I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 706 
To improve the biodetection functions of the Department of Homeland 
Security, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 23, 2025 
Mr. STRONG (for himself and Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security 
A BILL 
To improve the biodetection functions of the Department 
of Homeland Security, 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 ‘‘DHS Biodetection Im-
provement Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. DHS UTILIZATION OF DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY NA-
TIONAL LABORATORIES AND SITES FOR CER-
TAIN BIODETECTION RESEARCH AND DEVEL-
OPMENT RELATING TO THE MISSIONS OF 
THE DHS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Homeland Secu-
rity shall conduct an assessment of how the Department 
of Homeland Security has utilized Department of Energy 
national laboratories and sites regarding research and de-
velopment in carrying out the missions of the Department 
of Homeland Security, in accordance with section 309 of 
the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 189). 
(b) STRATEGY ON BIODETECTION RESEARCH AND 
DEVELOPMENT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland 
Security shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Se-
curity of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the 
Senate the assessment required under subsection (a), to-
gether with a strategy for how the Department of Home-
land Security will conduct research and development in co-
ordination with Department of Energy national labora-
tories and sites to address biodetection research and devel-
opment of the Department of Homeland Security, includ-
ing the following: 
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(1) Identifying biodetection technologies that 
can, either individually or together, meet the bio-
detection mission needs as outlined in Department 
of Homeland Security capabilities analysis and re-
quirements documents and informed by studies pro-
duced by the Comptroller General of the United 
States, such as the National Re-Assessment of the 
BioWatch Collector Network to Increase the Frac-
tion of Population Covered, as developed by the 
Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office of 
the Department in November 2021, and other such 
future studies as applicable. 
(2) Developing an acquisition and procurement 
plan to acquire and provide, in accordance with Fed-
eral law, the Federal Acquisition Regulation, and 
Department of Homeland Security acquisition and 
procurement management directives, the biodetection 
technologies referred to in paragraph (1) to existing 
BioWatch jurisdictions. 
(3) Conducting periodic external evaluations to 
identify gaps and potential failure points with re-
spect to such biodetection technologies, and recom-
mending contingency plans in the event such bio-
detection technologies do not perform as expected or 
intended. 
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(4) Assisting, as appropriate and in partnership 
with Federal, State, local, and Tribal governments, 
institutions of higher education (as such term is de-
fined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)), and the private sector, with 
the development of clearly defined program and 
technical requirements for future Department of 
Homeland Security environmental biodetection pro-
grams, including any related transformational pro-
gram of research and development. 
(c) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.—Not later than one 
year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Homeland Security shall provide to the Com-
mittee on Homeland Security of the House of Representa-
tives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Gov-
ernmental Affairs of the Senate an update of the assess-
ment and strategy required under this section, including 
any challenges to implementing such strategy. 
Æ 
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