“To amend the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act to support nucleic acid screening, and for other purposes.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section expands National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) measurement science and technology research for engineering biology, biomanufacturing, and biometrology—currently supporting foundational measurement technologies, biomolecular measurement tools, data tools, and other priority areas—to also include best practices, guidelines, and technical standards for risk management associated with engineering biology and biomanufacturing, including risks from artificial intelligence use. The section further requires NIST, in consultation with relevant federal agencies, to conduct measurement research supporting biosecurity best practices and technical standards for nucleic acid synthesis screening (i.e., testing for potentially hazardous synthetic DNA/RNA sequences to prevent misuse in bioterrorism or accidents); convene a consortium of industry, academia, nonprofits, and customers to develop screening priorities, best practices, and roadmaps; and submit a report on consortium findings to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology within 18 months of the consortium's first meeting. (Thus, these activities promote standardized, secure screening in the growing synthetic biology sector.) It authorizes $5 million annually for FY2026 through FY2030 for these purposes from funds appropriated for NIST laboratory activities.