Biotech Futures Act

Bill: 118-hr-9627
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17]
Introduced: 2024-09-17
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Latest action: action_date: 2024-09-17
text: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

Summaries:

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 9627 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 17, 2024 Mr. Khanna introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services A BILL To direct the Secretary of Defense to develop a biotechnology roadmap to guide the efforts of the Department of Defense relating to biotechnology, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Biotech Futures Act . 2. Biotechnology roadmap (a) Roadmap required The Secretary of Defense shall develop a biotechnology roadmap to guide the efforts of the Department of Defense relating to biotechnology. (b) Elements In the roadmap required by subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall— (1) clearly articulate the strategic objectives of the Department of Defense relating to biotechnology; (2) for each strategic objective, establish specific goals and milestones for the achievement of such objective, including timelines for meeting such goals and milestones; (3) in the case of each updated version of the roadmap following submittal of the initial roadmap under subsection (d)(1), include— (A) a review of the goals and milestones established under paragraph (2) to ensure such goals and milestones continue to align with strategic objectives under paragraph (1); and (B) a description of any goals and milestones that changed as a result of such review; (4) separately identify each biotechnology effort covered by the strategy, including any programs, projects, or other activities associated with such effort within the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Armed Forces, and other organizations of the Department, and for each such effort provide— (A) a description of the effort; (B) an estimate of the funding dedicated to the effort; (C) a timeline for carrying out the effort; and (D) an explanation of how the effort aligns with the strategic objectives under paragraph (1); (5) identify and describe the role of each organization of the Department with responsibilities relating to biotechnology under the strategy; (6) establish metrics to measure the progress of the Department in meeting the objectives, goals, and milestones under the strategy; (7) based on such metrics, assess the progress of the Department in meeting such objectives, goals, and milestones; (8) based on the results of such assessment, make any necessary adjustments to the planning and execution of the roadmap to ensure the Department makes continuous progress toward achieving the objectives under paragraph (1); (9) assess the overall risk to the security of the United States of the biotechnology efforts covered by the strategy; (10) analyze any requirements of the Federal Government that hinder the ability of the Department to advance and use biotechnology; (11) provide for the development and support of the biotechnology workforce of the Department, including personnel with responsibilities relating directly to biotechnology and personnel who indirectly support the biotechnology efforts of the Department such as personnel involved program management, acquisition, investment, and legal matters; (12) with respect to the biotechnology workforce described in paragraph (11)— (A) identify the total number of biotechnology positions required to support the objectives of the roadmap— (i) as of the date of the road map; and (ii) over the periods of five and 10 years following such date; (B) indicate the number of such positions that have been filled as of the date of the roadmap; (C) describe the positions included in the biotechnology workforce, including a description of— (i) the role of each position in supporting the objectives under paragraph (1); and (ii) the qualifications required for each position, including any qualifications relating to seniority level, education, training, and security clearances; (D) identify any challenges affecting the ability of the Department to develop the biotechnology workforce and propose solutions to those challenges; (E) assess whether the codes used to define positions and roles within the workforce of the Department adequately cover the range of positions and personnel that comprise the biotechnology workforce, such as personnel in research, engineering, and testing; (F) identify mechanisms to enable the Department to access outside expertise relating to biotechnology, including mechanisms to assemble a pool of outside experts who have been prequalified (including by obtaining any necessary security clearances) to provide advice and assistance to the Department on matters relating to biotechnology on an as-needed basis; and (G) assess whether personnel occupying existing positions in the Department could be used to meet biotechnology workforce needs with additional training and, if so, the nature and scope of the training required; and (13) address collaboration between the Department and international partners to advance research on biotechnology, which shall include— (A) a description of any international partnerships under which the United States is collaborating with partners to conduct biotechnology research and development for defense purposes; (B) a description of any new international partnerships that may be entered into, or existing partnerships that may be modified, to provide for such collaboration; and (C) identification of any challenges affecting the ability of the Department engage in such collaboration with international partners, including— (i) any limitations on co-investments within international partnerships; (ii) any United States export controls or other technology protections that hinder information sharing within such partnerships; and (iii) any other challenges that may prevent the full utilization of such partnerships for such collaboration. (c) Consultation In preparing the roadmap required under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall consult with— (1) the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering; (2) the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment; (3) the Secretaries of the military departments; and (4) such other officials of the Department of Defense as the Secretary determines appropriate. (d) Submittal to congress; updates (1) Initial submission Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees the roadmap developed under subsection (a). (2) Annual updates Not less frequently than once every two years following the submittal of the initial roadmap under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall— (A) review and update the roadmap; and (B) submit an updated version of the roadmap to the congressional defense committees. (3) Form Each version of the roadmap required to be submitted under this subsection may be submitted in classified form, but if so submitted, shall include an unclassified executive summary. (e) Public availability On annual basis, the Secretary shall make an unclassified version of the most recent roadmap submitted under subsection (d) available on a publicly accessible website of the Department of Defense. (f) Biotechnology defined In this section, the term biotechnology means the application of science and technology to living organisms and to parts, products and models of such organisms to alter living or non-living materials for the production of knowledge, goods, or services.