Human Authority over Autonomous Weapons Act of 2026

Bill Number

H.R. 9729

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-07-16: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

Last Updated

2026-07-18T22:06:21Z

AI-Generated Summary

Summary of H.R. 9729: Human Authority over Autonomous Weapons Act of 2026

Purpose

This legislation amends Title 10 of the United States Code to require human command responsibility over the use of autonomous weapons systems and artificial intelligence-enabled systems by the U.S. Armed Forces, with the goal of ensuring appropriate levels of human oversight in decisions involving the use of force.

Key Provisions

• Human Oversight Requirement: The Secretary of Defense must establish procedures to identify human commanders or operators responsible for authorizing, supervising, and terminating any use of force involving these systems. This includes ensuring human oversight, approval, or a "human-in-the-loop" for intentionally lethal uses.
• Verification Process: For the first five years after enactment, commanders or operators must verify targets using a secondary source or data not solely generated by artificial intelligence.
• Exceptions: The requirements do not apply to U.S. missile defense systems or other systems designed to intercept, deflect, or engage incoming missiles, munitions, or weapons targeting the United States or its Armed Forces.
• Relation to Existing Guidance: The new rules supplement, but do not replace, Department of Defense Directive 3000.09 on Autonomy in Weapon Systems.
• Definitions: Provides definitions for "artificial intelligence" (referencing the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020) and "autonomous weapon system" (including operator-supervised systems that can select and engage targets independently after activation).
• Reporting: The Secretary of Defense must submit a report to the congressional armed services committees within one year, detailing implementation procedures and any instances where use of force was prevented or delayed due to the requirements.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This bill introduces a new section (130g) in Chapter 3 of Title 10, U.S. Code, establishing statutory mandates for human oversight that go beyond current Department of Defense policy. It adds specific procedural requirements, including target verification using non-AI sources for an initial five-year period, which represent new legal obligations not previously codified.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: The Department of Defense and Armed Forces would need to develop and implement new procedures, potentially affecting training, system development, and operational timelines for autonomous and AI-enabled weapons.
• On Citizens: Limited direct impact, though it could influence public confidence in military technology use.
• On International Relations: The measure may set a precedent for human control standards in allied operations or international discussions on autonomous weapons, but it does not impose requirements on foreign entities.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• The Department of Defense and U.S. Armed Forces, as the primary entities required to comply.
• Congressional committees on armed services, which receive the required implementation report.
• Developers and operators of autonomous and AI-enabled military systems.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: The bill explicitly positions its requirements as additions to existing DoD guidance, creating enforceable statutory rules for human responsibility in lethal decisions. It includes a rule of construction to avoid replacing prior regulations.
• Constitutional: It aligns with congressional authority over military regulations under Article I, Section 8, without altering the President's role as Commander in Chief.
• Political: The legislation addresses emerging concerns about artificial intelligence in warfare by mandating human involvement, potentially influencing future policy debates on autonomous systems.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8]

Cosponsors (3)

Rep. Barrett, Tom [R-MI-7], Rep. Jacobs, Sara [D-CA-51], Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4]

Recent Actions

• 2026-07-16: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
• 2026-07-16: Introduced in House
• 2026-07-16: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Human Authority over Autonomous Weapons Act of 2026 — issued 2026-07-16 — PDF (4 pages)