I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 9628 

To direct the Secretary of Defense to collaborate with a federally funded 

research and development center to assess the biotechnology capabilities 

of adversaries of the United States, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024 

Mr. KHANNA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Armed Services 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Defense to collaborate with a 

federally funded research and development center to assess the biotechnology capabilities of adversaries of the 

United States, and for other purposes. 

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

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Assessment of Critical 

5 Technologies in Adversarial Ventures and Emerging 

6 Threats Act’’ or the ‘‘ACTIVATE Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. AUTHORITY FOR SECRETARY OF DEFENSE TO 

2 ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT FOR AN ASSESS3 MENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY CAPABILITIES OF 

4 ADVERSARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days after the 

6 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 

7 shall seek to enter into an agreement with a federally 

8 funded research and development center to conduct an as9 sessment related to biotechnology and provide rec10 ommendations to the Secretary. 

11 (b) AGREEMENT ELEMENTS.—Under an agreement 

12 between the Secretary and a federally funded research and 

13 development center under this section, the center shall 

14 agree to— 

15 (1) conduct an assessment of— 

16 (A) scientific topics related to bio17 technology; 

18 (B) scientific capabilities of potential ad19 versaries of the United States, such as China, 

20 Iran, and the Russian Federation, related to 

21 biotechnology; and 

22 (C) the current gaps and future scientific 

23 and technological needs for adversaries of the 

24 United States to be successful with respect to 

25 biotechnology capabilities; and 


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1 (2) develop recommendations with respect to 

2 useful indications of any advancement of such adver3 saries regarding such capabilities. 

4 (c) RESPONSIBILITIES OF SECRETARY.—Under an 

5 agreement between the Secretary and a federally funded 

6 research and development center under this section, the 

7 Secretary shall agree to— 

8 (1) appoint appropriate Department of Defense 

9 employees as liaisons to the center to support the 

10 timely conduct of the assessment described in sub11 section (b)(1); 

12 (2) provide the center with access to materials 

13 relevant to the conduct of such assessment, con14 sistent with the protection of sources and methods 

15 and other critically sensitive information; and 

16 (3) ensure that appropriate members and staff 

17 of the center have the necessary clearances, obtained 

18 in an expedited manner, to conduct such assessment. 

19 (d) REPORT.— 

20 (1) IN GENERAL.—If the Secretary enters into 

21 an agreement with a federally funded research and 

22 development center under this section, not later than 

23 October 1, 2025, the Secretary shall submit to the 

24 congressional defense committees and the National 

25 Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology a 


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1 report that includes the findings and recommenda2 tions of the center developed pursuant to the assess3 ment described in subsection (b)(1). 

4 (2) FORM OF REPORT.—The report under para5 graph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, 

6 but may contain a classified annex. 

7 (3) TRANSMITTAL TO OTHER DEPARTMENT EN8 TITIES.—The Secretary shall transmit to relevant of9 fices of the Department of Defense, including the of10 fices of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisi11 tion and Sustainment, the Under Secretary of De12 fense for Research and Engineering, the Under Sec13 retary of Defense for Policy, the Under Secretary of 

14 Defense for Intelligence and Security, and the Office 

15 of Net Assessment, a copy of the report under para16 graph (1). 

Æ 


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