IV
107TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. RES. 514
Expressing serious concern regarding the publication of instructions on how
to create a synthetic human polio virus, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JULY 26, 2002
Mr. WELDON of Florida (for himself, Mr. STUPAK, Mr. TAYLOR of Mis-
sissippi, Mr. PENCE, Mr. PITTS, Mr. GUTKNECHT, Mr. KERNS, and Mr.
JONES of North Carolina) submitted the following resolution; which was
referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to
the Committees on Science and Armed Services, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
RESOLUTION
Expressing serious concern regarding the publication of in-
structions on how to create a synthetic human polio
virus, and for other purposes.
Whereas the American Association for the Advancement of
Science published, in its publication entitled ‘‘Science Ex-
press’’, results of its research on development of a
sythetic human polio virus;
Whereas the researchers involved chose to publish their find-
ings with the awareness that they were publishing a blue-
print for creating a polio virus and other harmful patho-
gens that could be released on the population of the
United States;
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Whereas the publication of methods for generating the polio
virus in effect provides guidelines for making similar vi-
ruses and harmful agents of bioterrorism;
Whereas the principle that the article demonstrated could
have been demonstrated by using a harmless bacterial
virus;
Whereas some scientists have condemned the research and
publication of methods for generating the synthetic
human polio virus as ‘‘irresponsible’’;
Whereas the scientific community is in the process of dis-
cussing guidelines to follow when publishing information
that may be useful to terrorists; and
Whereas many modern terrorists are sophisticated and able
to engage in advanced research for bioterrorism: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, That—
(1) the Congress expresses serious concern re-
garding the decision by the American Association for
the Advancement of Science and the editors of
‘‘Science Express’’ to publish a blueprint that could
conceivably enable terrorists to inexpensively create
human pathogens for release on the people of the
United States;
(2) the Congress calls upon the publishers and
editors of scientific publications to establish ethical
standards to ensure that published material does not
aid terrorists in the development of agents of bioter-
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rorism that may be used against the people of the
United States;
(3) the scientific community should develop eth-
ical standards and exercise restraint to ensure that
information that may be used by terrorists is not
made widely available; and
(4) the executive branch should examine all
policies, including national security directives, rel-
evant to the classification or publication of federally
funded research to ensure that, although the free ex-
change of information is encouraged, information
that could be useful in the development of chemical,
biological, or nuclear weapons is not made accessible
to terrorists or countries of proliferation concern.
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