Genetic Sequencing Accountability Act
Bill: H.R.6363 | Sponsor: Rep. Bucshon, Larry (R-IN)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Genetic Sequencing Accountability Act
This bill requires the Government Accountability Office to report on national security and related risks of human genomic sequencing services or genetic services that are funded by the Department of Health and Human Services and carried out by certain foreign entities. In particular, the report must focus on entities that receive such funding and are organized under the laws of a country or countries of concern, as determined by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence or other federal departments.

To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a 
 study on funding to entities utilizing such funding for human genomic 
                    sequencing or genetic services.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Genetic Sequencing Accountability 
Act''.

SEC. 2. GAO STUDY.

    (a) In General.--The Comptroller General of the United States 
(referred to in this section as the ``Comptroller General'') shall 
conduct a study to assess the extent to which the Department of Health 
and Human Services (referred to in this section as the ``Department'') 
utilizes or provides funding to entities that utilize such funds for 
human genomic sequencing services or genetic services (as such term is 
defined in section 201(6) of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination 
Act of 2008 (42 U.S.C. 2000ff(6))) provided by entities organized under 
the laws of a country or countries of concern, in the estimation of the 
Director of National Intelligence or the head of another Federal 
department or agency, as appropriate.
    (b) Considerations.--In carrying out the study under this section, 
the Comptroller General shall--
            (1) consider--
                    (A) what is known about the extent to which the 
                country or countries of concern could obtain human 
                genomic information of citizens and residents of the 
                United States from such entities that sequence, 
                analyze, collect, or store human genomic information 
                and which the Director of National Intelligence or the 
                head of another Federal department or agency reasonably 
                anticipates may use such information in a manner 
                inconsistent with the national security interests of 
                the United States;
                    (B) whether the Department or recipient of such 
                funds from the Department sought to provide funding to, 
                or to use, domestic entities with no such ties to the 
                country or countries of concern for such purposes and 
                any barriers to the use of domestic entities; and
                    (C) whether the Department has processes in place 
                to ensure that data use agreements, data security 
                measures, and other such measures taken by the 
                Department or recipient of such funds from the 
                Department are sufficient to protect the identifiable, 
                sensitive information of the people of the United 
                States and the national security interests of the 
                United States; and
            (2) make recommendations to address any vulnerabilities to 
        the United States national security identified, as appropriate.
    (c) Estimation.--In conducting the study under this section, the 
Comptroller General may, as appropriate and necessary to complete such 
study, investigate specific instances of such utilization of genetic 
sequencing services or genetic services, as described in subsection 
(a), to produce estimates of the potential prevalence of such 
utilization among entities in receipt of Departmental funds.
    (d) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit a report on the study 
under this section to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate, and 
the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Permanent Select Committee 
on Intelligence of the House of Representatives. The report shall be 
submitted in unclassified form, to the extent practicable, but may 
include a classified annex.
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