Ultimate Human Responsibility in Defense Systems Act of 2026
Latest action (4 Jun 2026): Introduced
What this bill does
S. 4682, the "Ultimate Human Responsibility in Defense Systems Act of 2026," would establish requirements for how the Department of Defense develops, tests, and uses autonomous weapon systems and related artificial intelligence capabilities. The bill requires that such systems be designed so commanders and operators can supervise, intervene in, or terminate the use of force, and that systems include fail-safes for degraded or contested environments. It requires training programs, a certification and testing process led by the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation before certain systems can be fielded, an incident-reporting repository modeled on aviation safety systems, and a new Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Office within the Office of the Secretary of Defense. It also requires periodic reports and briefings to Congress.
The bill primarily affects the Department of Defense, its personnel who operate or oversee autonomous and AI-enabled weapon systems, and defense contractors developing such systems. It also creates new obligations for Pentagon leadership to report to Congress and to publish testing standards. The bill includes a provision clarifying that it does not prohibit defensive systems designed to intercept incoming threats, as long as human supervision remains part of their design.
The bill was introduced in the Senate on June 4, 2026, by Sen. Mark Kelly and referred to the Senate Committee on Armed Services. It has not yet been voted on, and would need to pass committee review, the full Senate, the House, and be signed by the President before becoming law.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
This bill is in the first stage of the legislative process. It was introduced into Congress on June 4, 2026. It will typically be considered by committee next before it is possibly sent on to the House or Senate as a whole.
Common questions
- What does S. 4682 do?
- S. 4682, the "Ultimate Human Responsibility in Defense Systems Act of 2026," would establish requirements for how the Department of Defense develops, tests, and uses autonomous weapon systems and related artificial intelligence capabilities. The bill requires that such systems be designed so commanders and operators can supervise, intervene in, or terminate the use of force, and that systems include fail-safes for degraded or contested environments. It requires training programs, a certification and testing process led by the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation before certain systems can be fielded, an incident-reporting repository modeled on aviation safety systems, and a new Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Office within the Office of the Secretary of Defense. It also requires periodic reports and briefings to Congress. The bill primarily affects the Department of Defense, its personnel who operate or oversee autonomous and AI-enabled weapon systems, and defense contractors developing such systems. It also creates new obligations for Pentagon leadership to report to Congress and to publish testing standards. The bill includes a provision clarifying that it does not prohibit defensive systems designed to intercept incoming threats, as long as human supervision remains part of their design. The bill was introduced in the Senate on June 4, 2026, by Sen. Mark Kelly and referred to the Senate Committee on Armed Services. It has not yet been voted on, and would need to pass committee review, the full Senate, the House, and be signed by the President before becoming law.
- Has S. 4682 become law?
- Not yet. As of 4 Jun 2026, S. 4682 is introduced.
- Who sponsored S. 4682?
- S. 4682 was sponsored by Sen. Mark Kelly [D-AZ] (Democrat-AZ), with 0 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on S. 4682?
- Introduced (4 Jun 2026).
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