I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6924 
To authorize the Director of the National Institutes of Health to establish 
prize competitions to incentivize research by institutions of higher edu-
cation on at-home testing for the detection of current infection with 
the virus that causes COVID–19, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 19, 2020 
Mr. BEYER (for himself and Mr. GONZALEZ of Ohio) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and 
in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a 
period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To authorize the Director of the National Institutes of 
Health to establish prize competitions to incentivize re-
search by institutions of higher education on at-home 
testing for the detection of current infection with the 
virus that causes COVID–19, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘At-Home Testing Prize 
Competitions Act of 2020’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Prize competitions have been used through-
out America’s history, dating back to the designing 
of the United States Capitol Building in 1792. 
(2) The America COMPETES Reauthorization 
Act of 2010 granted authority for Federal agencies 
to carry out prize competitions in order to stimulate 
innovation to advance each agency’s mission. 
(3) Prize competitions provide a benefit to the 
American people by providing a high reward return 
on taxpayer dollars. 
(4) Since 2010, Federal agencies have con-
ducted nearly 1,000 prize competitions to help ad-
dress some of our Nation’s greatest challenges. 
(5) In order to mitigate the spread of COVID– 
19, Americans needs access to rapid diagnostic test-
ing in their homes. 
(6) At-home infectious disease tests provide re-
sults in real time, rather than in hours or days. 
(7) Infectious disease tests are useful in re-
source-limited situations where there may not be ac-
cess to a central laboratory or where infrastructure 
is limited for transporting samples. At-home infec-
tious disease tests can also lead to prompter treat-
ment, which can prevent infections from spreading. 
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(8) Although other Federal agencies are cur-
rently involved in supporting and conducting re-
search into at-home testing, research spurred by 
prize competitions at the National Institutes of 
Health in consultation with the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology can have broader benefits 
for the American public. 
(9) The National Institute of Standards and 
Technology, due to its expertise in materials meas-
urement, including for DNA and other biological 
materials, is well positioned to support the National 
Institutes of Health in the development of reference 
materials and best practices for the assessment and 
validation of COVID–19 test results. 
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF PRIZE COMPETITION FOR RE-
SEARCH ON COVID–19 AT-HOME TESTING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the National In-
stitutes of Health, in consultation with the Director of the 
National Institute of Standards and Technology, shall 
carry out prize competitions pursuant to section 24 of the 
Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 
U.S.C. 3719) to incentivize research by institutions of 
higher education on at-home testing for the detection of 
current infection with the virus that causes COVID–19. 
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(b) REQUIREMENTS.—To be eligible for funding 
under this section, the at-home testing subject to the pro-
posed research must be capable of— 
(1) being self-administered; and 
(2) producing results in 30 minutes or less. 
(c) TIMING.—The Director of the National Institutes 
of Health shall— 
(1) publicize at least one prize competition pur-
suant to subsection (a) within 30 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act; and 
(2) publicize additional prize competitions pur-
suant to subsection (a) as determined appropriate by 
the Director. 
(d) NIST ASSISTANCE.—The Director of the Na-
tional Institute of Standards and Technology shall provide 
assistance to the Director of the National Institutes of 
Health on developing validation protocols and standards 
for testing developed pursuant to this section. 
Æ 
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