Center for Bioethics and Culture Applauds Introduction of the Human Dignity & Emerging Technologies Act

New bipartisan proposal recognizes the urgent need for ethical leadership as artificial intelligence and biotechnology reshape society

July 21, 2026—The Center for Bioethics and Culture (CBC) welcomes the introduction of the bipartisan Human Dignity and Emerging Technologies Act, legislation introduced by Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Senator Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.). The bill would establish a United States Commission on Human Dignity, an advisory commission that would provide Congress with expert recommendations on the ethical implications of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, biotechnology, genetics, neuroscience, and other rapidly developing fields. By bringing together experts from diverse disciplines, the Commission would help ensure that human dignity remains central to national conversations about scientific and technological innovation.

“The pace of technological innovation has far outstripped our nation’s ethical deliberation,” said Kallie Fell, MS, BSN, RN, Executive Director of the Center for Bioethics and Culture and Director of the Paul Ramsey Institute. “We commend Senators Cruz and Warnock for recognizing that America needs a dedicated forum where lawmakers can thoughtfully consider not only what emerging technologies can do, but what they should do. An advisory commission strengthens innovation it by ensuring that ethical reflection keeps pace with scientific progress.”

For more than two decades, the CBC has worked to educate policymakers, professionals, and the public on the ethical challenges surrounding assisted reproductive technologies and other emerging biotechnologies. The organization has consistently advocated that scientific progress should serve—not diminish—the inherent dignity of every human being.

The proposed Commission revives the tradition established by the President’s Council on Bioethics, created in 2001, which brought together leading physicians, scientists, philosophers, theologians, lawyers, and public intellectuals to examine the profound ethical questions raised by advances in medicine and biotechnology. Through landmark reports on cloning, stem cell research, genetic engineering, enhancement technologies, and the future of medicine, the Council helped shape national conversations about the relationship between science, ethics, and human flourishing.

That legacy continues through the Paul Ramsey Institute (PRI), CBC’s interdisciplinary fellowship that equips leaders in medicine, law, philosophy, and public policy to engage today’s most pressing bioethical questions. Named after pioneering ethicist Paul Ramsey, the PRI was established to cultivate the very kind of interdisciplinary ethical leadership envisioned by this Commission—bringing together physicians, scientists, lawyers, philosophers, theologians, and policymakers to examine the ethical challenges posed by emerging technologies. The PRI reflects the same conviction that enduring ethical questions cannot be answered by technical expertise alone, but require thoughtful collaboration across disciplines.

“The Paul Ramsey Institute was founded on the conviction that society needs leaders who can bring wisdom—not just technical expertise—to the ethical challenges of modern medicine and biotechnology,” Fell said. “The need for serious interdisciplinary ethical engagement has never been greater. This Commission represents an important opportunity to ensure that our nation’s ethical deliberation keeps pace with scientific discovery.”

CBC also notes the significant connection between the Paul Ramsey Institute and the President’s Council on Bioethics. Two of the current Paul Ramsey Institute scholars—Dr. Gilbert Meilaender and Dr. William Hurlbut—served on the President’s Council on Bioethics, helping shape some of the nation’s most influential discussions on biotechnology and human dignity. In addition, several recipients of the Paul Ramsey Award for Excellence in Bioethics, including Dr. Leon Kass and Dr. Robert P. George, also served on the Council, demonstrating the enduring importance of cultivating thoughtful, interdisciplinary leaders capable of addressing society’s most complex ethical questions.

“One of the greatest strengths of the President’s Council on Bioethics was that it encouraged thoughtful, civil, and intellectually rigorous dialogue across disciplines,” Fell added. “The Human Dignity and Emerging Technologies Act has the opportunity to renew that tradition for a new generation of challenges. Ethical reflection should never be an afterthought to technological advancement—it should accompany innovation every step of the way.”

As artificial intelligence, gene editing, reproductive technologies, synthetic biology, and human enhancement continue to develop and expand, the CBC believes that public policy must be guided by more than technical capability or economic competitiveness. It must remain grounded in the intrinsic dignity and equal worth of every human person.

The Center for Bioethics and Culture encourages Congress to give the Human Dignity and Emerging Technologies Act thoughtful bipartisan consideration. Establishing an advisory commission dedicated to examining the ethical dimensions of emerging technologies would provide lawmakers with a valuable resource as they navigate some of the most consequential scientific developments of the twenty-first century. By fostering careful ethical deliberation before technological capabilities outpace public policy, the Commission would help ensure that innovation continues to serve the common good while protecting the dignity of every human being.