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119-hr-3029119th Congress

To amend the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act to support nucleic acid screening, and for other purposes.

Sponsored By: Representative Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6]

Passed House

Summary

A federally led standards and measurement program for nucleic acid screening would strengthen biosecurity against risks from engineered biology and artificial intelligence. The bill would add a new NIST-led research and standards subsection, require a stakeholder consortium, and mandate reporting.

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  • Researchers and standards bodies: NIST would carry out measurement research to improve screening accuracy, security, conformity-assessment methods, and ways to evaluate implementation effectiveness.
  • Industry, universities, nonprofits, and customers: A convened consortium must develop consensus priorities, best practices, and roadmaps to guide synthetic nucleic acid procurement screening.
  • Oversight and funding: The Director must report the consortium’s findings to relevant congressional committees within 18 months of the first meeting, and the bill authorizes $5.0 million per year for NIST for FY2027–FY2031 to support these activities.

*If funded, it authorizes $5.0 million per year for FY2027–2031, totaling $25.0 million, which would increase federal spending by that amount.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

NIST to set DNA screening standards

This bill would direct NIST to run research and set best practices and technical standards for screening DNA and other nucleic acids. It would cover database security, screening accuracy, secure implementation, and how to check that screening works. NIST would convene industry, universities, nonprofits, and customers to set priorities and roadmaps, and update them over time. NIST would send Congress a report within 18 months after the group’s first meeting. It would authorize $5 million each year for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to fund this work, subject to future appropriations. The standards would also address risks in engineering biology and biomanufacturing, including risks from artificial intelligence.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6]

OR • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. McCormick, Richard [R-GA-7]

    GA • R

    Sponsored 4/28/2025

  • Rep. McBride, Sarah [D-DE-At Large]

    DE • D

    Sponsored 4/29/2025

  • Rep. Riley, Josh [D-NY-19]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 4/30/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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