[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 649 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 649
Calling on the United States to champion a regional artificial
intelligence strategy in the Americas to foster inclusive artificial
intelligence systems that combat biases within marginalized groups and
promote social justice, economic well-being, and democratic values.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
August 8, 2023
Mr. Espaillat submitted the following resolution; which was referred to
the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on
Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Calling on the United States to champion a regional artificial
intelligence strategy in the Americas to foster inclusive artificial
intelligence systems that combat biases within marginalized groups and
promote social justice, economic well-being, and democratic values.
Whereas the United States is a Nation built on the contributions of diverse
populations, whose collective experiences and achievements have shaped
the fabric of American society and made indelible contributions to its
progress and prosperity;
Whereas the United States Hispanic population reached 62,100,000 in 2020,
accounting for 19 percent of all Americans;
Whereas, in 2020, the United States Afro-Latino population reached 6,000,000,
making up about 2 percent of the United States adult population and 12
percent of the adult Latino population;
Whereas, in 2020, the Black or African-American alone population reached
41,100,000 accounting for 12.4 percent of all people living in the
United States;
Whereas the 2020 Census shows that 19,900,000 people identified as Asian alone,
and 4,100,000 people identified as Asian in combination with another
race;
Whereas the 2020 Census shows that roughly 690,000 people identified as Native
Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (NHPI) alone but almost 900,000
identified as NHPI in combination with another race;
Whereas, in 2020, the American Indian and Alaska Native alone population reached
3,700,000 accounting for 1.1 percent of all people living in the United
States, compared with a population of 2,900,000 accounting for 0.9
percent in 2010;
Whereas the United States is a global leader in the development of artificial
intelligence (AI) and has a unique chance to help shape the future of AI
to avoid the perpetuation of existing biases against marginalized groups
around the globe;
Whereas AI systems have the potential to amplify and reinforce existing biases
and inequalities if they fail to consider inclusion and diverse
populations in AI design and perpetuate biases and inequalities;
Whereas AI relies on the collection of algorithmic data that is chosen by the
humans who design these algorithms, making it extraordinarily easy for
humans' own unconscious biases to enter machine learning models, leading
to racially biased AI systems that recommend and drive decisions that
perpetuate historical social inequalities amongst marginalized groups;
Whereas the world has already seen the potential for AI algorithms to neglect
and exacerbate race-based disparities, as demonstrated by the
statistically significant and heavily documented racial biases
identified in many widely used facial recognition algorithms;
Whereas research conducted by respected institutions such as the Institute of
Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, Cornell University, and others has shown that these
algorithms exhibit significant accuracy disparities, working more
effectively on White faces while frequently misidentifying or failing to
recognize brown, Black, Indigenous, and darker skinned faces;
Whereas ensuring the inclusion and representation of underrepresented
populations is crucial in the development of AI to protect all children
and democracy, and create a more inclusive society while avoiding the
demonstrated pitfalls of AI algorithms that fail to account for
diversity in their inputs;
Whereas United States funding for the development of AI must prioritize
algorithms that source data from inputs and models that account for
diversity to include the experiences of underserved populations in order
to promote social equity and economic justice, and ensure that such
communities reap the benefits of diversity in the coming age of AI;
Whereas diversity in AI development teams and decisionmaking processes also
invariably leads to a wider range of perspectives, experiences, and
insights, fostering creativity, innovation, and the development of AI
solutions that are more inclusive, fair, and unbiased;
Whereas the Western Hemispheres abundance of diverse populations and
perspectives sets it apart as a prime resource for AI development and
research;
Whereas the Western Hemisphere is home to countries that are strong trade
partners of the United States, as well as a rapidly expanding startup
and venture capital ecosystem that creates a thriving environment for
AI-driven entrepreneurship, which would foster economic growth, job
creation, and technological advancement in Latin America and the Western
Hemisphere at large;
Whereas the application of AI technologies in the Western Hemisphere has the
potential to address complex challenges, enhance productivity, improve
public services, and transform industries that connect to the United
States, promoting economic prosperity throughout the region;
Whereas United States-led investments in the development of AI in the Western
Hemisphere would promote the inclusion and representation of underserved
populations in the global development and deployment of AI technologies,
ensuring that no individual country dominates AI but rather
collaborative developments in the Western Hemisphere;
Whereas the Western Hemisphere possesses a wealth of natural resources and a
skilled human workforce, making it well-positioned to develop and
promote future AI technologies that prioritize safety, diversity,
equity, inclusion, and accessibility;
Whereas by actively engaging underrepresented populations in AI research,
development, and governance, the United States can ensure that AI
technologies address the specific needs, concerns, and aspirations of
diverse communities, leading to more representative outcomes and just
opportunities for all;
Whereas the United States future policies for AI governance will have
significant implications for the global governance of AI, influencing
whether global AI technologies reflect democratic values, inclusivity,
and respect for human rights or are influenced by authoritarian
practices and norms, including ``digital colonialism'', whereby most of
the AI advancements utilized by the Western Hemisphere consumers would
be developed in, and controlled by, a select few nations located outside
of the region;
Whereas Western Hemisphere leader's active collaboration with the United States
in shaping the global governance frameworks and standards for AI would
also contribute to a more equitable, responsible, and human-centric
approach, ensuring the development and deployment of AI technologies
that align with democratic principles and societal well-being;
Whereas uniting and working together with partners in the Western Hemisphere in
the field of AI is essential to ensuring continued United States
leadership in technology, fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing,
and innovation across borders; and
Whereas by championing inclusion in AI and investing in AI in the Western
Hemisphere, the United States can create a future where AI technologies
authentically reflect the multifaceted diversity of our societies,
uphold the fundamental human rights that lie at the core of our
Constitution, and contribute to the realization of a world that
transcends inequalities rather than perpetuates them: Now, therefore, be
it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) applauds the White House Office of Science and
Technology Policy for publishing the Blueprint for an AI Bill
of Rights consisting of 5 principles that should be applied to
all automated systems to protect and advance civil rights,
civil liberties, privacy, equal opportunities, and access to
critical resources or services;
(2) declares inclusive artificial intelligence (AI)
research, design, use, regulation, and deployment a priority
for the United States domestic and foreign policy, and urges
the development and implementation of a safe and responsible
Regional AI Strategy in the Americas guided by principles that
will protect and advance civil rights, civil liberties,
privacy, equal opportunities, and access to critical resources
or services;
(3) declares the safe design, use, development, and
deployment of artificial intelligence in the Western Hemisphere
to be a strategic priority for United States domestic and
foreign policy;
(4) declares the creation of a domestic and international
ratified agreement regarding the design, use, and deployment of
automated systems is a strategic priority for the United States
domestic and foreign policy in order to combat potential
misuses of AI and instead foster AI systems that promote social
justice, economic well-being, and democratic values;
(5) calls on the United States Government to leverage
funding from the United States economic and international
development agencies to invest in research and development of
AI education, training, and infrastructure throughout the
Western Hemisphere, with the aim of harnessing the potential of
the region's diverse populations to leverage the power of AI
for economic growth, societal progress, and the betterment of
all individuals in the hemisphere;
(6) calls on the United States Government to protect the
United States investments in the Western Hemisphere region and
global democratic values by supporting the establishment of
common ethical frameworks, standards, and regulations for AI
development and deployment in the hemisphere, with the goal of
fostering responsible AI practices which prioritize fairness,
accountability, trustworthiness, privacy, and the protection of
individual rights and democratic values; and
(7) calls on the United States Government to increase its
cooperation and dialogue with international organizations, such
as the Organization of American States and the Inter-American
Development Bank, to share resources and facilitate regional
coordination in the implementation of ethical rules for AI
governance, investments, and development, with the goal of
launching the Western Hemisphere to the forefront of AI
innovation and governance for generations to come.
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