National Biosecurity Improvement Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-3414
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Marshall, Roger [R-KS]
Introduced: 2021-12-16
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Congressional oversight

Government studies and investigations

Health programs administration and funding

Homeland security

Infectious and parasitic diseases

Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information

International organizations and cooperation

Medical research

Military medicine

Research administration and funding

World health
Latest action: action_date: 2021-12-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-12-16
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>National Biosecurity Improvement Act of 2021</strong></p> <p>This bill requires the Government Accountability Office to study and report to Congress about policies and past actions of the National Institutes of Health related to enhancing potential pandemic pathogens and similar research that could result in unintended homeland and national security concerns.</p> <p>Among other matters, the study must address how federal agencies ensure that such research is conducted safely and without compromising national security and the extent to which agencies consider national security information in decisions about whether to fund research in other countries.</p>

tv_txt: II 117th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 3414 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES December 16, 2021 Mr. Marshall (for himself, Mr. Grassley , Mr. Inhofe , Mrs. Blackburn , and Ms. Ernst ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To require the Government Accountability Office to evaluate the policies and actions of the National Institutes of Health with respect to research involving the enhancement of potential pandemic pathogens and related activities.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the National Biosecurity Improvement Act of 2021 . 2. GAO study (a) In general The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study of the policies and past actions of the National Institutes of Health with respect to research involving the enhancement of potential pandemic pathogens and related research that could result in unintended homeland and national security concerns. Such study shall consider— (1) how Federal agencies that fund research involving the enhancement of potential pandemic pathogens and related risky research with potentially dangerous pathogens, including the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Defense, ensure that such research is conducted safely and securely and without compromising national security; (2) efforts to establish a common domestic and international approach to ensuring the safety and security of research involving the enhancement of potential pandemic pathogens and related risky research with potentially dangerous pathogens; and (3) the extent that Federal agencies described in paragraph (1) consider national security information when making decisions about Federal funding to support research in other countries. (b) Report Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate a report containing the results of the study conducted under subsection (a), including policy recommendations.