PATHS Act
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Bill details
Summary
Introduced in House
Producing Advanced Technologies for Homeland Security Act or the PATHS Act This bill extends through FY2028 the authority of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to use other transactions (OT) to carry out research and prototype projects when the use of contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements is not feasible or appropriate. (OTs, in contrast to traditional procurement contracts, are exempt from many federal procurement laws and regulations.) DHS must notify Congress within 72 hours of using or extending this authority for research and development projects related to artificial intelligence technology and must offer to brief Congress on the rationale for such a decision. The bill also lowers from $4 million to $1 million the minimum value of contract awards that DHS must publicly report on its website.
District impact notes
The PATHS Act allows the Department of Homeland Security to continue using flexible funding methods for research and prototype projects through 2028. • This could impact local research institutions or businesses involved in advanced technology development. • The bill may affect public services related to homeland security and technology implementation in the district. • There may be questions about how the lowered reporting threshold for contract awards could influence transparency and public oversight. AI-generated from official bill summary and plain-English note; verify with official text.
Related votes
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