I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1864 
To amend title 31, United States Code, to establish the Life Sciences 
Research Security Board, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 5, 2025 
Mr. GRIFFITH introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend title 31, United States Code, to establish the 
Life Sciences Research Security Board, 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 ‘‘Risky Research Review 
Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. LIFE SCIENCES RESEARCH SECURITY BOARD. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle V of title 31, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘CHAPTER 79—LIFE SCIENCES RESEARCH 
SECURITY BOARD 
‘‘7901. Definitions. 
‘‘7902. Establishment and membership. 
‘‘7903. Board personnel. 
‘‘7904. Board mission and functions. 
‘‘7905. Agency procedures; referral to Board. 
‘‘7906. Board review. 
‘‘7907. GAO Audits. 
‘‘7908. Funding. 
‘‘§ 7901. Definitions 
‘‘In this chapter: 
‘‘(1) AGENCY.—The term ‘agency’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 552(f) of title 5. 
‘‘(2) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’ means the Committee on Homeland Secu-
rity and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House 
of Representatives. 
‘‘(3) BOARD.—The term ‘Board’ means the 
Life Sciences Research Security Board established 
under section 7902(a). 
‘‘(4) DUAL USE RESEARCH OF CONCERN.—The 
term ‘dual use research of concern’— 
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‘‘(A) means life sciences research that, 
based on current understanding, can be reason-
ably anticipated to provide knowledge, informa-
tion, products, or technologies that could— 
‘‘(i) be misapplied to do harm with no 
modification or only a minor modification; 
and 
‘‘(ii) pose a significant threat with po-
tential consequences to public health and 
safety, agricultural crops and other plants, 
animals, materiel, or national security; and 
‘‘(B) includes— 
‘‘(i) life sciences research that could— 
‘‘(I) increase transmissibility of a 
pathogen within or between host spe-
cies; 
‘‘(II) increase the virulence of a 
pathogen or convey virulence to a non- 
pathogen; 
‘‘(III) increase the toxicity of a 
known toxin or produce a novel toxin; 
‘‘(IV) increase— 
‘‘(aa) the stability of a 
pathogen or toxin in the environ-
ment; or 
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‘‘(XII) enhance the immune eva-
sion of a pathogen in humans, such as 
by modifying the pathogen to disrupt 
the effectiveness of pre-existing immu-
nity via immunization or natural in-
fection; or 
‘‘(XIII) generate, use, reconsti-
tute, or transfer an eradicated or ex-
tinct high-consequence pathogen; and 
‘‘(ii) any other category of life 
sciences research that the Board, by ma-
jority vote of the members of the Board, 
identifies and publishes in the Federal 
Register. 
‘‘(5) EMPLOYEE.—The term ‘employee’ means 
an individual described in section 2105(a) of title 5. 
‘‘(6) FEDERAL FUNDING.—The term ‘Federal 
funding’ means amounts awarded by an agency pur-
suant to an intramural or extramural grant, cooper-
ative agreement, interagency agreement, contract, or 
other instrument. 
‘‘(7) GAIN
OF
FUNCTION
RESEARCH.—The 
term ‘gain of function research’ means a research 
experiment that may enhance the transmissibility or 
virulence of a high-consequence pathogen. 
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‘‘(8) 
HIGH-CONSEQUENCE
PATHOGEN.—The 
term ‘high-consequence pathogen’— 
‘‘(A) means a wild-type or synthetic patho-
gen that— 
‘‘(i)(I) is likely capable of wide and 
uncontrollable spread in human popu-
lations; and 
‘‘(II) would likely cause moderate to 
severe disease or mortality in humans; or 
‘‘(ii) is— 
‘‘(I) subject to subparagraph (B), 
influenza A virus; 
‘‘(II) classified under subgenus 
Sarbecovirus; 
‘‘(III) classified under subgenus 
Merbecovirus; 
‘‘(IV) Variola orthopoxvirus; 
‘‘(V) Mpox orthopoxvirus; 
‘‘(VI) Nipah henipavirus; 
‘‘(VII) Hendra henipavirus; 
‘‘(VIII) Ebola orthoebolavirus; 
‘‘(IX) Marburg marburgvirus; 
‘‘(X) Lassa mammarenavirus; 
‘‘(XI) Junin arenavirus; 
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‘‘(XII) Crimean-Congo hemor-
rhagic fever orthonairovirus; 
‘‘(XIII) 
Hantaan 
orthohantavirus; 
‘‘(XIV) 
Sin 
Nombre 
orthohantavirus; 
‘‘(XV) Yersinia pestis; 
‘‘(XVI) a select agent or toxin, 
work with which poses a significant 
risk of deliberate misuse; 
‘‘(XVII) any other pathogen or 
category of pathogen that a majority 
of members of the Board— 
‘‘(aa) identifies as a high- 
consequence pathogen; and 
‘‘(bb) publishes in the Fed-
eral Register; or 
‘‘(XVIII) any synthetic construct 
of a pathogen or category of pathogen 
described in this clause; and 
‘‘(B) does not include a seasonal influenza 
virus, unless a seasonal influenza virus has been 
manipulated to include genetic sequences from 
a pathogen described in subparagraph (A). 
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‘‘(9) HIGH-RISK LIFE SCIENCES RESEARCH.— 
The term ‘high-risk life sciences research’ means life 
sciences research that is— 
‘‘(A) dual use research of concern involving 
a high-consequence pathogen; or 
‘‘(B) gain of function research. 
‘‘(10) LIFE
SCIENCES
RESEARCH.—The term 
‘life sciences research’— 
‘‘(A) means the study or use of a living or-
ganism, a virus, or a product of a living orga-
nism or virus; and 
‘‘(B) includes each discipline, methodology, 
and application of biology, including bio-
technology, 
genomics, 
proteomics, 
bioinformatics, and pharmaceutical and bio-
medical research and techniques. 
‘‘(11) SELECT
AGENT
OR
TOXIN.—The term 
‘select agent or toxin’ means a select agent or toxin 
identified under— 
‘‘(A) section 73.3(b) of title 42, Code of 
Federal Regulations, as in effect on the date of 
enactment of the Risky Research Review Act; 
‘‘(B) section 331.3(b) of title 7, Code of 
Federal Regulations, as in effect on the date of 
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enactment of the Risky Research Review Act; 
or 
‘‘(C) section 121.3(b) of title 9, Code of 
Federal Regulations, as in effect on the date of 
enactment of the Risky Research Review Act. 
‘‘§ 7902. Establishment and membership 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established as an 
independent agency within the Executive Branch a board 
to be known as the ‘Life Sciences Research Security 
Board’ to review proposed Federal funding for life sciences 
research in accordance with section 7906. 
‘‘(b) APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The President shall ap-
point, without regard to political affiliation, 9 indi-
viduals who are citizens of the United States to 
serve as members of the Board for not more than 
2 terms of 4 years each, including— 
‘‘(A) the Executive Director appointed 
under section 7903(a); 
‘‘(B) 5 nongovernmental scientists in a life 
sciences field; 
‘‘(C) 2 nongovernmental national security 
experts; and 
‘‘(D) 1 nongovernmental biosafety expert. 
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‘‘(2) PERIOD FOR NOMINATIONS.—The Presi-
dent shall make appointments, other than the Exec-
utive Director, to the Board not later than 30 days 
after the date of enactment of this chapter. 
‘‘(3) 
CONSIDERATIONS
OF
RECOMMENDA-
TIONS.—The President shall make appointments to 
the 
Board 
after 
considering 
individuals 
rec-
ommended by the chair and ranking member of the 
appropriate congressional committees. 
‘‘(4) QUALIFICATIONS.—Individuals appointed 
to the Board— 
‘‘(A) shall— 
‘‘(i) be impartial individuals; and 
‘‘(ii) be distinguished individuals of 
high national professional reputation in 
their respective fields who are capable of 
exercising the independent and objective 
judgment necessary to conduct an impar-
tial assessment of the potential risks and 
benefits associated with Federal funding of 
high-risk life sciences research to public 
health and national security; and 
‘‘(B) may not be an employee on the date 
of the appointment or during the 3-year period 
preceding the date of the appointment. 
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‘‘(5) LIMITATIONS.—Not more than 4 concur-
rent members of the Board may be an employee, a 
subcontractor, a previous employee, or a previous 
subcontractor of— 
‘‘(A) the Department of Defense; 
‘‘(B) the Department of Homeland Secu-
rity; 
‘‘(C) the National Institute of Allergy and 
Infectious Diseases of the Department of 
Health and Human Services; 
‘‘(D) the Office of the Director of National 
Intelligence; or 
‘‘(E) the Department of Energy. 
‘‘(6) CONSIDERATION BY THE SENATE.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Nominations for ap-
pointment to the position of Executive Director 
of the Board shall be referred to the Committee 
on Homeland Security and Governmental Af-
fairs of the Senate for consideration. 
‘‘(B) RENOMINATION.—A member of the 
Board who is recommended to serve a second 
term shall be nominated for appointment to the 
Board, and such nomination shall be referred 
pursuant to subparagraph (A). 
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‘‘(7) VACANCY.—Not later than 30 days after 
the date on which a vacancy on the Board occurs, 
the vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as 
specified for the original appointment. 
‘‘(8) REMOVAL.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—No member of the 
Board shall be removed from office, other than 
by— 
‘‘(i) impeachment and conviction; 
‘‘(ii) the action of the President for 
inefficiency, neglect of duty, malfeasance in 
office, physical disability, mental inca-
pacity, or any other condition that sub-
stantially impairs the performance of the 
member’s duties; or 
‘‘(iii) the Board in accordance with 
subparagraph (B). 
‘‘(B) ACTION BY BOARD.—If the Director 
of the Office of Government Ethics determines 
that participation by a member of the Board in 
high-risk life sciences research constitutes a 
conflict of interest, the Board shall take steps 
to mitigate or manage the conflict, which may 
include removal. 
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‘‘(C) NOTICE
OF
REMOVAL
BY
PRESI-
DENT.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—In the case of the 
removal of a member of the Board by the 
President as described in subparagraph 
(A)(ii), not later than 10 days after the re-
moval, the President shall submit to the 
chair and ranking member of the appro-
priate congressional committees a report 
specifying the facts found and the grounds 
for removal. 
‘‘(ii) PUBLICATION OF REPORT.—The 
President shall publish in the Federal Reg-
ister each report submitted under clause 
(i), except that the President may, if nec-
essary to protect the rights of a person 
named in the report or to prevent undue 
interference with any pending prosecution, 
postpone or refrain from publicly pub-
lishing any or all of the report until the 
completion of such pending cases or pursu-
ant to privacy protection requirements in 
law. 
‘‘(c) MANDATORY CONFLICTS
OF INTEREST RE-
VIEW.— 
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Board, in consultation 
with the Director of the Office of Government Eth-
ics, shall— 
‘‘(A) not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this chapter— 
‘‘(i) establish criteria to determine 
whether there is a conflict of interest with 
respect to any individual appointed to the 
Board, taking into consideration require-
ments under Federal law relating to ethics 
requirements for employees; and 
‘‘(ii) upon an appointment of a mem-
ber to the Board under subsection (a)(1) 
thereafter, conduct a review of each indi-
vidual nominated and appointed to the 
Board to ensure the individual does not 
have any conflict of interest under the cri-
teria established pursuant to clause (i); 
and 
‘‘(B) periodically thereafter, conduct a re-
view of each individual nominated and ap-
pointed to the Board to ensure the individual 
does not have any conflict of interest under the 
criteria established pursuant to subparagraph 
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(A)(i) during the term of service of the indi-
vidual. 
‘‘(2) NOTIFICATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 days 
after the date on which the Director of the Of-
fice of Government Ethics becomes aware that 
a member of the Board possesses a potential 
conflict of interest under the criteria established 
pursuant to paragraph (1)(A)(i), the Director 
of the Office of Government Ethics shall notify 
the chair and ranking member of the appro-
priate congressional committees of the potential 
conflict of interest. 
‘‘(B) NOTIFICATION
BY
MEMBER.—Not 
later than 30 days after the date on which a 
member of the Board becomes aware that an-
other member of the Board possesses a poten-
tial conflict of interest under the criteria estab-
lished pursuant to paragraph (1)(A)(i), the 
member of the Board or the Executive Director 
of the Board shall notify the chair and ranking 
member of the appropriate congressional com-
mittees of the potential conflict of interest. 
‘‘(d) SECURITY CLEARANCES.—All members of the 
Board shall be granted all the necessary security clear-
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ances and accesses, including to relevant Presidential and 
department or agency special access and compartmented 
access programs, in an accelerated manner, subject to the 
standard procedures for granting such clearances. All 
nominees for appointment to the Board shall qualify for 
the necessary security clearances and accesses prior to 
being considered for confirmation by the Committee on 
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Sen-
ate. 
‘‘(e) PARTICIPATION IN HIGH-RISK LIFE SCIENCES 
RESEARCH.— 
‘‘(1) DISCLOSURE
REQUIRED.—A member of 
the Board shall disclose whether the member has 
participated in or is currently participating in high- 
risk life sciences research. 
‘‘(2) CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The participation in 
high-risk life sciences research by a member of 
the Board— 
‘‘(i) shall be considered a potential 
conflict of interest; and 
‘‘(ii) shall be subject to scrutiny by 
the Director of the Office of Government 
Ethics. 
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