# 119-hr-8981: SCALE Biology Act

119-hr-8981, SCALE Biology Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6] (D-MD); status in_committee; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8981
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-8981
- Congress: 119
- Title: SCALE Biology Act
- Status: in_committee
- Introduced: 2026-05-21
- Sponsor: Rep. McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6] (D-MD)
- Cosponsors: 5
- Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-10-17

## Summary

**Creates a dedicated NIST Biometrology Laboratory Program** to fund measurement research, standards, and infrastructure that help engineering biology, biomanufacturing, and biotechnology become more reliable, interoperable, and safe. It focuses on measurement science, data standards, biorisk controls, and tools that help scale lab discoveries into commercial and distributed manufacturing.

## Cosponsors (5)

- Rep. Obernolte, Jay [R-CA-23] (R-CA), 2026-05-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18] (D-CA), 2026-05-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Del. Moylan, James C. [R-GU-At Large] (R-GU), 2026-05-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7] (D-VA), 2026-06-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2] (D-NC), 2026-07-13T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- NIST biometrology program and funding: benefit, medium. This bill would direct the Commerce Secretary, acting through the NIST Director, to set up a Biometrology Laboratory Program to improve measurement science for engineering biology and biomanufacturing. It would authorize up to $55 million for FY2026, $60 million for FY2027, $70 million for FY2028,…
- Repeal of an R&D program provision: mixed, low. This bill would repeal section 10221 of the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act and remove that item from the Act's table of contents. Repealing that section would end whatever program or authority that section created or governed. The bill does not specify replacement funding…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act
- 119-hr-4206: CONNECT for Health Act of 2025
- 119-hr-1262: Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act
- 119-hr-3514: Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025
- 119-hr-2102: Major Richard Star Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-8981 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/8981)

## Related
- [119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3151)
- [119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7977)
- [119-hr-4206: CONNECT for Health Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4206)
- [119-hr-1262: Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1262)
- [119-hr-3514: Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3514)
- [119-hr-2102: Major Richard Star Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2102)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8981 (as of 2026-10-17).