logical risks and to aid in the implementation of President 
Obama’s 2009 ‘‘National Strategy for Countering Biologi-
cal Threats’’, the Secretary of State, in coordination with 
the heads of other relevant Federal agencies, shall estab-
lish an initiative to be known as the ‘‘International Bio-
security Initiative’’. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The International Biosecurity Initia-
tive shall— 
(1) pursue efforts, through multilateral and bi-
lateral activities, to support, establish, and imple-
ment internationally harmonized standards for as-
suring critical pathogen and laboratory safety and 
security and for assessing broad social consequences, 
including— 
(A) working in multilateral forums, includ-
ing forums that engage the private sector, re-
search, and public health communities, to estab-
lish, based on international needs and domestic 
lessons-learned, and regularly update inter-
national standards for pathogen and laboratory 
safety and security; 
(B) promoting international codes of ethics 
to ensure safety and security and reinforcing 
norms during the education and throughout the 
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career of scientists in academia, industry, or 
government; 
(C) encouraging the development and im-
plementation of emergency reporting and re-
sponse in the event of a breach of pathogen or 
laboratory security; and 
(D) providing technical and financial as-
sistance, including training, to other countries 
to facilitate the adoption, sustainable implemen-
tation, and enforcement of national measures in 
accordance with international standards for the 
safety, transportation, and security of biological 
agents and laboratories; 
(2) pursue efforts, through bilateral, regional, 
and multilateral activities, to ensure a strong global 
legal regime for biosecurity, including— 
(A) working with other countries to de-
velop and strengthen the national criminal leg-
islation and law enforcement capabilities of 
such countries for detecting, interdicting, inves-
tigating, and prosecuting criminal activities and 
harmonizing international biosecurity legal ef-
forts; 
(B) developing, establishing, and pro-
moting common internationally harmonized 
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standards, guidance, and best practices for ob-
taining, handling, analyzing and sharing micro-
bial forensic evidence; 
(C) promoting appropriate information 
sharing, that is in the national security inter-
ests of the United States, relating to threats 
and to best practices, and promoting coopera-
tion for preventing, deterring, detecting, attrib-
uting, interdicting, investigating, and pros-
ecuting criminal or terrorist use of biological or 
toxin agents between the intelligence commu-
nity, United States Federal law enforcement, 
and international law enforcement and security 
officials; 
(D) promoting international legal and tech-
nical cooperation to achieve the goals described 
in subparagraphs (A) through (C); and 
(E) providing technical assistance to other 
countries, including training, to achieve the 
goals described in subparagraphs (A) through 
(C); 
(3) pursue strategies to strengthen the Conven-
tion on the Prohibition of the Development, Produc-
tion and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) 
and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction (com-
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monly referred to as the ‘‘Biological Weapons Con-
vention’’ or ‘‘BWC’’) and its enforcement by— 
(A) promoting universal membership in, in-
creased adherence to, effective implementation 
of, and compliance with the BWC; 
(B) developing an action plan for increas-
ing international adherence to the BWC; 
(C) promoting stronger confidence-building 
and other transparency measures designed to 
provide mutual reassurance that national bio-
defense, threat assessment, and other activities 
comply with the BWC; 
(D) ensuring that United States participa-
tion in BWC meetings is broadly inclusive of 
representatives of relevant Federal departments 
and agencies; and 
(E) supporting efforts to strengthen the 
United Nations Secretary-General’s mechanism 
for investigating allegations of biological weap-
ons use and to establish a multilateral capa-
bility to investigate alleged breaches of BWC 
obligations; 
(4) engage in cooperative efforts to improve na-
tional, regional, and multinational surveillance and 
response capabilities with respect to outbreaks of in-
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fectious diseases, whether naturally occurring or 
man-made, including— 
(A) working with countries to ensure full 
compliance with World Health Organization 
disease reporting obligations; 
(B) supporting efforts, in coordination 
with the Emerging Pandemic Threats program, 
to improve global capacity for identifying, diag-
nosing, tracking, and reporting pathogens re-
sponsible for possible infectious disease out-
breaks of international significance, including— 
(i) improving international laboratory 
capacity for expeditiously collecting, ana-
lyzing, and identifying a broad array of 
pathogens including mutated strains which 
may cause infectious disease outbreaks or 
may be used in a biological weapon; and 
(ii) improving international capacity 
for effectively collecting, analyzing, trans-
mitting, and reporting validated data and 
public health information about such infec-
tious disease outbreaks; 
(C) providing assistance to international 
and regional health organizations to— 
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(i) enhance the surveillance and re-
porting capabilities of the World Health 
Organization and existing international re-
gional and international health networks; 
and 
(ii) develop new international regional 
and international health networks; 
(D) providing assistance to facilitate 
standardization in the reporting of public health 
information between and among developing 
countries and international health organiza-
tions; 
(E) working with the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services to establish new country 
or regional international Field Epidemiology 
Training Programs in eligible developing coun-
tries; 
(F) establishing and providing assistance 
for short training courses in— 
(i) laboratory techniques relating to 
the identification, diagnosis, and tracking 
of pathogens responsible for possible infec-
tious disease outbreaks; and 
(ii) techniques of disease and syn-
drome surveillance reporting and rapid 
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analysis of syndrome information using 
Geographic Information System (GIS) 
tools; 
(G) promoting efforts to make widely avail-
able, especially in developing countries, medical 
and pharmaceutical measures to counter infec-
tious diseases, including through stockpiling of 
such measures; and 
(H) working with other countries and mul-
tilateral and regional bodies to provide technical 
assistance for developing biological and health 
response capabilities in other countries; 
(5) support the development of international 
mechanisms that enhance the coordination and im-
plementation of biosecurity policies; 
(6) facilitate the alignment of foreign assistance 
for biosecurity with the public health needs of recipi-
ent countries, including— 
(A) assisting in the planning, development, 
enhancement, and training of response capabili-
ties for disease outbreaks in recipient countries 
and regions; and 
(B) assisting in the promotion of effective 
cooperation among public health, law enforce-
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ment, and other responder communities in re-
cipient countries and regions; 
(7) engage in multilateral and bilateral discus-
sions of biodefense programs and control of sensitive 
biotechnologies to ensure that they are limited to 
prophylactic, protective, and other peaceful purposes; 
(8) develop an assessment of, and appropriate 
policies to address, the potential security threats and 
societal and ethical impacts posed by emerging and 
future biotechnology developments, including syn-
thetic genomics, synthetic biology, human genetic 
modification, and other biotechnology relevant for 
the modification of human beings, including through 
the establishment of international agreement regard-
ing the appropriate uses of advanced biotechnology 
and proscription of nefarious uses and abhorrent 
practices; and 
(9) pursue such other activities that the Sec-
retary of State determines will enhance international 
biosecurity. 
(c) PROGRAM COMPONENTS.—With respect to— 
(1) the short training courses related to labora-
tory 
techniques 
referred 
to 
in 
subsection 
(b)(4)(F)(i)— 
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(A) such courses shall be for eligible na-
tionals who are laboratory technicians or other 
public health personnel; 
(B) the training shall be held outside the 
United States and may be conducted in facili-
ties of the Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
vention located in foreign countries or in Over-
seas Medical Research Units of the Department 
of Defense, as appropriate; and 
(C) the Secretary of State shall coordinate 
the training, where appropriate, with existing 
programs and activities of international health 
organizations; and 
(2) disease and syndrome surveillance reporting 
and rapid analysis of syndrome information referred 
to in subsection (b)(4)(F)(ii)— 
(A) such courses shall be for eligible na-
tionals who are health care providers or other 
public health personnel; 
(B) the training shall be conducted via the 
Internet or in appropriate facilities located in a 
foreign country, as determined by the Secretary 
of State; and 
(C) the Secretary of State shall coordinate 
the training, where appropriate, with existing 
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programs and activities of international regional 
and international health organizations. 
(d) REPORTING.—Activities undertaken pursuant to 
subsection (b) to improve or facilitate the reporting of bio-
logical incidents, including breaches of pathogen or labora-
tory security, infectious disease outbreaks, and public 
health information, shall be aimed at improving and facili-
tating such reporting only to the United States, the World 
Health Organization, and other responsible countries and 
international entities. 
(e) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this Act 
shall require the Secretary of State to share information 
about United States defensive measures against biological 
weapons or other threats that could be useful to adver-
saries in developing biological weapons or agents that 
could defeat such defensive measures. 
(f) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are nec-
essary to the Secretary of State for carrying out this sec-
tion. 
SEC. 5. INTERNATIONAL BIOSECURITY TASK FORCE. 
The Secretary of State shall convene an International 
Biosecurity Task Force of prominent experts, including 
from the scientific, public health, legal, academic, security, 
research bioethics, and private sector communities, to 
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serve as a nongovernmental consultative body for the 
International Biosecurity Initiative established pursuant 
to section 4. The Task Force shall provide advice to the 
security, societal, and ethical implications of emerging and 
future biotechnology developments, including synthetic 
genomics, synthetic biology, human genetic modification, 
and other biotechnology relevant for the modification of 
human beings, as well as efforts toward the establishment 
of international agreement regarding the appropriate uses 
of advanced biotechnology and proscription of nefarious 
uses and abhorrent practices. 
SEC. 6. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NONPROLIFERATION AND 
COUNTERTERRORISM 
FELLOWSHIP 
PRO-
GRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State shall es-
tablish a program (to be known as the ‘‘Nonproliferation 
and Counterterrorism Fellowship Program’’) to provide el-
igible students and recent graduates educational fellow-
ships for obtaining a deeper understanding of Federal ef-
forts to counter terrorist activities and groups and to pro-
mote nonproliferation. 
(b) FELLOWSHIP
PROGRAM
COMPONENTS.—The 
Nonproliferation and Counterterrorism Fellowship Pro-
gram authorized by this section shall— 
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(1) be awarded to eligible students and recent 
graduates; 
(2) require such students or recent graduates to 
complete an educational fellowship at a Federal 
agency or in Congress, for a period of not less than 
3 months, during which fellowship such students and 
recent graduates shall participate in activities rel-
evant to the goals of the graduate studies of such 
students and recent graduates; 
(3) ensure that such educational fellowships at 
Federal agencies or in Congress are designed to con-
tribute to the eligible students’ and recent grad-
uates’ preparation for a career in a field relating to 
the goals of the Program authorized by this section; 
and 
(4) provide financial support to eligible students 
and recent graduates selected for the program in ac-
cordance with subsection (c). 
(c) FINANCIAL SUPPORT.—The Nonproliferation and 
Counterterrorism Fellowship Program shall provide to 
each eligible student and recent graduate selected for the 
program for the period during which the student or recent 
graduate is participating in an educational fellowship at 
a Federal agency or in Congress as required by subsection 
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(b)(2), a stipend in an amount determined by the Sec-
retary. 
(d) REGULATIONS.—Not later than one year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall 
promulgate regulations to carry out this section. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for each 
of fiscal years 2011 through 2015 to the Secretary of 
State for carrying out the Nonproliferation and Counter-
terrorism Fellowship Program under this section. 
SEC. 7. TECHNICAL REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT OF HARM-
FUL BIOLOGICAL INCIDENT AND ACTIVITY 
INVESTIGATION TECHNOLOGIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, 
in coordination with the heads of other relevant Federal 
agencies, the National Academies, or any other agency or 
organization the Secretary determines appropriate, shall 
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a re-
port containing a technical review and assessment of the 
limits and capabilities of technologies that could be used 
for investigating biological incidents and allegations of ille-
gal biological weapons activities. This report shall be sub-
mitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified 
annex. 
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(b) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are nec-
essary to the Secretary of State for carrying out the review 
and assessment described in section (a) of this section. 
SEC. 8. REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT OF GLOBAL LEGAL RE-
GIME FOR BIOSECURITY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, 
in coordination with the heads of other relevant Federal 
agencies, shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
committees a review and assessment of the global legal 
regime for biosecurity, including— 
(1) implementation and enforcement of laws 
against criminal activities in other countries includ-
ing extradition treaties and agreements; 
(2) transnational exchange of relevant informa-
tion between law enforcement authorities; 
(3) attributing responsibility, apprehending, 
and prosecuting individuals or entities responsible 
for deliberately releasing pathogens; 
(4) licensing and use approval of medical coun-
termeasures during a disease emergency; 
(5) national and international authority for ef-
fectively responding to and recovering from a disease 
outbreak; 
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(6) the establishment and implementation of 
national and international legal measures for ensur-
ing pathogen and laboratory biosafety and biosecu-
rity; and 
(7) national legal mechanisms to review bio-
defense research and development activities for com-
pliance with the BWC. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are nec-
essary to the Secretary of State for carrying out the review 
and assessment described in section (a) of this section. 
SEC. 9. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. 
Section 140(a) of the Foreign Relations Authoriza-
tion Act, Fiscal Years 1988 and 1989 (22 U.S.C. 12 
2656f(a)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (3)(B), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(2) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(5) detailed assessments of the ability of each 
foreign country described in paragraphs (1) through 
(4) to detect and respond to acts of terrorism, in-
cluding information on— 
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‘‘(A) surveillance capabilities for detecting 
infectious disease outbreaks; and 
‘‘(B) the ability of the public health and 
law enforcement communities of each such 
country to effectively minimize damage to pub-
lic health, economic infrastructure, and global 
security during and immediately after a ter-
rorist attack.’’. 
SEC. 10. INTERNATIONAL DISEASE OUTBREAK INFORMA-
TION SHARING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State shall sub-
mit to the appropriate congressional committees a report 
following any incident in which a foreign country fails to 
share, in a timely manner, information, including biologi-
cal samples and epidemiological data, about the outbreak 
of a previously unknown infectious disease or a new strain 
of an infectious disease or about an outbreak for which 
the country is otherwise required to share information 
pursuant to commitments made by the country. This re-
port shall include a summary the activities of the relevant 
country pertaining to the disease outbreak and steps taken 
by the United States and by relevant international organi-
zations, including the World Health Organization, to ob-
tain this information. 
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(b) WITHHOLDING.—The Secretary of State shall 
withhold 10 percent of the foreign assistance given to any 
country failing to share information on infectious disease 
outbreaks as described in subsection (a). This withholding 
will remain in effect until the information is provided. This 
withholding may be waived at if the President determines 
that to do so is in the national interest. 
SEC. 11. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means the Committee on Foreign Affairs of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Foreign Relations of the Senate. 
(2) APPROPRIATE GRADUATE PROGRAM.—The 
term ‘‘appropriate graduate program’’ means a 
graduate level degree or certificate program at an 
institution of higher education that provides for the 
multidisciplinary study of issues relating to weapons 
nonproliferation or counterterrorism and includes 
training in at least several of the following areas— 
(A) assessment and forecasting of pro-
liferation threats, including non-state actors, 
(B) technologies underlying weapons of 
mass destruction, 
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(C) international agreements and regimes 
to prevent and limit the spread of weapons of 
mass destruction, including threat reduction as-
sistance, 
(D) nonproliferation export controls, in-
cluding governance of dual-use technologies, 
(E) policy tools and responses to prolifera-
tion by both states and non-state actors, 
(F) the politics and process of nuclear pro-
liferation and renunciation decisionmaking, and 
(G) regional security issues relevant to 
proliferation. 
(3) CRITICAL PATHOGEN.—The term ‘‘critical 
pathogen’’ means any biological organism that is 
used in biological research and is involved in the 
transmission of infectious diseases whose intentional 
or unintentional release poses a significant threat to 
public health. 
(4) ELIGIBLE NATIONAL.—The term ‘‘eligible 
national’’ means any citizen or national of an eligible 
developing country who— 
(A) does not have a criminal background; 
(B) is not on any immigration or other 
United States watch list; and 
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(C) is not affiliated with any foreign ter-
rorist organization. 
(5) ELIGIBLE
STUDENT.—The term ‘‘eligible 
student’’ means a student who— 
(A) has obtained from an institution of 
higher education (as defined in section 102 of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1002)) a bachelor’s degree or other degree that 
is acceptable for admission to a graduate or 
professional degree program; 
(B) is applying to, or has been admitted 
for enrollment in, an appropriate graduate pro-
gram; 
(C) is a United States citizen; and 
(D) is otherwise qualified (as determined 
by the Secretary). 
(6) FOREIGN ASSISTANCE.—The term ‘‘foreign 
assistance’’ means assistance authorized under the 
Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et 
seq.). 
(7) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—Ex-
cept as otherwise expressly provided, the term ‘‘insti-
tution of higher education’’ has the meaning given 
such term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)). 
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(8) TECHNICAL REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT.— 
The term ‘‘technical review and assessment’’ means 
a policy-neutral study conducted by scientific and 
technical experts to assess the ability of available 
technology to verify the purpose of biological re-
search programs and to detect weaponization activi-
ties. 
(9) ELIGIBLE
DEVELOPING
COUNTRY.—The 
term ‘‘eligible developing country’’ means any devel-
oping country that— 
(A) has agreed to the objective of fully 
complying with requirements of the World 
Health Organization on reporting public health 
information on outbreaks of infectious diseases; 
and 
(B) has not been determined by the Sec-
retary, for purposes of section 40 of the Arms 
Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2780), section 
620A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 
(22 U.S.C. 2371), or section 6(j) of the Export 
Administration Act of 1979 (50 U.S.C. App. 
2405), to have repeatedly provided support for 
acts of international terrorism, unless the Sec-
retary exercises a waiver certifying that it is in 
the national interest of the United States to 
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provide assistance under the provisions of this 
Act. 
Æ 
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