To direct the National Nuclear Security Administration through the Secretary of Energy to establish the Advanced Artificial Intelligence Nuclear Evaluation Program, and for other purposes.

119th Congress Introduced by Sara Jacobs and 1 co-sponsor

The bill would create the Advanced Artificial Intelligence Nuclear Evaluation Program within the NNSA to use AI for nuclear security evaluations and decision-support.

Introduced in House

Overview

HR 9965, introduced in the 119th Congress, seeks to direct the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) through the Department of Energy to establish the Advanced Artificial Intelligence Nuclear Evaluation Program, with additional provisions “and for other purposes.” The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and has two co-sponsors: Celeste Maloy and Sara Jacobs.

Purpose and intent

Establish an Advanced Artificial Intelligence Nuclear Evaluation Program within the NNSA to advance AI-enabled evaluation, analysis, and decision-support related to nuclear security, weapons life-cycle assessment, and potentially other nuclear-related activities.

The program is intended to leverage advanced AI technologies to improve evaluation processes, risk assessment, and data-driven decision making within NNSA operations.

Key provisions and changes

Creation of a dedicated program: The bill directs the NNSA (through the Secretary of Energy) to establish the Advanced Artificial Intelligence Nuclear Evaluation Program.

Agency and supervisory structure: The program would operate under the NNSA within the Department of Energy, with coordination through appropriate NNSA or DOE offices as designated by statute or implementing guidance.

Scope of AI focus: The program centers on AI-enabled evaluation and analysis related to nuclear security and related nuclear program activities. The exact scope, use cases, and methodologies would be defined by the implementing agency, within statutory boundaries.

Potential integration with existing frameworks: While not fully specified in the summary, such a program would typically interface with existing NNSA competency areas (e.g., stockpile stewardship, nonproliferation, weapons evaluation, cyber-physical security) to augment evaluation capabilities.

Who/what would be affected

Primary: National Nuclear Security Administration and, more broadly, the Department of Energy, as they implement the Advanced AI Nuclear Evaluation Program.

Stakeholders potentially impacted include NNSA program offices, contractors and program partners involved in nuclear security evaluation, and researchers or institutions collaborating on AI-related defense applications.

Personnel roles affected: personnel involved in assessments, evaluation, data analysis, and AI/machine-learning research within the NNSA and DOE framework.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Introduction and referral: The bill was introduced in the House and referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology on July 27, 2026.

Next steps: The committee may hold hearings, mark up the bill, and potentially report it to the full House. If advanced, further legislative steps would include floor consideration, potential amendments, and coordination with the Senate.

Implementation timeline: Specific timelines, milestones, funding levels, and detailed implementation plans would typically be outlined in committee reports or subsequent implementing legislation or appropriations, but are not detailed in the available summary.

Notes for readers

The bill’s text would provide precise definitions of the “Advanced Artificial Intelligence Nuclear Evaluation Program,” the allowable activities, data governance, safety and security provisions, funding authorizations, and oversight requirements.

As a relatively new program proposal, key questions likely to arise include: funding scale, criteria for success, ethical and safety safeguards for AI in nuclear contexts, data handling and cybersecurity measures, and alignment with national security priorities.