HR 4373 RFS
(B) serve as the point of contact on Fed-
eral engineering biology activities for govern-
ment organizations, academia, industry, profes-
sional societies, State governments, interested 
citizen groups, and others to exchange technical 
and programmatic information; 
(C) oversee interagency coordination of the 
Initiative, including by encouraging and sup-
porting joint agency solicitation and selection of 
applications for funding of activities under the 
Initiative; 
(D) conduct public outreach, including dis-
semination of findings and recommendations of 
the advisory committee established under sec-
tion 6, as appropriate; and 
(E) promote access to, and early applica-
tion of, the technologies, innovations, and ex-
pertise derived from Initiative activities to agen-
cy missions and systems across the Federal 
Government, and to United States industry, in-
cluding startup companies. 
(2) FUNDING.—The Director of the Office of 
Science and Technology Policy shall develop an esti-
mate of the funds necessary to carry out the activi-
ties of the Initiative Coordination Office, including 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:40 Dec 10, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00015
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4373.RFS
H4373
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
HR 4373 RFS
an estimate of how much each participating agency 
described in subsection (a) will contribute to such 
funds, and submit such estimate to Congress no 
later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act. 
(3) TERMINATION.—The Initiative Coordination 
Office established under this subsection shall termi-
nate on the date that is 10 years after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, unless a determination is 
made by the President that such Office is necessary 
to meet the economic or national security goals of 
the Program. 
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 
research 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 academic institutions, industry, and nongovernmental 
entities, who are qualified to provide advice on the Initia-
tive. 
(b) ASSESSMENT.—The advisory committee shall as-
sess— 
(1) the current state of United States competi-
tiveness in engineering biology, including the scope 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:40 Dec 10, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00016
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4373.RFS
H4373
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
HR 4373 RFS
and scale of United States investments in engineer-
ing biology research and development in the inter-
national context; 
(2) current market barriers to commercializa-
tion 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 
leadership 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 fre-
quently 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 Rep-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:40 Dec 10, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00017
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4373.RFS
H4373
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
HR 4373 RFS
resentatives, and the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate, a report on— 
(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 COM-
MITTEE ACT.—Section 14 of the Federal Advisory Com-
mittee 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 Medi-
cine to conduct a review, and make recommendations with 
respect to, the ethical, legal, environmental, and other ap-
propriate societal issues related to engineering biology re-
search 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; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:40 Dec 10, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00018
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4373.RFS
H4373
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
HR 4373 RFS
(3) recommendations on how the Initiative can 
address the research needs identified pursuant to 
paragraph (2); and 
(4) recommendations on how engineering biol-
ogy researchers can best incorporate considerations 
of ethical, 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 Trans-
portation of the Senate a report containing the find-
ings 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— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:40 Dec 10, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00019
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4373.RFS
H4373
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS