§9203 Evaluation and Research Plan

Summary

The Secretary of Agriculture must, at least every two years, work with the Secretary of Homeland Security and other federal agency leaders to review how the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility is doing and to create, update every two years, and publish a research plan based on priority risk and threat reviews. The plan must cover things like making veterinary countermeasures for new and transboundary animal diseases, improving testing and diagnostics for animal and zoonotic threats, helping assess vulnerabilities in the agriculture and food sectors, filling gaps in federal research without duplicating work, and other uses the agencies agree are appropriate. The plan must be sent to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry (Senate), the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (Senate), the Committee on Agriculture (House), and the Committee on Homeland Security (House). The research plan must be published in an unclassified form and submitted to those committees unclassified. A classified annex can be added if needed for sensitive information.