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119-s-738119th Congress
Dangerous Viral Gain of Function Research Moratorium Act
Sponsored By: Senator Marshall, Roger [R-KS]
Introduced
Summary
Blocks federal research grants for institutions that conduct dangerous “gain-of-function” viral research. This bill would bar colleges and research institutes from receiving federal research grants for work that genetically alters viruses or other agents to increase infectivity, transmissibility, pathogenicity, or host range, and it names influenza, coronaviruses, and listed select agents as covered organisms.
Show full summary
- Colleges and research institutes: Would lose eligibility for federal research grants if they conduct gain-of-function work as defined in the bill.
- Scientists and research programs: Researchers studying altered viruses that could make them more infectious or deadly would no longer be able to get federal grant support for those projects.
- Animal and agricultural research: Studies involving organisms that threaten human health or companion animals, livestock, poultry, seafood and aquaculture species, or game animals would be included in the funding ban.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
No federal grants for risky research
If enacted, the bill would bar federal research grants to colleges and research institutes that do gain-of-function research. Gain-of-function research means changing an organism's genes to make it more infectious, transmissible, pathogenic, or able to infect new hosts, or research likely to give those attributes. The bill names covered organisms: influenza viruses; coronaviruses (including MERS, SARS‑CoV‑1, SARS‑CoV‑2, and SARS-like viruses); agents and toxins on the federal Select Agents list; and any synthetic constructs of those agents. The ban would apply "notwithstanding any other provision of law" and would halt federal grant funding to institutions conducting such research. The bill text in this section does not include phase-ins, exemptions, or alternate funding pathways in the provision.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Marshall, Roger [R-KS]
KS • R
Cosponsors
Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]
TN • R
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov