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119-hr-6009119th Congress

Defense Biotechnology Strategy Act

Sponsored By: Representative Houlahan, Chrissy [D-PA-6]

Introduced

Summary

Requires the Department of Defense to produce a comprehensive strategy on emerging biotechnologies. This bill would ask DoD, working with its research and acquisition leaders, to submit a strategy within one year that explains how biotechnology will shape future defense capabilities and strengthen industry, interagency, and international relationships.

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  • Defense planners: Would push the Department to update military specifications and to include military-relevant biotechnology in wargames and net assessments so planning reflects biotech risks and opportunities.
  • Industry and manufacturers: Would direct DoD to plan to develop and expand a network of commercial biomanufacturing facilities and to use advance market commitments or offtake agreements to secure biotech products for defense needs.
  • NATO and allied governments: Would require plans for DoD support to help NATO members aggregate demand, pool purchasing power, and coordinate joint biotechnology research and development.
  • Researchers and regulators: Would create a DoD biotechnology regulation science and technology program that includes digital infrastructure, biometrology tools, and a study of a research grand challenge to make biotechnology more predictably engineerable.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

Pentagon plan for emerging biotechnology

If enacted, the Department of Defense would have to write a strategy on emerging biotechnology and national security within one year. It would be done with the Under Secretary for Research and Engineering and the Under Secretary for Acquisition and Sustainment, and sent to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees. The plan would map how to grow a network of commercial biomanufacturing sites for defense needs and update military specs to use biotech products. It would set policies for advance market commitments and offtake deals, add biotech to war games, and assess a research grand challenge to make biotech predictably engineerable. It would also build a biotech regulation science program, with digital tools and measurement tools, and cover NATO demand pooling and research coordination across member countries.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Houlahan, Chrissy [D-PA-6]

PA • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Sessions, Pete [R-TX-17]

    TX • R

    Sponsored 11/10/2025

  • Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]

    PA • R

    Sponsored 1/7/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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