I 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3064 
To establish scientific standards and protocols across forensic disciplines, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 9, 2013 
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas (for herself and Mr. VEASEY) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, 
Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on the Judici-
ary, 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 committee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish scientific standards and protocols across forensic 
disciplines, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Forensic Science and Standards Act of 2013’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Findings. 
Sec. 3. Definitions. 
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Sec. 4. National forensic science research program. 
Sec. 5. Forensic science research at the National Science Foundation. 
Sec. 6. Forensic science research challenges. 
Sec. 7. Forensic science standards and research at the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology. 
Sec. 8. Forensic Science Advisory Committee. 
Sec. 9. Adoption, accreditation, and certification. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that— 
(1) at the direction of Congress, the National 
Academy of Sciences led a comprehensive review of 
the state of forensic science and issued its findings 
in a 2009 report, ‘‘Strengthening Forensic Science 
in the United States: A Path Forward’’; 
(2) the report’s findings indicate the need for 
independent scientific research to support the foun-
dation of forensic disciplines; 
(3) the report stresses the need for standards 
in methods, data interpretation, and reporting, and 
the importance of preventing cognitive bias and miti-
gating human factors; and 
(4) according to the report, forensic science re-
search is not financially well supported, and there is 
a need for a unified strategy for developing a foren-
sic science research plan across Federal agencies. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
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(1) ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—The term ‘‘Advi-
sory Committee’’ means the Forensic Science Advi-
sory Committee established under section 8. 
(2) COORDINATING
OFFICE.—The term ‘‘Co-
ordinating Office’’ means the National Forensic 
Science Coordinating Office established under sec-
tion 4. 
(3) FORENSIC
SCIENCE.—The term ‘‘forensic 
science’’ means the basic and applied scientific re-
search applicable to the collection, evaluation, and 
analysis of physical evidence, including digital evi-
dence, for use in investigations and legal pro-
ceedings, including all tests, methods, measure-
ments, and procedures. 
(4) 
STANDARDS
DEVELOPMENT
ORGANIZA-
TION.—The term ‘‘standards development organiza-
tion’’ means a domestic or an international organiza-
tion that plans, develops, establishes, or coordinates 
voluntary consensus standards using procedures that 
incorporate openness, a balance of interests, con-
sensus, due process, and an appeals process. 
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SEC. 4. NATIONAL FORENSIC SCIENCE RESEARCH PRO-
GRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There shall be a national fo-
rensic science research program to improve, expand, and 
coordinate Federal research in the forensic sciences. 
(b) NATIONAL ACADEMIES REPORT ON FORENSIC 
SCIENCE.—The Director of the National Science Founda-
tion, in consultation with the Director of the National In-
stitute of Standards and Technology, shall enter into an 
arrangement with the National Academies to develop, not 
later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this 
Act, a report that— 
(1) identifies the most critical forensic science 
disciplines, which may include forensic pathology 
and digital forensics, that require further research to 
strengthen the scientific foundation in those dis-
ciplines; 
(2) makes recommendations regarding research 
that will help strengthen the scientific foundation in 
the forensic science disciplines identified under para-
graph (1); and 
(3) makes recommendations regarding the mix 
of funding mechanisms that might be most effective 
at advancing the research identified in paragraph 
(2). 
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