S. 4600 – A bill to require the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs…

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Updated January 20, 2026 at 5:30 PM UTC

The bill directs the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs to give Congress briefings on two initiatives: creating a course that teaches how to verify the origin of digital media, and a pilot program testing such verification methods. The briefings must be delivered to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees within 60 days after the FY2025 National Defense Authorization Act is enacted. The purpose is to keep lawmakers informed about the Department of Defense’s progress and any challenges in developing these authentication capabilities.

Key Provisions

Amends the FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act to add an interim briefing requirement, obligating the Assistant to report on the status of developing a curriculum for a digital content provenance education course.
Requires the briefing to include the curriculum’s development status, any resource or other challenges, and any additional matters the Secretary deems appropriate.
Adds a second interim briefing requirement on the pilot program for authenticating digital content, covering the identification of an industry standard, resource constraints, business processes, and other relevant issues.
Both briefings must be submitted to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees no later than 60 days after the FY2025 NDAA is enacted.

Legislative Activity

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SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

Armed Services Committee

June 20, 2024

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

June 20, 2024

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

Armed Services Committee

June 20, 2024

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued June 20, 2024

II

118th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 4600

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

June 20, 2024

Mr. Peters introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services

A BILL

To require the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs to provide a briefing on the status of establishing a course of education on authentication of digital content provenance and a briefing on a pilot program on authentication of digital content provenance, and for other purposes.

1.

Briefing on course of education and pilot program on authentication of digital content provenance for certain Department of Defense media content

Section 1524 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a)—

(A)

by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and

(B)

by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new paragraph (3):

(3)

Interim briefing

(A)

In general

Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2025, the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs shall provide to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives a briefing on the status of establishing the course of education under paragraph (1).

(B)

Elements

The briefing under subparagraph (A) shall cover the following:

(i)

The status of the Department with regards to developing the curriculum for the course of education.

(ii)

Any initial resource constraints or other challenges that may be affecting the development of the course of education.

(iii)

Such other matters as the Secretary considers appropriate.

; and

(2)

in subsection (b)—

(A)

by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (6); and

(B)

by inserting after paragraph (4) the following new paragraph (5):

(5)

Interim briefing

(A)

In general

Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025, the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs shall provide to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives a briefing on the status of the pilot program required by paragraph (1).

(B)

Elements

The briefing under subparagraph (A) shall cover the following:

(i)

The actions taken by the Director of the Defense Media Activity to identify an industry open technical standard to pilot to verify the media content of the Department.

(ii)

Any resource constraints or other challenges, either budgetary, personnel, or policy, that would hamper successful implementation of the pilot program.

(iii)

Any business processes or strategic planning the Department has established to fulfill implementation of the pilot program.

(iv)

Any other matters as the Director considers appropriate.

.