I 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2447

To establish a Federal interagency task force to promote the benefits, safety, 

and potential uses of agricultural biotechnology to improve human and 

animal nutrition, increase crop productivity, and improve agricultural 

sustainability while ensuring the safety of food and the environment. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 12, 2003

Mr. SMITH of Michigan (for himself, Mr. PAUL, Mr. BALLENGER, Mr. ROYCE, 

Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia, Mr. CHABOT, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mr. 

PETERSON of Minnesota, Mr. WELLER, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

of Texas, Mr. LARSON of Connecticut, Mr. BACHUS, Mrs. EMERSON, Mr. 

HYDE, Mr. BEREUTER, Ms. LOFGREN, and Mr. HALL) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to 

be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 

concerned 

A BILL

To establish a Federal interagency task force to promote 

the benefits, safety, and potential uses of agricultural 

biotechnology to improve human and animal nutrition, 

increase crop productivity, and improve agricultural sustainability while ensuring the safety of food and the 

environment.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2

•HR 2447 IH 

1 SECTION 1. FEDERAL INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE TO PRO2 MOTE THE BENEFITS, SAFETY, AND POTEN3 TIAL USES OF AGRICULTURAL BIO4 TECHNOLOGY. 

5 (a) ESTABLISHMENT OF INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE

6 TO PROMOTE BENEFITS, SAFETY, AND POTENTIAL USES

7 OF AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY.—There is estab8 lished the ‘‘Federal Interagency Task Force to Promote 

9 the Benefits, Safety, and Potential Uses of Agricultural 

10 Biotechnology’’ (hereafter in this Act referred to as the 

11 ‘‘task force’’) for the purpose of improving interagency co12 operation and to develop and disseminate accurate written 

13 scientific information on the benefits, safety, and potential 

14 uses of agricultural biotechnology. 

15 (b) MEMBERSHIP.—The members of the task force 

16 shall consist of the Secretary of State, the Secretary of 

17 Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, the United States 

18 Trade Representative, the Administrator of the United 

19 States Agency for International Development, and the Di20 rector of the National Science Foundation. The Secretary 

21 of State shall chair the task force. Members of the task 

22 force may designate a senior official from the appropriate 

23 participating Federal agency to attend meetings of the 

24 task force. 
3

•HR 2447 IH 

1 (c) OBJECTIVES OF TASK FORCE.—The task force 

2 shall coordinate the activities of the participating agencies 

3 to—

4 (1) improve the knowledge of foreign assigned 

5 individuals from the participating agencies regarding 

6 the safety and potential of biotechnology-derived ag7 ricultural products, including regulatory safeguards 

8 that assure food and environmental safety; 

9 (2) expand the dissemination by participating 

10 agencies of scientifically-based facts regarding the 

11 safety and potential of biotechnology-derived agricul12 tural products; 

13 (3) improve the ability of the participating 

14 agencies to advocate to foreign countries the benefits 

15 that agricultural biotechnology can potentially pro16 vide for human and animal nutrition, the environ17 ment, crop productivity, and agricultural sustain18 ability; and 

19 (4) achieve a better understanding by foreign 

20 countries of the potential benefits of agricultural bio21 technology to develop products that can be grown 

22 under local soil and climate conditions and better 

23 meet the health and nutritional needs of local popu24 lations. 

25 (d) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.—
4

•HR 2447 IH 

1 (1) SUBMISSION.—Not later than one year after 

2 the date of the enactment of this Act, and bian3 nually thereafter, the Secretary of State shall submit 

4 to the Congress a report on the activities undertaken 

5 by the task force and the participating agencies to 

6 promote the benefits, safety, and potential uses of 

7 agricultural biotechnology. 

8 (2) REQUIREMENTS.—A report submitted 

9 under paragraph (1) shall include a description of—

10 (A) measures taken to coordinate and com11 municate, as appropriate, the scientific evidence 

12 on the benefits, safety, and potential uses of ag13 ricultural biotechnology; 

14 (B) progress toward achieving coordination 

15 under subsection (c); 

16 (C) the success of efforts coordinated 

17 under subsection (c); 

18 (D) efforts to advance the goals of sub19 section (c) in developing nations; and 

20 (E) recommendations to improve the ac21 tivities of the participating agencies pertaining 

22 to communicating benefits, safety, and potential 

23 uses of biotechnology.

Æ