H.R. 6398 — what changed

supporting basic research through the application of artificial intelligence, high performance computing, modeling and simulation, machine learning, and large scale data analytics to identify and solve outcome-defined challenges in the health sciences;

promoting collaborative research through the establishment of partnerships to improve data sharing between Federal agencies, National Laboratories, institutions of higher education, and nonprofit institutions;

establishing multiple scientific computing user facilities to house and provision available data to foster transformational outcomes; and

driving the development of technology to improve artificial intelligence, high performance computing, and networking relevant to mission applications of the Department of Energy, including modeling, simulation, machine learning, and advanced data analytics.

In general— The Secretary shall establish and carry out a research program in artificial intelligence and high performance computing, focused on the development of tools to solve big data challenges associated with veteran’s healthcare, and to support the efforts of the Department of Veterans Affairs to identify potential health risks and challenges utilizing data on long term healthcare, health risks, and genomic data collected from veteran populations. The Secretary shall carry out this program through a competitive, merit-reviewed process, and consider applications from National Laboratories, institutions of higher education, multi-institutional collaborations, and other appropriate entities.

Program components— In carrying out the program established under subsection (a), the Secretary may—

conduct basic research in modeling and simulation, machine learning, large scale data analytics, and predictive analysis in order to develop novel or optimized algorithms for prediction of disease treatment and recovery;

develop methods to accommodate large data sets with variable quality and scale, and to provide insight and models for complex systems;

develop new approaches and maximize the use of algorithms developed through artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analytics, natural language processing, modeling and simulation, and develop new algorithms suitable for high performance computing systems and large biomedical data sets;

advance existing and construct new data enclaves capable of securely storing data sets provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, and other sources; and

promote collaboration and data sharing between National Laboratories, research entities, and user facilities of the Department by providing the necessary access and secure data transfer capabilities.

Coordination— In carrying out the program required under subsection (a), the Secretary is authorized to—

Report— Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate, a report detailing the effectiveness of—

the interagency coordination between each Federal agency involved in the research program carried out under this section;

collaborative research achievements of the program; and

potential opportunities to expand the technical capabilities of the Department.