Genetic Sequencing Accountability Act

Bill: 117-hr-6363
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Bucshon, Larry [R-IN-8]
Introduced: 2022-01-10
Policy area: Health
Latest action: action_date: 2022-01-11
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Summaries:
action_date: 2022-01-10
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Genetic Sequencing Accountability Act</strong></p> <p>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.</p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 6363 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 10, 2022 Mr. Bucshon introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL 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.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Genetic Sequencing Accountability Act . 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.