H.R. 7110

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7110 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7110

To require agencies that use, fund, or oversee algorithms to have an 
office of civil rights focused on bias, discrimination, and other harms 
of algorithms, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 15, 2026

Ms. Lee of Pennsylvania (for herself, Ms. Norton, Ms. Tlaib, Mrs. 
Ramirez, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Thanedar, Mr. Thompson of 
Mississippi, Mr. Evans of Pennsylvania, Ms. Bonamici, Mrs. Watson 
Coleman, Mrs. Foushee, and Mr. Green of Texas) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government 
Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To require agencies that use, fund, or oversee algorithms to have an 
office of civil rights focused on bias, discrimination, and other harms 
of algorithms, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Eliminating Bias in Algorithmic 
Systems Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Agency.--The term ``agency'' has the meaning given the 
term in section 3502 of title 44, United States Code.
(2) Covered agency.--The term ``covered agency'' means an 
agency that--
(A) uses, funds, or procures a covered algorithm, 
or funds or otherwise participates in the development 
of a covered algorithm; or
(B) oversees, regulates, or advises on the 
development or use of a covered algorithm.
(3) Covered algorithm.--The term ``covered algorithm'' 
means a process that--
(A) is--
(i) a computational process that uses 
machine learning, natural language processing, 
artificial intelligence techniques, or other 
computational processing techniques of similar 
or greater complexity; or
(ii) a computational process derived from a 
process described in clause (i); and
(B) has the potential to have a material effect on 
the impact of, access to, availability of, eligibility 
for, cost of, terms of, or conditions of--
(i) a program operated or funded by an 
agency;
(ii) an economic opportunity regulated by 
an agency; or
(iii) rights protected by an agency.
(4) Protected characteristic.--The term ``protected 
characteristic'' means any of the following actual or perceived 
traits of an individual or group of individuals:
(A) Race.
(B) Color.
(C) Ethnicity.
(D) National origin, nationality, or immigration 
status.
(E) Religion.
(F) Sex (including a sex stereotype, pregnancy, 
childbirth, or a related medical condition, sexual 
orientation or gender identity, and sex 
characteristics, including intersex traits).
(G) Disability.
(H) Limited English proficiency.
(I) Biometric information.
(J) Familial or marital status.
(K) Source of income.
(L) Income level (not including the ability to pay 
for a specific good or service being offered).
(M) Age.
(N) Veteran status.
(O) Genetic information or medical conditions.
(P) Any other classification protected by Federal 
law.

SEC. 3. CIVIL RIGHTS OFFICES AND REPORTING ON AI BIAS, DISCRIMINATION, 
AND OTHER HARMS.

(a) Offices of Civil Rights.--The head of each covered agency shall 
ensure that the covered agency has an office of civil rights that 
employs experts and technologists focused on bias, discrimination, and 
other harms, including the effect or tendency to subject communities, 
groups, or individuals to bias based on, discrimination based on, or 
other harms attributable to possessing or being perceived as possessing 
a protected characteristic.
(b) Bias, Discrimination, and Other Harms Reports.--Not later than 
1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, and every 2 years 
thereafter, each office of civil rights of a covered agency established 
under subsection (a) shall submit to each congressional committee with 
jurisdiction over the covered agency a report that details--
(1) the state of the field and technology of covered 
algorithms with respect to jurisdiction of the covered agency, 
including risks relating to bias based on, discrimination based 
on, and other harms attributable to possessing or being 
perceived as possessing a protected characteristic;
(2) any relevant steps the covered agency has taken to 
mitigate harms from covered algorithms relating to bias based 
on, discrimination based on, and other harms attributable to 
possessing or being perceived as possessing a protected 
characteristic;
(3) actions the covered agency has taken to engage with 
relevant stakeholders, including industry representatives, 
businesses, civil rights advocates, consumer protection 
organizations, other relevant civil society organizations, 
academic experts, individuals with technical expertise, 
organizations representing workers, and affected populations, 
regarding bias, discrimination, and other harms including the 
effect or tendency to subject communities, groups, or 
individuals to bias based on, discrimination based on, and 
other harms attributable to possessing or being perceived as 
possessing a protected characteristic; and
(4) any relevant recommendations for legislation or 
administrative action to mitigate bias based on, discrimination 
based on, and other harms attributable to possessing or being 
perceived as possessing a protected characteristic from covered 
algorithms, as determined appropriate by the head of the 
office.
(c) Interagency Working Group.--Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Assistant Attorney General in charge 
of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice shall 
establish an interagency working group on covered algorithms and civil 
rights, of which each office of civil rights of a covered agency 
established under subsection (a) shall be a member.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to each covered agency such sums as may be necessary to 
carry out this Act.
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