Launching X–Labs for Breakthrough Science Act
Sponsored By: Representative Harder, Josh [D-CA-9]
Introduced
Summary
Creates long-term institutional awards to fund breakthrough biomedical research and the R&D facilities needed to do it. The program would sit at NIH and focus on building stable, high-ambition research institutions through multi-year funding and competitive selection.
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- Research institutions and nonprofit research organizations would be eligible for four award types. XL01, XL02, and XL03 awards must range from $5 million to $50 million per year for 7 consecutive fiscal years and may be renewed once for another 7-year term. Recipients of XL01–XL03 may not compete for other Federal research grants during the award period, except training grants.
- XL04 supports planning and formation of new institutions with awards of $1 million to $5 million per year for 1 to 3 years and no renewals. XL02 focuses on creating new scientific resources and XL01 on foundational basic science.
- XL03 allows regrants to focused research organizations and requires innovative selection and evaluation methods plus public disclosure within one year of how regrants were chosen. The NIH Director would run the program, create an XL-series activity code, require progress reports, and perform 5-year evaluations. The Secretary is authorized to appropriate funds for fiscal years 2026 through 2031 to carry out the program.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
New X-Labs research program
This bill would create the X-Labs Initiative at the National Institutes of Health to give long-term institutional awards for breakthrough biomedical research. It would authorize appropriations for fiscal years 2026 through 2031 of "such sums as may be necessary." The NIH Director would set an XL-series activity code, could use special other-transaction authorities, and would run the program with institute and center heads. NIH would require applications under NIH rules and must report to Congress within 1 year and do periodic evaluations.
X-Labs award sizes and rules
This bill would create four X-Labs award categories (XL01–XL04) with different purposes. XL01–XL03 awards would be $5 million to $50 million per year for 7 consecutive years, and may be renewed one time for another 7-year period after competitive review and subject to appropriation and renewal caps. XL04 awards would be $1 million to $5 million per year for 1, 2, or 3 years and could not be renewed. During an XL01–XL03 award, recipients could not apply for or receive other Federal research grants (training grants excluded). The NIH Director could suspend or terminate awards early for noncompliance and reallocate remaining funds.
Regrant rules for X-Labs awards
This bill would require XL03 award recipients to use part of their funds to make regrants to U.S.-based research teams, early-stage projects, or innovative initiatives that are unlikely to get normal NIH grants. XL03 recipients would have to use innovative methods to identify and evaluate regrant recipients and publish a public summary within one year after giving assistance.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Harder, Josh [D-CA-9]
CA • D
Cosponsors
Obernolte
CA • R
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov