appropriate societal issues related to engi-
neering biology; 
(iv) how the Initiative will move re-
sults out of the laboratory and into applica-
tion for the benefit of society and United 
States competitiveness; and 
(v) how the Initiative will measure 
and track the contributions of engineering 
biology to United States economic growth 
and other societal indicators; 
(4) develop a national genomic sequencing strat-
egy to ensure engineering biology research fully 
leverages plant, animal, and microbe biodiversity to 
enhance long-term innovation and competitiveness in 
engineering biology in the United States; 
(5) propose an annually coordinated interagency 
budget for the Initiative that is intended to ensure— 
(A) the maintenance of a robust engineering 
biology research and development portfolio; and 
(B) that the balance of funding across the 
Initiative is sufficient to meet the goals and pri-
orities established for the Program; 
(6) develop a plan to utilize Federal programs, 
such as the Small Business Innovation Research Pro-
gram and the Small Business Technology Transfer 
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Program as described in section 9 of the Small Busi-
ness Act (15 U.S.C. 638), in support of the activities 
described in section 4(b)(3); and 
(7) in carrying out this section, take into consid-
eration the recommendations of the advisory com-
mittee established under section 6, the results of the 
workshop convened under section 7, existing reports 
on related topics, and the views of academic, State, 
industry, and other appropriate groups. 
(b) ANNUAL REPORT.—Beginning with fiscal year 
2020, not later than 90 days after submission of the Presi-
dent’s annual budget request and each fiscal year thereafter, 
the interagency committee shall prepare and submit to the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report that in-
cludes— 
(1) a summarized agency budget in support of 
the Initiative for the fiscal year to which such budget 
request applies, and for the then current fiscal year, 
including a breakout of spending for each agency par-
ticipating in the Program and for the development 
and acquisition of any research facilities and instru-
mentation; and 
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(2) an assessment of how Federal agencies are 
implementing the plan described in subsection (a)(3), 
and a description of the amount and number of 
awards made under the Small Business Innovation 
Research Program and the Small Business Tech-
nology Transfer Program (as described in section 9 of 
the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638)) in support 
of the Initiative. 
(c) INITIATIVE STAFFING.—The President shall ensure 
adequate staffing for the Initiative, including full-time staff 
within the Office of Science and Technology Policy, who 
shall— 
(1) provide technical and administrative support 
to the interagency committee and the advisory com-
mittee established under section 6; 
(2) serve as the point of contact on Federal engi-
neering biology activities for government organiza-
tions, academia, industry, professional societies, State 
governments, interested citizen groups, and others to 
exchange technical and programmatic information; 
(3) oversee interagency coordination of the Ini-
tiative, including by encouraging and supporting 
joint agency solicitation and selection of applications 
for funding of activities under the Initiative; 
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(4) conduct public outreach, including dissemi-
nation of findings and recommendations of the advi-
sory committee established under section 6, as appro-
priate; and 
(5) promote access to, and early application of, 
the technologies, innovations, and expertise derived 
from Initiative activities to agency missions and sys-
tems across the Federal Government, and to United 
States industry, including startup companies. 
SEC. 6. ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The President, acting through the 
Office of Science and Technology Policy, shall designate or 
establish an advisory committee on engineering biology re-
search and development (in this section referred to as the 
‘‘advisory committee’’) to be composed of not fewer than 12 
members, including representatives of research and aca-
demic institutions, industry, and nongovernmental entities, 
who are qualified to provide advice on the Initiative. 
(b) ASSESSMENT.—The advisory committee shall as-
sess— 
(1) the current state of United States competi-
tiveness in engineering biology, including the scope 
and scale of United States investments in engineering 
biology research and development in the international 
context; 
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(2) current market barriers to commercialization 
of engineering biology products, processes, and tools 
in the United States; 
(3) progress made in implementing the Initia-
tive; 
(4) the need to revise the Initiative; 
(5) the balance of activities and funding across 
the Initiative; 
(6) whether the strategic plan developed or up-
dated by the interagency committee established under 
section 5 is helping to maintain United States leader-
ship in engineering biology; 
(7) the management, coordination, implementa-
tion, and activities of the Initiative; and 
(8) whether ethical, legal, environmental, safety, 
security, and other appropriate societal issues are 
adequately addressed by the Initiative. 
(c) REPORTS.—Beginning not later than 2 years after 
the date of enactment of this Act, and not less frequently 
than once every 3 years thereafter, the advisory committee 
shall submit to the President, the Committee on Science, 
Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives, and 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
of the Senate, a report on— 
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(1) the findings of the advisory committee’s as-
sessment under subsection (b); and 
(2) the advisory committee’s recommendations 
for ways to improve the Initiative. 
(d) APPLICATION OF FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE 
ACT.—Section 14 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act 
(5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Advisory Committee. 
SEC. 7. EXTERNAL REVIEW OF ETHICAL, LEGAL, ENVIRON-
MENTAL, AND SOCIETAL ISSUES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 6 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the National 
Science Foundation shall enter into an agreement with the 
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 
to conduct a review, and make recommendations with re-
spect to, the ethical, legal, environmental, and other appro-
priate societal issues related to engineering biology research 
and development. The review shall include— 
(1) an assessment of the current research on such 
issues; 
(2) a description of the research gaps relating to 
such issues; 
(3) recommendations on how the Initiative can 
address the research needs identified pursuant to 
paragraph (2); and 
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(4) recommendations on how engineering biology 
researchers can best incorporate considerations of eth-
ical, legal, environmental, and other societal issues 
into the development of research proposals and the 
conduct of research. 
(b) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—The agreement entered 
into under subsection (a) shall require the National Acad-
emy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to, not later 
than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act— 
(1) submit to the Committee on Science, Space, 
and Technology of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation of the Senate a report containing the findings 
and recommendations of the review conducted under 
subsection (a); and 
(2) make a copy of such report available on a 
publicly accessible website. 
SEC. 8. AGENCY ACTIVITIES. 
(a) NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION.—As part of the 
Initiative, the National Science Foundation shall— 
(1) support basic research in engineering biology 
through individual grants and through interdiscipli-
nary research centers; 
(2) support research on the environmental, legal, 
and social implications of engineering biology; 
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(3) provide support for research instrumentation 
for engineering biology disciplines, including support 
for research, development, optimization and valida-
tion of novel technologies to enable the dynamic study 
of molecular processes in situ; 
(4) support curriculum development and re-
search experiences for secondary, undergraduate, and 
graduate students in engineering biology and bio-
manufacturing; and 
(5) award grants, on a competitive basis, to en-
able institutions to support graduate students and 
postdoctoral fellows who perform some of their engi-
neering biology research in an industry setting. 
(b) DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.—As part of the Ini-
tiative, the Director of the National Institute of Standards 
and Technology shall— 
(1) establish a bioscience research program to ad-
vance the development of standard reference materials 
and measurements and to create new data tools, tech-
niques, and processes necessary to advance engineer-
ing biology and biomanufacturing; 
(2) provide access to user facilities with ad-
vanced or unique equipment, services, materials, and 
other resources to industry, institutions of higher edu-
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cation, nonprofit organizations, and government 
agencies to perform research and testing; and 
(3) provide technical expertise to inform the po-
tential development of guidelines or safeguards for 
new products, processes, and systems of engineering 
biology. 
(c) DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY.—As part of the Initia-
tive, the Secretary of Energy shall— 
(1) conduct and support research, development, 
demonstration, and commercial application activities 
in engineering biology, including in the areas of syn-
thetic biology, advanced biofuel development, biobased 
materials, and environmental remediation; 
(2) support the development, optimization and 
validation of novel, scalable tools and technologies to 
enable the dynamic study of molecular processes in 
situ; and 
(3) provide access to user facilities with ad-
vanced or unique equipment, services, materials, and 
other resources, as appropriate, to industry, institu-
tions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, 
and government agencies to perform research and 
testing. 
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(d) NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRA-
TION.—As part of the Initiative, the National Aeronautics 
and Space Administration shall— 
(1) conduct and support basic and applied re-
search in engineering biology, including in synthetic 
biology, and related to Earth and space sciences, aero-
nautics, space technology, and space exploration and 
experimentation, consistent with the priorities estab-
lished in the National Academies’ decadal surveys; 
and 
(2) award grants, on a competitive basis, that 
enable institutions to support graduate students and 
postdoctoral fellows who perform some of their engi-
neering biology research in an industry setting. 
(e) ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.—As part 
of the Initiative, the Environmental Protection Agency shall 
support research on how products, processes, and systems 
of engineering biology will affect or can protect the environ-
ment. 
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Union Calendar No. 215 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 4373 
[Report No. 116–270] 
A BILL 
To provide for a coordinated Federal research ini-
tiative to ensure continued United States leader-
ship in engineering biology. 
NOVEMBER 5, 2019 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 
and ordered to be printed 
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