| 1 | 1 | | II |
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| 2 | 2 | | 119THCONGRESS |
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| 3 | 3 | | 1 |
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| 4 | 4 | | STSESSION S. 1106 |
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| 5 | 5 | | To establish the Immersive Technology Advisory Panel to promote the use |
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| 6 | 6 | | of immersive technology in the United States, and for other purposes. |
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| 7 | 7 | | IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES |
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| 8 | 8 | | MARCH25, 2025 |
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| 9 | 9 | | Mrs. B |
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| 10 | 10 | | LACKBURN(for herself and Mr. WARNER) introduced the following bill; |
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| 11 | 11 | | which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, |
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| 12 | 12 | | Science, and Transportation |
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| 13 | 13 | | A BILL |
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| 14 | 14 | | To establish the Immersive Technology Advisory Panel to |
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| 15 | 15 | | promote the use of immersive technology in the United |
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| 16 | 16 | | States, and for other purposes. |
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| 17 | 17 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1 |
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| 18 | 18 | | tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 |
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| 19 | 19 | | SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 |
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| 20 | 20 | | This Act may be cited as the ‘‘United States Leader-4 |
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| 21 | 21 | | ship in Immersive Technology Act of 2025’’. 5 |
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| 22 | 22 | | SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 6 |
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| 23 | 23 | | Congress finds the following: 7 |
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| 24 | 24 | | (1) Immersive technology was included in the 8 |
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| 25 | 25 | | initial list of key technology focus areas in section 9 |
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| 28 | 28 | | •S 1106 IS |
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| 29 | 29 | | 10387(c) of the Research and Development, Com-1 |
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| 30 | 30 | | petition, and Innovation Act (42 U.S.C. 19107(c)) 2 |
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| 31 | 31 | | because it is an important part of the integrated 3 |
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| 32 | 32 | | ecosystem of emerging technologies. 4 |
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| 33 | 33 | | (2) Immersive technology has been designated a 5 |
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| 34 | 34 | | critical technology by both the National Science and 6 |
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| 35 | 35 | | Technology Council and the Department of Defense 7 |
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| 36 | 36 | | because of its importance to both economic competi-8 |
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| 37 | 37 | | tiveness and national security. 9 |
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| 38 | 38 | | (3) Immersive technology, which includes aug-10 |
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| 39 | 39 | | mented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality, is 11 |
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| 40 | 40 | | widely expected to function as the next major com-12 |
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| 41 | 41 | | puting platform. 13 |
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| 42 | 42 | | (4) Immersive technology will affect all sectors 14 |
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| 43 | 43 | | of society, creating new employment opportunities, 15 |
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| 44 | 44 | | new economic incentives, and new ways of commu-16 |
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| 45 | 45 | | nicating, learning, and engaging with the world. 17 |
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| 46 | 46 | | (5) Immersive technology was invented in the 18 |
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| 47 | 47 | | United States, and the United States is home to the 19 |
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| 48 | 48 | | leading companies in the industry. 20 |
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| 49 | 49 | | (6) Other countries, including competitors of 21 |
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| 50 | 50 | | the United States, such as the People’s Republic of 22 |
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| 51 | 51 | | China, have recognized the transformative nature of 23 |
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| 52 | 52 | | immersive technology and are implementing robust 24 |
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| 53 | 53 | | strategies in a race to dominate the sector. 25 |
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| 56 | 56 | | •S 1106 IS |
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| 57 | 57 | | (7) It is in the best interests of the United 1 |
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| 58 | 58 | | States to lead the world in the use of immersive 2 |
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| 59 | 59 | | technology such that the next computing platform is 3 |
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| 60 | 60 | | imbued with the fundamental values of the United 4 |
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| 61 | 61 | | States. 5 |
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| 62 | 62 | | SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 6 |
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| 63 | 63 | | In this Act: 7 |
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| 64 | 64 | | (1) A |
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| 65 | 65 | | DVISORY PANEL.—The term ‘‘Advisory 8 |
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| 66 | 66 | | Panel’’ means the Immersive Technology Advisory 9 |
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| 67 | 67 | | Panel established by section 5(a). 10 |
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| 68 | 68 | | (2) A |
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| 69 | 69 | | GENCY.—The term ‘‘agency’’ has the 11 |
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| 70 | 70 | | meaning given that term in section 551 of title 5, 12 |
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| 71 | 71 | | United States Code. 13 |
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| 72 | 72 | | (3) A |
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| 73 | 73 | | PPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS 14 |
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| 74 | 74 | | DEFINED.—The term ‘‘appropriate committees of 15 |
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| 75 | 75 | | Congress’’ means— 16 |
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| 76 | 76 | | (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, 17 |
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| 77 | 77 | | and Transportation of the Senate; and 18 |
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| 78 | 78 | | (B) the Committee on Energy and Com-19 |
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| 79 | 79 | | merce of the House of Representatives. 20 |
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| 80 | 80 | | (4) A |
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| 81 | 81 | | UGMENTED REALITY .—The term ‘‘aug-21 |
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| 82 | 82 | | mented reality’’ means a changed version of reality 22 |
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| 83 | 83 | | created by overlaying digital information onto the 23 |
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| 84 | 84 | | view of the physical world through the use of a de-24 |
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| 85 | 85 | | vice. 25 |
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| 88 | 88 | | •S 1106 IS |
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| 89 | 89 | | (5) IMMERSIVE TECHNOLOGY .—The term 1 |
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| 90 | 90 | | ‘‘immersive technology’’ means technology that is de-2 |
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| 91 | 91 | | ployed into interstate commerce and that integrates 3 |
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| 92 | 92 | | the physical environment with digital content to sup-4 |
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| 93 | 93 | | port user engagement, including augmented reality, 5 |
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| 94 | 94 | | mixed reality, and virtual reality. 6 |
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| 95 | 95 | | (6) M |
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| 96 | 96 | | IXED REALITY.—The term ‘‘mixed re-7 |
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| 97 | 97 | | ality’’ means an immersive technology tool that 8 |
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| 98 | 98 | | blends augmented and virtual reality, allowing users 9 |
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| 99 | 99 | | to experience simulated content within their physical 10 |
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| 100 | 100 | | worlds and to manipulate and interact with virtual 11 |
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| 101 | 101 | | elements in real time. 12 |
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| 102 | 102 | | (7) S |
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| 103 | 103 | | ECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 13 |
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| 104 | 104 | | the Secretary of Commerce. 14 |
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| 105 | 105 | | (8) V |
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| 106 | 106 | | IRTUAL REALITY.—The term ‘‘virtual re-15 |
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| 107 | 107 | | ality’’ means an immersive technology tool that oc-16 |
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| 108 | 108 | | cludes the physical surroundings of a user and re-17 |
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| 109 | 109 | | places it with a simulated virtual or digital environ-18 |
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| 110 | 110 | | ment. 19 |
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| 111 | 111 | | SEC. 4. PRINCIPAL ADVISOR ON IMMERSIVE TECHNOLOGY. 20 |
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| 112 | 112 | | (a) I |
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| 113 | 113 | | NGENERAL.—The Secretary, in consultation 21 |
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| 114 | 114 | | with the appropriate committees of Congress, shall des-22 |
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| 115 | 115 | | ignate a principal advisor on immersive technology. 23 |
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| 116 | 116 | | (b) R |
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| 117 | 117 | | ESPONSIBILITIES.—The principal advisor on 24 |
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| 118 | 118 | | immersive technology shall— 25 |
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| 121 | 121 | | •S 1106 IS |
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| 122 | 122 | | (1) support and promote the improvement, de-1 |
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| 123 | 123 | | ployment, and security of recommendations on the 2 |
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| 124 | 124 | | use of immersive technology in the United States; 3 |
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| 125 | 125 | | and 4 |
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| 126 | 126 | | (2) consider policies and programs to encourage 5 |
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| 127 | 127 | | and improve coordination among agencies with re-6 |
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| 128 | 128 | | spect to immersive technology. 7 |
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| 129 | 129 | | SEC. 5. IMMERSIVE TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY PANEL. 8 |
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| 130 | 130 | | (a) E |
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| 131 | 131 | | STABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after 9 |
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| 132 | 132 | | the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 10 |
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| 133 | 133 | | establish the Immersive Technology Advisory Panel to 11 |
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| 134 | 134 | | make recommendations on the use of immersive tech-12 |
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| 135 | 135 | | nology in the United States. 13 |
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| 136 | 136 | | (b) C |
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| 137 | 137 | | HAIRPERSON.—The Secretary, in consultation 14 |
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| 138 | 138 | | with the appropriate committees of Congress, shall ap-15 |
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| 139 | 139 | | point a chairperson of the Advisory Panel. 16 |
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| 140 | 140 | | (c) M |
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| 141 | 141 | | EMBERSHIP.—The Advisory Panel shall consist 17 |
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| 142 | 142 | | of the following members: 18 |
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| 143 | 143 | | (1) The Chairperson, appointed under sub-19 |
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| 144 | 144 | | section (b). 20 |
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| 145 | 145 | | (2) A Vice Chair, who shall be selected by the 21 |
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| 146 | 146 | | Secretary, in consultation with the appropriate com-22 |
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| 147 | 147 | | mittees of Congress, from among the members listed 23 |
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| 148 | 148 | | in paragraph (3). 24 |
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| 149 | 149 | | (3) Each of the following (or their designee): 25 |
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| 152 | 152 | | •S 1106 IS |
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| 153 | 153 | | (A) The Director of the Office of Science 1 |
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| 154 | 154 | | and Technology Policy. 2 |
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| 155 | 155 | | (B) The Secretary of Defense. 3 |
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| 156 | 156 | | (C) The Secretary of Energy. 4 |
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| 157 | 157 | | (D) The Secretary of State. 5 |
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| 158 | 158 | | (E) The Secretary of Labor. 6 |
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| 159 | 159 | | (F) The Secretary of Education. 7 |
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| 160 | 160 | | (G) The Secretary of Health and Human 8 |
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| 161 | 161 | | Services. 9 |
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| 162 | 162 | | (H) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 10 |
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| 163 | 163 | | (I) The Secretary of Transportation. 11 |
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| 164 | 164 | | (J) The Secretary of Agriculture. 12 |
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| 165 | 165 | | (4) Not fewer than 6 and not more than 10 ex-13 |
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| 166 | 166 | | perts appointed by the Secretary, in consultation 14 |
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| 167 | 167 | | with the appropriate committees of Congress, from 15 |
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| 168 | 168 | | among the following: 16 |
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| 169 | 169 | | (A) Academic institutions. 17 |
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| 170 | 170 | | (B) Think tanks. 18 |
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| 171 | 171 | | (C) Private sector technology firms. 19 |
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| 172 | 172 | | (D) Civil society, with respect to expertise 20 |
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| 173 | 173 | | in the impact of immersive technology on con-21 |
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| 174 | 174 | | sumers. 22 |
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| 175 | 175 | | (E) Any other sector as the Secretary, in 23 |
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| 176 | 176 | | consultation with the appropriate committees of 24 |
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| 177 | 177 | | Congress, determines appropriate. 25 |
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| 180 | 180 | | •S 1106 IS |
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| 181 | 181 | | (d) OBJECTIVES.—The Advisory Panel shall— 1 |
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| 182 | 182 | | (1) assess the economic impact of immersive 2 |
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| 183 | 183 | | technology; and 3 |
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| 184 | 184 | | (2) make recommendations on— 4 |
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| 185 | 185 | | (A) the manner by which immersive tech-5 |
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| 186 | 186 | | nology can be used to ensure the economic com-6 |
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| 187 | 187 | | petitiveness of the United States; 7 |
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| 188 | 188 | | (B) institutional processes that promote 8 |
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| 189 | 189 | | collaboration between the Federal Government 9 |
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| 190 | 190 | | and the private sector on matters relating to 10 |
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| 191 | 191 | | immersive technology, including— 11 |
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| 192 | 192 | | (i) technical standards; 12 |
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| 193 | 193 | | (ii) strategic investments; 13 |
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| 194 | 194 | | (iii) cybersecurity; and 14 |
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| 195 | 195 | | (iv) commercialization; 15 |
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| 196 | 196 | | (C) safeguards that are necessary to en-16 |
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| 197 | 197 | | sure that immersive technology is used ethically 17 |
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| 198 | 198 | | to protect individual data and privacy; and 18 |
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| 199 | 199 | | (D) the manner by which the Federal Gov-19 |
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| 200 | 200 | | ernment can provide global leadership in 20 |
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| 201 | 201 | | immersive technology and collaborate with allied 21 |
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| 202 | 202 | | nations. 22 |
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| 203 | 203 | | (e) M |
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| 204 | 204 | | EETINGS.—The Advisory Panel shall meet not 23 |
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| 205 | 205 | | less frequently than once every 4 months. 24 |
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| 208 | 208 | | •S 1106 IS |
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| 209 | 209 | | (f) ADMINISTRATIVE AND TECHNICALSUPPORT.— 1 |
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| 210 | 210 | | The Secretary shall provide to the Advisory Panel admin-2 |
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| 211 | 211 | | istrative and technical support. 3 |
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| 212 | 212 | | SEC. 6. STUDY AND REPORT ON IMMERSIVE TECHNOLOGY. 4 |
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| 213 | 213 | | (a) S |
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| 214 | 214 | | TUDY.— 5 |
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| 215 | 215 | | (1) I |
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| 216 | 216 | | N GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after 6 |
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| 217 | 217 | | the date of the enactment of this Act, the Advisory 7 |
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| 218 | 218 | | Panel shall complete a study on the state of the 8 |
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| 219 | 219 | | immersive technology industry and the effect of such 9 |
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| 220 | 220 | | industry on the economic competitiveness and na-10 |
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| 221 | 221 | | tional security of the United States. 11 |
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| 222 | 222 | | (2) R |
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| 223 | 223 | | EQUIREMENTS.—In conducting the study 12 |
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| 224 | 224 | | required by paragraph (1), the Advisory Panel 13 |
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| 225 | 225 | | shall— 14 |
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| 226 | 226 | | (A) assess the role of immersive technology 15 |
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| 227 | 227 | | in the broader emerging technology ecosystem 16 |
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| 228 | 228 | | and the manner in which the United States can 17 |
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| 229 | 229 | | make strategic investments that support the 18 |
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| 230 | 230 | | key technology focus areas identified in section 19 |
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| 231 | 231 | | 10387(c) of the Research and Development, 20 |
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| 232 | 232 | | Competition, and Innovation Act (42 U.S.C. 21 |
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| 233 | 233 | | 19107(c)); 22 |
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| 234 | 234 | | (B) examine the economic impact of the 23 |
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| 235 | 235 | | use of immersive technology across key sectors, 24 |
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| 236 | 236 | | including manufacturing, energy, public safety, 25 |
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| 239 | 239 | | •S 1106 IS |
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| 240 | 240 | | health care, urban planning, construction, auto-1 |
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| 241 | 241 | | motive, agriculture, workforce development, re-2 |
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| 242 | 242 | | tail, education, and entertainment; 3 |
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| 243 | 243 | | (C) assess the ways in which immersive 4 |
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| 244 | 244 | | technology benefits businesses (including small- 5 |
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| 245 | 245 | | and medium-sized businesses), including— 6 |
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| 246 | 246 | | (i) by facilitating the delivery of es-7 |
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| 247 | 247 | | sential human services; and 8 |
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| 248 | 248 | | (ii) by supporting workforce develop-9 |
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| 249 | 249 | | ment in critical sectors; 10 |
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| 250 | 250 | | (D) determine the investment and per-11 |
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| 251 | 251 | | sonnel needed for the timely and successful de-12 |
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| 252 | 252 | | ployment of immersive technology that ensures 13 |
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| 253 | 253 | | the global leadership of the United States; 14 |
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| 254 | 254 | | (E) identify any voluntary standard or best 15 |
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| 255 | 255 | | practice needed to ensure that immersive tech-16 |
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| 256 | 256 | | nology is designed and deployed in a manner 17 |
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| 257 | 257 | | that— 18 |
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| 258 | 258 | | (i) facilitates ease of use; and 19 |
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| 259 | 259 | | (ii) protects individual rights, includ-20 |
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| 260 | 260 | | ing with respect to— 21 |
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| 261 | 261 | | (I) privacy; 22 |
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| 262 | 262 | | (II) accessibility; 23 |
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| 263 | 263 | | (III) digital identity; and 24 |
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| 264 | 264 | | (IV) intellectual property; 25 |
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| 267 | 267 | | •S 1106 IS |
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| 268 | 268 | | (F) assess the national and economic secu-1 |
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| 269 | 269 | | rity benefits and risks associated with 2 |
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| 270 | 270 | | immersive technology and the ways in which the 3 |
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| 271 | 271 | | benefits can be maximized and the risks miti-4 |
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| 272 | 272 | | gated; and 5 |
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| 273 | 273 | | (G) address the objectives described in sec-6 |
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| 274 | 274 | | tion 5(d). 7 |
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| 275 | 275 | | (b) R |
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| 276 | 276 | | EPORT.— 8 |
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| 277 | 277 | | (1) I |
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| 278 | 278 | | N GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 9 |
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| 279 | 279 | | the date on which the study is completed under sub-10 |
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| 280 | 280 | | section (a)(1), the Secretary shall submit to the ap-11 |
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| 281 | 281 | | propriate committees of Congress a report on— 12 |
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| 282 | 282 | | (A) the findings of the study; and 13 |
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| 283 | 283 | | (B) recommendations based on the find-14 |
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| 284 | 284 | | ings of the study for congressional action. 15 |
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| 285 | 285 | | (2) P |
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| 286 | 286 | | UBLICATION.—The Secretary shall publish 16 |
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| 287 | 287 | | the report required by paragraph (1) on a publicly 17 |
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| 288 | 288 | | accessible website of the White House. 18 |
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| 289 | 289 | | Æ |
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