I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 591 
To provide for a coordinated Federal research program to ensure continued 
United States leadership in engineering biology. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 28, 2015 
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas (for herself and Mr. SENSEN-
BRENNER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Science, Space, and Technology 
A BILL 
To provide for a coordinated Federal research program to 
ensure continued United States leadership in engineering 
biology. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Engineering Biology 
Research and Development Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) Cellular and molecular processes may be 
used, mimicked, or redesigned to develop new prod-
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ucts, processes, and systems that improve societal 
well-being, strengthen national security, and con-
tribute to the economy. 
(2) Engineering biology relies on scientists and 
engineers with a diverse and unique set of skills 
combining the biological, physical, and information 
sciences and engineering. 
(3) Long-term research and development is nec-
essary to create breakthroughs in engineering biol-
ogy. Such research and development requires govern-
ment investment as the benefits are too distant or 
uncertain for industry to support alone. 
(4) The Federal Government can play an im-
portant role by facilitating the development of tools 
and technologies to further advance engineering biol-
ogy, including multiple user facilities that the Fed-
eral Government is uniquely able to support. 
(5) Since other countries are investing signifi-
cant resources in engineering biology, the United 
States is at risk of losing its competitive lead in this 
emerging area if it does not invest the necessary re-
sources and have a national strategy. 
(6) A National Engineering Biology Initiative 
can serve to establish new research directions and 
technology goals, improve interagency coordination 
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and planning processes, drive technology transfer, 
and help ensure optimal returns on the Federal in-
vestment. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act— 
(1) the term ‘‘Advisory Committee’’ means the 
advisory committee designated under section 5; 
(2) the term ‘‘biomanufacturing’’ means the 
manufacturing of products using biological manufac-
turing technologies; 
(3) the term ‘‘engineering biology’’ means the 
science and engineering of cellular and molecular 
processes to advance fundamental understanding of 
complex natural systems and to develop new and ad-
vance existing products, processes, and systems that 
will contribute significantly to societal well-being, 
national security, and the economy; 
(4) the term ‘‘Interagency Committee’’ means 
the interagency committee designated under section 
4(e); and 
(5) the term ‘‘Program’’ means the National 
Engineering Biology Research and Development 
Program established under section 4. 
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SEC. 4. NATIONAL ENGINEERING BIOLOGY RESEARCH AND 
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The President shall implement a 
National Engineering Biology Research and Development 
Program to advance societal well-being, national security, 
and economic productivity and competitiveness through— 
(1) advancing areas of research at the intersec-
tion of the biological, physical, and information 
sciences and engineering; 
(2) supporting social science research that ad-
vances the field of engineering biology and contrib-
utes to the adoption of new products, processes, and 
technologies; 
(3) expanding the number of researchers, edu-
cators, and students with engineering biology train-
ing; 
(4) accelerating the translation and commer-
cialization of engineering biology research and devel-
opment by the private sector; and 
(5) improving the interagency planning and co-
ordination of Federal Government activities related 
to engineering biology. 
(b) PROGRAM ACTIVITIES.—The activities of the Pro-
gram shall include— 
(1) sustained support for engineering biology 
research and development through— 
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(A) grants to individual investigators and 
interdisciplinary teams of investigators; 
(B) projects funded under joint solicita-
tions by a collaboration of no fewer than two 
agencies participating in the Program; and 
(C) interdisciplinary research centers that 
are organized to investigate basic research 
questions and carry out technology development 
and demonstration activities; 
(2) education and training of undergraduate 
and graduate students in research at the intersection 
of biological, physical, and information sciences and 
engineering; 
(3) activities to develop robust mechanisms for 
tracking and quantifying the outputs and economic 
benefits of engineering biology; and 
(4) activities to accelerate the translation and 
commercialization of new products, processes, and 
technologies by— 
(A) identifying precompetitive research op-
portunities; 
(B) facilitating public-private partnerships 
in engineering biology research and develop-
ment; 
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(C) connecting researchers, graduate stu-
dents, and postdoctoral fellows with entrepre-
neurship education and training opportunities; 
and 
(D) supporting proof of concept activities 
and the formation of startup companies includ-
ing through programs such as the Small Busi-
ness Innovation Research Program and the 
Small Business Technology Transfer Program. 
(c) EXPANDING PARTICIPATION.—The Program shall 
include, to the maximum extent practicable, outreach to 
primarily undergraduate and minority-serving institutions 
about Program opportunities, and shall encourage the de-
velopment of research collaborations between research-in-
tensive universities and primarily undergraduate and mi-
nority-serving institutions. 
(d) ETHICAL, LEGAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND SOCI-
ETAL ISSUES.—Program activities shall take into account 
ethical, legal, environmental, and other appropriate soci-
etal issues, including the need for safeguards and moni-
toring systems to protect society against the unintended 
release of engineered materials produced, by— 
(1) supporting research, including in the social 
sciences, and other activities addressing ethical, 
legal, environmental, and other appropriate societal 
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