Department of Energy Veterans Health Initiative Act
Latest action (26 Nov 2018): Introduced
What this bill does
S. 3656, the Department of Energy Veterans' Health Initiative Act, would authorize the Department of Energy to conduct collaborative research with the Department of Veterans Affairs aimed at improving veterans' healthcare. It would direct the Secretary of Energy to establish a research program applying artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, machine learning, and large-scale data analytics to veterans' long-term health, health risk, and genomic data. It would also create a separate pilot program using data from federal agencies, universities, nonprofits, and industry to advance broader big-data and AI tools. Both programs would be carried out through competitive, merit-reviewed grants and would include data-security and privacy safeguards consistent with VA policy.
The bill primarily affects the Department of Energy, its National Laboratories, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, along with universities, nonprofits, and other research entities that could compete for program funding. Veterans could be indirectly affected if the research leads to improved health outcomes or data-driven care approaches. Funding would come from existing appropriations—$27 million from VA medical and prosthetic research funds (FY2019–2023) and $52 million from DOE funds (FY2019–2020)—with no new money authorized beyond current levels. The Secretary would be required to report to relevant House and Senate committees within two years on the programs' effectiveness.
The bill was introduced in the Senate on November 26, 2018, by Senator Joni Ernst and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. It did not receive a vote before the end of the 115th Congress, meaning it did not become law and would need to be reintroduced in a future Congress to be considered further.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Department of Energy Veterans' Health Initiative Act
This bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish a research program in artificial intelligence and high-performance computing that is focused on the development of tools to: (1) solve big data challenges associated with veterans' health care, and (2) support the Department of Veterans Affairs in identifying potential health risks and challenges.
DOE shall carry out a pilot program to develop tools for big data analytics in order to advance artificial intelligence technologies to solve complex big data challenges.
Common questions
- What does S. 3656 do?
- S. 3656, the Department of Energy Veterans' Health Initiative Act, would authorize the Department of Energy to conduct collaborative research with the Department of Veterans Affairs aimed at improving veterans' healthcare. It would direct the Secretary of Energy to establish a research program applying artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, machine learning, and large-scale data analytics to veterans' long-term health, health risk, and genomic data. It would also create a separate pilot program using data from federal agencies, universities, nonprofits, and industry to advance broader big-data and AI tools. Both programs would be carried out through competitive, merit-reviewed grants and would include data-security and privacy safeguards consistent with VA policy. The bill primarily affects the Department of Energy, its National Laboratories, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, along with universities, nonprofits, and other research entities that could compete for program funding. Veterans could be indirectly affected if the research leads to improved health outcomes or data-driven care approaches. Funding would come from existing appropriations—$27 million from VA medical and prosthetic research funds (FY2019–2023) and $52 million from DOE funds (FY2019–2020)—with no new money authorized beyond current levels. The Secretary would be required to report to relevant House and Senate committees within two years on the programs' effectiveness. The bill was introduced in the Senate on November 26, 2018, by Senator Joni Ernst and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. It did not receive a vote before the end of the 115th Congress, meaning it did not become law and would need to be reintroduced in a future Congress to be considered further.
- Has S. 3656 become law?
- Not yet. As of 26 Nov 2018, S. 3656 is introduced.
- Who sponsored S. 3656?
- S. 3656 was sponsored by Sen. Joni Ernst [R-IA] (Republican-IA), with 5 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on S. 3656?
- Introduced (26 Nov 2018).
Related bills in Science, Technology, Communications
Open-Source AI Leadership Act
AI for Secure Networks Act
Memory Chip Competitiveness Assessment Act of 2026
ITS Codification Act
Bill100 mirrors the public U.S. legislative record from Congress.gov and GovTrack and adds plain-English AI summaries. It is an information tool, not legal, compliance or lobbying advice, and it is not affiliated with the U.S. Congress or any government agency. AI summaries can simplify or omit detail — every bill links to the official source; verify there before you rely on it.