Dangerous Viral Gain of Function Research Moratorium Act

Bill: 119-s-738
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Marshall, Roger [R-KS]
Introduced: 2025-02-26
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Genetics

Higher education

Infectious and parasitic diseases

Medical research

Research administration and funding
Latest action: action_date: 2025-02-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Summaries:
action_date: 2025-02-26
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Dangerous Viral Gain of Function Research Moratorium Act</strong></p><p>This bill prohibits institutions of higher education or other research institutes that are conducting gain-of-function research from receiving federal research grants. <em>Gain-of-function research</em> means research that (1) involves the genetic alteration of specified viruses, agents, and toxins (e.g., coronavirus) to change or enhance their functions, such as their ability to cause or spread disease; or (2)  may reasonably be anticipated to give new traits to such organisms that enhance such functions or otherwise threaten public health or national security.</p>

tv_txt: II 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 738 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 26, 2025 Mr. Marshall (for himself and Mrs. Blackburn ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To provide a moratorium on all Federal research grants provided to any institution of higher education or other research institute that is conducting dangerous gain-of-function research.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Dangerous Viral Gain of Function Research Moratorium Act . 2. Prohibition on Federal research grants for institutions and research institutes conducting dangerous gain-of-function research (a) Definitions In this section: (1) Gain-of-function research The term gain-of-function research means any research that— (A) involves the genetic alteration of an organism to change or enhance the organism's biological functions, which change or enhancement may include increased infectivity, transmissibility, pathogenicity, or host range (which is the spectrum of hosts that an organism can infect); or (B) may be reasonably anticipated to confer attributes to an organism, such that the organism would have enhanced infectivity, pathogenicity, or transmissibility, or otherwise pose a threat to national security, public safety, or the health of humans, companion animals, or livestock, poultry, seafood and aquaculture species, or game animals. (2) Organism The term organism means an influenza virus, a coronavirus (including a Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus, SARS–CoV–1, SARS–CoV–2, or SARS-like viruses), or an agent or toxin on the Select Agents and Toxins List of the Department of Health and Human Services or the Department of Agriculture under part 331 of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations, part 121 of title 9, Code of Federal Regulations, or part 73 of title 42, Code of Federal Regulations, or any synthetic construct of such virus, agent, or toxin. (b) Prohibition Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no research grants supported by Federal funds may be awarded to institutions of higher education, or other research institutes, that are conducting gain-of-function research.