Viral Gain-of-Function Research Moratorium Act

Subjects: Health, Education, Education programs funding, Health programs administration and funding, Higher education, Infectious and parasitic diseases, Medical research, Research administration and funding

Summary:  <p><strong>Viral Gain</strong><b>-</b><strong>of-Function Research Moratorium Act</strong></p> <p> This bill prohibits the award of federal research grants to institutions of higher education or research institutes that conduct gain-of-function research. <em>Gain-of-function research </em>refers to any research that (1) could confer attributes to influenza, MERS, or SARS viruses such that the virus would have enhanced pathogenicity or transmissibility in an organism; or (2) involves methods that could enhance potential pandemic pathogens or related risky research with potentially dangerous pathogens.</p>

<html><body><pre>[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 81 Placed on Calendar Senate (PCS)]

&lt;DOC&gt;





                                                         Calendar No. 5
118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 81

To provide a moratorium on all Federal research grants provided to any 
  institution of higher education or other research institute that is 
                 conducting gain-of-function research.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 25, 2023

 Mr. Marshall (for himself, Mr. Paul, Ms. Ernst, Mr. Tuberville, Mrs. 
  Blackburn, Mr. Braun, Mr. Lankford, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Cotton, and Mr. 
  Wicker) introduced the following bill; which was read the first time

                            January 26, 2023

            Read the second time and placed on the calendar

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To provide a moratorium on all Federal research grants provided to any 
  institution of higher education or other research institute that is 
                 conducting gain-of-function research.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Viral Gain-of-Function Research 
Moratorium Act''.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON FEDERAL RESEARCH GRANTS FOR INSTITUTIONS AND 
              RESEARCH INSTITUTES CONDUCTING GAIN-OF-FUNCTION RESEARCH.

    (a) Definition of Gain-of-Function Research.--In this section, the 
term ``gain-of-function research'' means any research that--
            (1) could confer attributes to influenza, MERS, or SARS 
        viruses such that the virus would have enhanced pathogenicity 
        or transmissibility in any organism; or
            (2) involves methods that could enhance potential pandemic 
        pathogens or related risky research with potentially dangerous 
        pathogens.
    (b) Prohibition.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no 
research grants supported by Federal funds may be awarded to 
institutions of higher education, or other research institutes, that 
are conducting gain-of-function research.
                                                         Calendar No. 5

118th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                                 S. 81

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

To provide a moratorium on all Federal research grants provided to any 
  institution of higher education or other research institute that is 
                 conducting gain-of-function research.

_______________________________________________________________________

                            January 26, 2023

            Read the second time and placed on the calendar
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