{"id":"5bf2de046bca6866","congress_number":119,"bill_type":"hr","bill_number":"9729","title":"Human Authority over Autonomous Weapons Act of 2026","plain_summary":"Requires meaningful human control and decision authority over autonomous weapons systems. Would constrain the military's use of AI to select or engage targets without a human in the loop.","ai_relevance_score":0.95,"topics":["weapons","safety","national_security"],"status":"committee","introduced_at":"2026-07-16","last_action_at":"2026-07-16","last_action_text":"Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.","sponsor_id":"B001292","full_text_url":null,"created_at":"2026-09-08T22:53:58.186Z","updated_at":"2026-09-09T02:08:29.132Z","ai_reasoning":null,"reported_at":null,"passed_house_at":null,"passed_senate_at":null,"became_law_at":null,"recorded_votes":[],"classifier":null,"url":"https://whovotedwhy.com/bills/5bf2de046bca6866","congress_gov_url":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/9729","sponsor":{"id":"B001292","bioguide_id":"B001292","first_name":"Donald","last_name":"Beyer","full_name":"Donald Beyer","party":"D","state":"VA","chamber":"house","district":"8","title":"Representative","photo_url":null,"twitter_handle":"RepDonBeyer","official_website":"https://beyer.house.gov","fec_candidate_ids":["H4VA08224"],"lis_id":null,"is_active":true,"term_start":"2025-01-03","term_end":"2027-01-03","created_at":"2026-09-08T22:51:51.014Z","updated_at":"2026-09-09T02:08:13.531Z"},"roll_calls":[],"citing_statements":[{"id":"b05992f0c62416e0","politician_id":"B001321","type":"press_release","content":"Image\n\nWashington, D.C. — Congressman Tom Barrett (MI-07) today introduced legislation to ensure every community in Michigan and across the United States maintains their autonomy over the decision-making process related to building a data center. Specifically, the two bills would protect local control by prohibiting the federal government from overriding local zoning decisions and banning members of Congress from signing non-disclosure agreements related to data center projects.\n\nThe introduction of the legislation was first reported in The Detroit News.\n\n“People in mid-Michigan are tired of big corporations and politicians negotiating backroom deals, especially when it comes to data center projects that impact every community differently,” said Barrett. “Families in my district are rightly concerned about the effect data centers could have on their utility bills, as well as the land and water in their neighborhood. They deserve to know all the facts and have the final say over any proposed project. That starts with stopping federal overreach and preventing the secrecy pledges that have plagued Michigan and undermined the power of local residents.”\n\nBarrett has long opposed the government putting a thumb on the scale in favor of data centers. When he served in the Michigan House of Representatives, he voted against legislation his own party passed to give corporate welfare for data center construction and equipment purchases.\n\nBelow is additional information on the two bills Congressman Barrett introduced:\n\nThe Protecting Local Control of Data Centers Act (H.R. 10119) would prohibit federal agencies from overriding local land-use, zoning, siting, or permitting authority related to data centers. It would also prevent federal agencies from leveraging federal funds for a data center to force state and local governments to give up their authority.\n\nThe No Data Center NDAs Act (H.R. 10118) would prohibit members of Congress from signing non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) about data centers, including any information about possible locations or how much water or energy a facility is expected to consume. NDAs have gained attention in Michigan in recent years, with many federal, state, and local officials signing secrecy deals about proposed corporate projects.\n\nBarrett also recently co-sponsored a variety of bills to promote transparency and strengthen safeguards around the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI), including:\n\nThe Children Harmed by AI Technology (CHAT) Act (H.R. 7218) to require AI chatbots to implement age verification measures to protect minors. The bill requires parental consent for minors using chatbots, bans chatbots from engaging in sexually explicit communications with minors, and requires chatbots to notify a minor’s parent if the minor’s chat shows signs of suicidal ideation.\n\nThe AI Threat Output and Monitoring Incident Containment Act (H.R. 9965) to test advanced AI systems to prevent risks to nuclear safety.\n\nThe Human Authority over Autonomous Weapons Act (H.R. 9729) to ensure that no autonomous or artificial intelligence-enabled weapon system used by the United States military can carry out an intentionally lethal strike without meaningful human oversight or a human decision-maker in the loop.\n\nCLICK HERE to read the Protecting Local Control of Data Centers Act.","url":"https://barrett.house.gov/media/press-releases/barrett-introduces-bills-protect-local-communities-data-center-overreach","published_at":"2026-08-20","ai_topics":["data_centers","transparency","children","safety","national_security"],"ai_stance":"support","ai_summary":"Barrett introduces bills barring federal override of local data center zoning and banning congressional NDAs, and touts cosponsorship of AI safeguards on chatbots for minors, nuclear risk, and autonomous weapons.","ai_processed":true,"bill_ids":["066a886e680a6f5e","81b741648bcf43e8","8c981bab41e1bf2a","5bf2de046bca6866"],"ai_relevance_score":null,"bill_refs":[{"bill_id":"066a886e680a6f5e","method":"number"},{"bill_id":"81b741648bcf43e8","method":"number"},{"bill_id":"8c981bab41e1bf2a","method":"number"},{"bill_id":"5bf2de046bca6866","method":"number"}],"classifier":null},{"id":"d5462204f13fc3a8","politician_id":"B001321","type":"press_release","content":"Washington, D.C. — Today, Congressmen Tom Barrett (MI-07), Don Beyer (VA-08), and Sara Jacobs (CA-51) introduced the Human Authority over Autonomous Weapons Act (H.R. 9729) to ensure that no autonomous or artificial intelligence-enabled weapon system used by the United States military can carry out an intentionally lethal strike without meaningful human oversight or a human decision-maker in the loop. The bill would establish a clear legal requirement that commanders and operators retain appropriate levels of human judgment in decisions involving the use of lethal force.\n\n“Artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly critical role in strengthening our national defense, but it should never be the one making life-or-death decisions,” Barrett said. “We must establish safeguards now to ensure these technologies are used ethically and transparently. This bipartisan bill sets clear limits to make sure people stay in control whenever lethal force is involved while allowing our military to continue leading the world in technological innovation.”\n\n“No machine should ever be allowed to independently decide to kill a human being because allowing AI systems to independently select and engage targets carries serious risks. Machines cannot understand morality or the value of human life, nor can they be held accountable for mistakes, war crimes, or catastrophic escalation,” said Beyer. “These life and death decisions must remain in human hands. As AI becomes more powerful and more integrated into military systems, Congress has a responsibility to establish clear guardrails and responsible standards for the military use of AI. Our legislation would ensure that a human decision-maker always remains in the loop and integral to the chain of command when lethal force is involved.”\n\n“AI mistakes on the battlefield have the potential to be catastrophic: civilian casualties, friendly fire, unintended escalation, and calculations made on faulty data,” said Jacobs. “These aren’t risks worth taking – not when they can result in unnecessary lives lost or war. That’s why I’m proud to join Congressman Beyer and Congressman Barrett in introducing legislation to ensure that humans are meaningfully involved before autonomous or AI-enabled weapon systems are used for lethal force. This is a common-sense step to help our military keep pace with emerging technologies while upholding our commitments to international humanitarian law and ethics.”\n\nBarrett also recently introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to prohibit the use of artificial intelligence to independently carry out offensive lethal force. Although the amendment was not made in order for House floor consideration, Barrett has continued working with colleagues on bipartisan legislation to establish statutory guardrails for the military use of AI-enabled and autonomous weapons.\n\nClick here to read the bill.","url":"https://barrett.house.gov/media/press-releases/barrett-beyer-jacobs-introduce-bipartisan-bill-require-human-oversight-over","published_at":"2026-07-17","ai_topics":["national_security","safety","regulation"],"ai_stance":"support","ai_summary":"Barrett's bipartisan bill would legally require meaningful human control over lethal autonomous and AI-enabled weapons.","ai_processed":true,"bill_ids":["5bf2de046bca6866"],"ai_relevance_score":null,"bill_refs":[{"bill_id":"5bf2de046bca6866","method":"number"}],"classifier":null},{"id":"b798b527258aa264","politician_id":"B001292","type":"press_release","content":"Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), Congressman Tom Barrett (R-MI), and Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (D-CA) introduced the Human Authority over Autonomous Weapons Act to ensure that no autonomous or artificial intelligence-enabled weapon system used by the United States military can carry out an intentionally lethal strike without meaningful human oversight or a human decision-maker in the loop. The bill would establish a clear legal requirement that commanders and operators retain appropriate levels of human judgment in decisions involving the use of lethal force.\n\n“No machine should ever be given the power to decide to kill a human being on its own. Allowing AI systems to independently select and engage targets carries serious risks; machines cannot understand morality or the value of human life, nor can they be held accountable for mistakes, war crimes, or catastrophic escalation,” said Rep. Beyer. “These life and death decisions must remain in human hands. As AI becomes more powerful and more integrated into military systems, Congress has a responsibility to establish clear guardrails and responsible standards for the military use of AI. Our legislation would ensure that a human decision-maker always remains in the loop and integral to the chain of command when lethal force is involved.”\n\n“Artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly critical role in strengthening our national defense, but it should never be the one making life-or-death decisions,” Rep. Barrett said. “We must establish safeguards now to ensure these technologies are used ethically and transparently. This bipartisan bill sets clear limits to make sure people stay in control whenever lethal force is involved while allowing our military to continue leading the world in technological innovation.”\n\n“AI mistakes on the battlefield have the potential to be catastrophic: civilian casualties, friendly fire, unintended escalation, and calculations made on faulty data,” said Rep. Jacobs. “These aren’t risks worth taking – not when they can result in unnecessary lives lost or war. That’s why I’m proud to join Congressman Beyer and Congressman Barrett in introducing legislation to ensure that humans are meaningfully involved before autonomous or AI-enabled weapon systems are used for lethal force. This is a common-sense step to help our military keep pace with emerging technologies while upholding our commitments to international humanitarian law and ethics.”\n\nThis legislation is also supported by organizations including Council for a Livable World, Common Defense, and Win Without War.\n\n“Council for a Livable World is pleased to support the Human Authority over Autonomous Weapons Act as it would mark a clear step forward toward ethical oversight of emerging military technologies, which thus far have been outpacing guardrails and regulations,\" said Council for a Livable World Executive Director and Former Congressman John Tierney. “This bill identifies and proposes a remedy to the dangers of unmitigated autonomy of weapons, particularly weapons of mass destruction. Every lawmaker should understand the importance of keeping Americans safe by ensuring a human is always involved in decisions affecting human life. Unlike humans, machines can't apply judgments based on values and morals, and all available evidence shows machines have an alarming propensity for error. Americans should not have to face the consequences of automated weapons technology running amok. It's essential that policy makers debate and resolve how to address this critical security issue, and we applaud Rep. Beyer's focus on such a serious and urgent matter.”\n\n“Common Defense strongly endorses the Human Authority over Autonomous Weapons Act,” said Common Defense Political Director Naveed Shah. “As an Army veteran who served in Iraq, I know the moral responsibility that comes with taking human life in combat, decisions that must never be handed over to machines. This bill ensures meaningful human control over","url":"https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=9164","published_at":"2026-07-17","ai_topics":["national_security","safety","regulation","liability"],"ai_stance":"support","ai_summary":"Beyer's bipartisan bill would mandate a human decision-maker in the loop before any AI-enabled weapon uses lethal force.","ai_processed":true,"bill_ids":["5bf2de046bca6866"],"ai_relevance_score":null,"bill_refs":[{"bill_id":"5bf2de046bca6866","method":"title"}],"classifier":null},{"id":"f0e615eb5c7bc532","politician_id":"J000305","type":"press_release","content":"Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), Congressman Tom Barrett (R-MI), and Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (D-CA) introduced the Human Authority over Autonomous Weapons Act to ensure that no autonomous or artificial intelligence-enabled weapon system used by the United States military can carry out an intentionally lethal strike without meaningful human oversight or a human decision-maker in the loop. The bill would establish a clear legal requirement that commanders and operators retain appropriate levels of human judgment in decisions involving the use of lethal force.\n\n“No machine should ever be given the power to decide to kill a human being on its own. Allowing AI systems to independently select and engage targets carries serious risks; machines cannot understand morality or the value of human life, nor can they be held accountable for mistakes, war crimes, or catastrophic escalation,” said Rep. Beyer. “These life and death decisions must remain in human hands. As AI becomes more powerful and more integrated into military systems, Congress has a responsibility to establish clear guardrails and responsible standards for the military use of AI. Our legislation would ensure that a human decision-maker always remains in the loop and integral to the chain of command when lethal force is involved.”\n\n“Artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly critical role in strengthening our national defense, but it should never be the one making life-or-death decisions,” Rep. Barrett said. “We must establish safeguards now to ensure these technologies are used ethically and transparently. This bipartisan bill sets clear limits to make sure people stay in control whenever lethal force is involved while allowing our military to continue leading the world in technological innovation.”\n\n“AI mistakes on the battlefield have the potential to be catastrophic: civilian casualties, friendly fire, unintended escalation, and calculations made on faulty data,” said Rep. Jacobs. “These aren’t risks worth taking – not when they can result in unnecessary lives lost or war. That’s why I’m proud to join Congressman Beyer and Congressman Barrett in introducing legislation to ensure that humans are meaningfully involved before autonomous or AI-enabled weapon systems are used for lethal force. This is a common-sense step to help our military keep pace with emerging technologies while upholding our commitments to international humanitarian law and ethics.”\n\nThis legislation is also supported by organizations including Council for a Livable World, Common Defense, and Win Without War.\n\n“Council for a Livable World is pleased to support the Human Authority over Autonomous Weapons Act as it would mark a clear step forward toward ethical oversight of emerging military technologies, which thus far have been outpacing guardrails and regulations,\" said Council for a Livable World Executive Director and Former Congressman John Tierney. “This bill identifies and proposes a remedy to the dangers of unmitigated autonomy of weapons, particularly weapons of mass destruction. Every lawmaker should understand the importance of keeping Americans safe by ensuring a human is always involved in decisions affecting human life. Unlike humans, machines can't apply judgments based on values and morals, and all available evidence shows machines have an alarming propensity for error. Americans should not have to face the consequences of automated weapons technology running amok. It's essential that policy makers debate and resolve how to address this critical security issue, and we applaud Rep. Beyer's focus on such a serious and urgent matter.”\n\n“Common Defense strongly endorses the Human Authority over Autonomous Weapons Act,” said Common Defense Political Director Naveed Shah. “As an Army veteran who served in Iraq, I know the moral responsibility that comes with taking human life in combat, decisions that must never be handed over to machines. This bill ensures meaningful human control over","url":"https://sarajacobs.house.gov/news/press-releases/beyer-barrett-jacobs-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-requiring-human-control-over-autonomous-weapons","published_at":"2026-07-17","ai_topics":["national_security","safety","regulation"],"ai_stance":"support","ai_summary":"Jacobs backs bipartisan legislation requiring meaningful human control over lethal autonomous and AI-enabled weapons systems.","ai_processed":true,"bill_ids":["5bf2de046bca6866"],"ai_relevance_score":null,"bill_refs":[{"bill_id":"5bf2de046bca6866","method":"title"}],"classifier":null}],"provenance":{"commit":"38624a3af16ec6b3fff9b27c7d1d9f2cb7fe9152","generated_at":"2026-09-11T15:06:57.105Z","schema_version":2,"manifest":"https://whovotedwhy.com/data/index.json"}}