such position shall remain vacant until filled in the
same manner in which the original appointment was required to
be made.
(b) Terms.--Members of the Commission shall serve 5-year terms,
except that a member of the Commission may continue to serve after the
expiration of the term of such member until a successor is appointed.
(c) Removal.--A member of the Commission may only be removed from
the Commission for cause.
(d) Chairman; Vice Chairman.--The Commission shall, by majority
vote, select a Chairman and Vice Chairman from among its members to
serve 2-year terms in those offices. Neither office shall control the
budget of the Commission independently of a vote of the members of the
Commission.
(e) Staff.--The Chairman, in consultation with the Commission,
shall appoint an Executive Director and such professional staff as are
necessary to carry out the duties of the Commission, subject to the
approval of the appropriate congressional committees.
(f) Space for Use of Commission.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of General
Services, in consultation with the Commission, shall identify and make
available suitable excess space within the Federal space inventory to
house the operations of the Commission. If the Administrator is not
able to make such suitable excess space available within such 180-day
period, the Commission may lease space to the extent the funds are
available.
(g) Initial Meeting.--The Commission shall meet and begin the
operations of the Commission as soon as practicable.
(h) Quorum.--After its initial meeting, the Commission shall meet
upon the call of the Chairman or a majority of the members of the
Commission. Nine members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum.
(i) Vacancies.--Any vacancy in the Commission shall not affect its
powers but shall be filled in the same manner in which the original
appointment was made.
SEC. 6. RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES.
(a) Responsibilities.--The Commission shall--
(1) defend the inherent dignity of the human person
understood as unique, embodied, and endowed with a rational and
moral nature, without regard to capability or condition, within
Federal science and technology policy; and
(2) cultivate humility in Federal science and technology
policy regarding technological mastery over human nature amid
geopolitical competition.
(b) Duties.--The Commission shall carry out its responsibilities
described in subsection (a) by carrying out the following duties:
(1) Creating and updating materials, such as statements and
principles to inform Federal science and technology policy.
(2) Undertaking ongoing inquiry into the bioethical
implications of the following developments in science and
technology:
(A) Robotics.
(B) Artificial intelligence.
(C) Biotechnologies.
(D) Neurotechnologies.
(E) Emerging clinical technologies.
(3) Monitoring Federal science and technology programs,
supported research, regulatory proposals, and emerging
scientific and technological developments for threats to the
inherent dignity of the human person.
(4) Holding public hearings and receiving testimony from
philosophers, ethicists, religious leaders, social scientists,
scientists, technologists, medical professionals, legal
scholars, and affected members of the public on Federal science
and technology policy.
(5) Annually issuing a report to the President and
appropriate congressional committees with findings, policy
options, and recommendations, with the opportunity for
individual members of the Commission to offer dissenting views,
to inform how Federal science and technology policy should
align with the Commission's responsibilities under subsection
(a).
(6) Producing additional targeted reports or advisory
opinions, as warranted, in line with the responsibilities set
forth in subsection (a).
SEC. 7. OVERSIGHT AND ETHICS.
(a) Congressional Input and Oversight.--
(1) Evaluation of programs and policies.--Upon the request
of an appropriate congressional committee, the Commission
shall, to the extent practicable, evaluate a Federal science
and technology program or policy that is in effect.
(2) Availability of information and documents.--The
Commission shall make available for inspection any information
and documents requested by an appropriate congressional
committee and respond to any requests to provide testimony
before an appropriate congressional committee.
(b) Information From Federal Agencies.--On request by the Chairman
or by a majority vote of the Commission, the head of a Federal agency
shall furnish information to the Commission.
(c) Limitation on Authority.--The Commission shall be advisory
only. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to authorize the
Commission to issue regulations, compel action, adjudicate rights,
enforce law, or otherwise regulate any private person.
(d) Conflicts of Interest.--The Commission shall adopt, and make
publicly available, a written conflict-of-interest policy for its
members and staff. The policy shall establish procedures for the
disclosure, review, recusal, and resolution of actual or apparent
conflicts of interest. It shall be consistent with Federal ethics laws
and with the ethics rules of the Senate and the House of
Representatives, as applicable.
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Commission $2,000,000
for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to carry out the duties of
the Commission.
SEC. 9. TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.
The Commission shall terminate on October 1, 2032.
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