Todd Young
Senator for Indiana · Republican · United States
“SEC. ___4. NATIONAL QUANTUM INITIATIVE PROGRAM. Subsection (b) of section 101 of the National Quantum Initiative Act (15 U.S.C. 8811) is amended-- (1) in paragraph (1)-- (A) by striking ``development'' and inserting ``research, development, and near-, medium-, and long-term demonstration''; and (B) by striking ``information science and te…”
“(b) Responsibilities.--Under the program established under subsection (a), the Under Secretary shall-- (1) provide secure testing of innovations or tools developed to advance the science of biosecurity, biosafety, and responsible biotechnology innovation; (2) foster participation of nongovernmental experts in the development and testing o…”
“SEC. 204. INTERAGENCY COLLABORATION. Not later than 180 days after all nodes of the Network are designated, the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, in cooperation with the Director and participating eligible entities (including institutions of higher education), shall-- (1) develop and promulgate standards to e…”
“``(11) Quantum computing.--The term `quantum computing' means any of a variety of quantum computing technologies, including quantum annealing and quantum gate-model systems that utilize a variety of architectures, such as superconductors, ion traps, photonics, neutral atoms, atomic spin, electron spin, or topological qubits.''; (6) by ame…”
“``(5) Competitive, merit-based review process.--The Director shall award grants under this subsection using a formal, merit-based review process for evaluating applications received by the Director under paragraph (2)(B) that shall-- ``(A) ensure that grants are awarded to the most technically sound and strategically aligned quantum techn…”
“(F) A process, administered by an official of the Department of Commerce designated by the Secretary-- (i) to receive findings from testing conducted in accordance with the standards developed under subsection (c)(4), reports of suspicious orders submitted by covered entities, and related tips and referrals from Federal, State, or local a…”
The complete record
Every one of 447 lines we hold for Todd Young, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 1 of 9.
“The National Programmable Cloud Laboratories Network, including all authorities, programs, and funding provided under this title, shall terminate on September 30, 2031. ______”
“(a) Annual Briefings.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Director shall brief the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives on the status of the Network. (b) Contents.--Each briefing required under subsection (a) shall include an assessment of-- (1) the alignment of supported research with national scientific and economic priorities; (2) the progress each node of the Network has made toward achieving self-sustainability as described in section 203(d)(2)(B); and (3) the performance metrics established in section 203(g)(8). SEC. 207. SUNSET.”
“(c) Confidentiality and Security.-- (1) In general.--In carrying out the assessment under subsection (a), the Director shall ensure that proprietary information is protected from public disclosure consistent with applicable law. (2) Publication of nonproprietary public summary.--The Director shall publish a nonproprietary public summary of the assessment under subsection (a) and may submit a proprietary annex for that assessment to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives. SEC. 206. REPORTING AND OVERSIGHT.”
“(b) Scope.--The assessment under subsection (a) shall identify, to the extent practicable-- (1) Federal laboratories, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and private-sector laboratories that possess or are developing programmable, automated, or remotely accessible research infrastructure; (2) the instrumentation, automation, and data capabilities of such laboratories; (3) cybersecurity and research security measures relevant to interoperability; (4) existing or potential pathways for such laboratories to coordinate with Network nodes in areas such as data-sharing, standards adoption, or pilot interoperability projects; and (5) legal, contractual, or intellectual property considerations that may affect participation in the Network.”
“SEC. 205. ASSESSMENT OF NON-DESIGNATED LABORATORIES. (a) Assessment Requirement.--Not later than 180 days after the Director designates the final node of the Network under section 203, the Director, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy and the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, shall conduct and submit to the appropriate committees of Congress, a comprehensive assessment of non-designated laboratories.”
“SEC. 204. INTERAGENCY COLLABORATION. Not later than 180 days after all nodes of the Network are designated, the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, in cooperation with the Director and participating eligible entities (including institutions of higher education), shall-- (1) develop and promulgate standards to ensure interoperability across Network nodes, including laboratory instrumentation, data infrastructure, communication protocols, and experiment execution systems; (2) establish protocols for secure, seamless, and standardized data-sharing among all members of the Network aligned with node-level cybersecurity and research security protocols; (3) define minimum technical requirements and operating procedures to support remote experimentation, experiment reproducibility, and artificial intelligence-assisted workflows; and (4) periodically update such standards in consultation with private-sector partners and nodes of the Network to reflect advancements in hardware, software, and automation technology.”
“(g) Responsibilities.--Each node selected by the Director shall-- [[Page S3903]] (1) support the purposes described in subsection (a); (2) facilitate collaboration among Network members to expand and integrate automated science capabilities and best practices; (3) actively participate with the Director of National Institute of Standards and Technology in developing network- wide interoperability, data-sharing, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence-assisted experimentation standards; (4) support secure sharing of experimental data, models, and results across institutions of higher education participating in the Network, if applicable; (5) provide a secure digital infrastructure to enable remote experimentation, artificial intelligence-assisted analysis, and reproducible science; (6) engage in public-private partnerships to streamline the transfer of technology developed using Network infrastructure; (7) develop and maintain a financial sustainability plan to reduce long-term reliance on Federal funds, including through user fees, licensing, consortia membership, or other revenue- generating models; (8) establish performance metrics, including scientific output, cost-effectiveness, academic engagement, private- sector engagement, user satisfaction, and reproducibility of results; and (9) where practicable, leverage commercially available hardware and software solutions to minimize cost and accelerate deployment of automated science capabilities.”
“18901)); (5) protocols for research security, cybersecurity, and responsible access; and (6) demonstration of user interest and research needs. (f) Designation.--In designating nodes, the Director shall-- (1) give preference to applicants demonstrating meaningful third-party cost share and pre-existing infrastructure; and (2) to the extent practicable, ensure that at least 1 node demonstrates the capability to support cloud-enabled biotechnology research, including automated experimentation or quality control workflows.”
“(e) Evaluation of Applicants.--The Director shall ensure that the process for selecting eligible entities for designation in the Network is competitive, merit-based, and transparent, through the evaluation of, with respect to each entity-- (1) pre-existing laboratory infrastructure and suitability for automated science; (2) capacity to support distributed, cloud-enabled programmable workflows for multiple users; (3) likelihood of achieving long-term sustainability without continued Federal funding; (4) demonstrated ability to collaborate with other nodes, academic partners, industry partners, or other Federal research agencies (as defined in section 10002 of the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act (42 U.S.C.”
“(d) Applications for Designation.-- (1) In general.--An eligible entity that desires to apply for designation as a node in the Network shall submit an application to the Director at such time and in such manner as the Director may require. (2) Matters to be included.--The application required under paragraph (1) shall include-- (A) a technical and programmatic plan for laboratory operations, automation capabilities, and data integration; (B) a plan to achieve long-term self-sustainability, including metrics, interim milestones, and a timeline for reducing reliance on Federal funding; and (C) evidence of non-Federal cost share, private capital, or other third-party contributions demonstrating self- sustainability potential.”
“(3) Nodes.--The Network shall consist of nodes that-- (A) enable programmable workflows and automated science; (B) provide access to advanced scientific and manufacturing instruments, including artificial intelligence-enabled tools; (C) collaborate to establish and adopt common standards, protocols, and best practices; and (D) support interoperability across and between nodes. (c) Application and Selection.-- (1) In general.--The Director shall issue a public solicitation for eligible entities to apply for node designation. (2) Eligible entities.--Eligible entities that may apply for designation as a node include-- (A) institutions of higher education; (B) nonprofit research organizations; (C) private-sector research entities; and (D) consortia or collaborations of the entities described in subparagraphs (A) through (C).”
“(b) Establishment.-- (1) In general.-- (A) Establishment.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director, in consultation with the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, shall designate and oversee a National Programmable Cloud Laboratories Network of not more than 6 nodes to support secure, standards-based, and cost-effective remote experimentation and automated research. (B) Awards.--The Director shall award a grant to each node, in an amount not to exceed $5,000,000 per fiscal year for a period of not more than 5 years, to support the Network. (2) Assessment sequencing.--The assessment required under section 304 shall be conducted only after the final designation of nodes under paragraph (1).”
“(a) Purposes.--The purposes of the Network established under this title are-- (1) to maintain leadership by the United States in advanced experimentation, laboratory automation, and artificial intelligence for scientific research, advanced manufacturing, long-term economic competitiveness, and national security; (2) to reduce the cost of federally funded research through automation and reproducibility; (3) to accelerate national competitiveness by transferring government-funded research to private-sector commercial applications; (4) to improve collaboration among federally funded national laboratories, institutions of higher education, and private industry; (5) to ensure that investment in programmable cloud laboratories results in measurable cost savings, efficiencies, and long-term fiscal sustainability; (6) to incentivize private-sector cost-sharing in research infrastructure and equipment; (7) to support workforce development aligned with the technical needs of industry in the United States; (8) to provide funding for nodes; (9) to advance the development of a domestic industrial base for scientific automation tools, artificial intelligence systems for experimentation, and robotics platforms for use in laboratory settings; and (10) to further programmable cloud laboratory research in areas such as materials science, biotechnology, chemistry, and other scientific or engineering disciplines where automation and cloud-enabled experimentation can deliver transformative results, including advanced materials synthesis and characterization, scalable biotechnology experimentation, and high-throughput chemical catalyst development.”
“(8) Programmable cloud laboratory.--The term ``programmable cloud laboratory'' means a physical laboratory that is equipped with research instrumentation and advanced manufacturing capabilities, including robotics and artificial intelligence, that can be securely and remotely programmed and controlled in order to conduct experiments and collect associated data. SEC. 202. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the activities under this title-- (1) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2026; (2) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2027; (3) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2028; (4) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2029; and (5) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2030. SEC. 203. NATIONAL PROGRAMMABLE CLOUD LABORATORIES NETWORK.”
“(3) Director.--Unless otherwise provided, the term ``Director'' means the Director of the National Science Foundation. (4) Institution of higher education.--The term ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given that term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001). (5) Network.--The term ``Network'' means the National Programmable Cloud Laboratories Network. (6) Node.--The term ``node'' means a programmable cloud laboratory designated as part of the Network. (7) Non-designated laboratory.--The term ``non-designated laboratory'' means any Federal, academic, nonprofit, or private industry programmable cloud laboratory not selected as a node under section 203.”
“(2) Governance strategies.--In carrying out the implementation plan developed under subsection (a)(2), the Director shall consider which, if any, of the governance strategies reported under section 104(b)(4) should be included in the plan. TITLE II--NATIONAL PROGRAMMABLE CLOUD LABORATORIES NETWORK SEC. 201. DEFINITIONS. (a) Definitions.--In this title: (1) Artificial intelligence.--The term ``artificial intelligence'' has the meaning given that term in section 5002 of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (15 U.S.C. 9401). (2) Biological data.--The term ``biological data'' means the information, including associated descriptors, derived from the structure, function, or process of a biological system that is either measured, collected, or aggregated for analysis.”
“(B) Recommendations for legislative or administrative action to support the implementation plan developed under subsection (a)(2), according to-- (i) what, if any, new biosecurity and biosafety authorities are needed; and (ii) where the Federal Government can consolidate biosecurity and biosafety authorities, including which, if any, should be reside under a common government entity, and whether this necessitates establishing a new government entity. (d) Implementation.-- (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date on which the Director completes the implementation plan required by subsection (a)(2), the Director shall commence implementing the plan through administrative action in accordance with applicable provisions of law.”
“(c) Report to Congress.-- (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date on which the Director completes the assessment required by paragraph (1) of subsection (a) and the implementation plan required by paragraph (2) of such subsection, the Director shall submit to Congress-- (A) a report on the findings of the Director with respect to the assessment; and (B) a copy of the implementation plan. (2) Contents.--The report submitted pursuant to paragraph (1)(A) shall include the following: (A) The findings of the Director with respect to the assessment conducted pursuant to subsection (a)(1), with an annex for classified and business confidential information, as needed.”
“(4) Identification of gaps in current Federal biosecurity and biosafety authorities and whether these gaps are hindering effective and efficient governance and assessment of emerging risks and opportunities in biotechnology. (5) An evaluation of how consolidation of biosecurity and biosafety guidelines, authorities, and regulations across Federal agencies, including the regulations established and maintained under section 103(a), should be implemented to make oversight more effective and efficient and to address the gaps in such guidelines, authorities, and regulations, including those identified under paragraphs (3) and (4).”
“(b) Elements of Assessment.--The assessment required by subsection (a)(1) shall include the following: (1) A full accounting of Federal biosecurity and biosafety authorities and programs, including which agencies hold these authorities, whether these authorities are exercised effectively, and where there are overlaps or redundancies, real or perceived, in regulatory and enforcement authorities. (2) Engagement with industry stakeholders and academia to understand where there are challenges with compliance, communication, and information sharing. (3) Identification of gaps in funding or other Government support for the development of research, innovation, and tools that [[Page S3902]] advance the science of applied biosecurity, biosafety, and responsible biotechnology innovation.”
“(a) Assessment and Plan Required.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director shall, in collaboration with the heads of such Federal agencies as the Director considers relevant-- (1) assess the current state of biosecurity and biosafety oversight by the Federal Government; and (2) develop, based on the findings of the Director with respect to the assessment conducted under paragraph (1), an implementation plan to make oversight of biosecurity and biosafety by the Federal Government more effective and efficient.”
“(c) Access to Environments.--The Under Secretary may contract with the private sector or coordinate with other Federal agencies to access environments necessary to provide testing under subsection (b)(1). SEC. 105. STREAMLINING BIOSECURITY AND BIOSAFETY AUTHORITIES ACROSS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.”
“(b) Responsibilities.--Under the program established under subsection (a), the Under Secretary shall-- (1) provide secure testing of innovations or tools developed to advance the science of biosecurity, biosafety, and responsible biotechnology innovation; (2) foster participation of nongovernmental experts in the development and testing of appropriate levels and methods of governance, to achieve the goals of-- (A) ensuring the continued global competitiveness of biotechnology innovations in the United States; and (B) strengthening the ability of the United States to robustly analyze emerging threats, anticipate concerns, and govern proactively in the biotechnology space; (3) carry out biological measurement research to support the development and improvement of technical standards for biosecurity, biosafety, and responsible biotechnology innovation; and (4) report annually to the Secretary of Commerce on the administration of paragraph (2) and whether any promising governance strategies have resulted from the development and testing.”
“Each such report shall include an overview of how many covered entities have been verified by the conformity assessment system established and maintained under subsection (a)(1)(E). SEC. 104. ESTABLISHMENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY GOVERNANCE TESTING PROGRAM. (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary shall, in collaboration with the heads of such Federal agencies as the Under Secretary considers relevant and with such persons in the private sector, academia, and civil society as the Under Secretary considers appropriate, establish a biotechnology governance testing program.”
“(2) Exceptions.--The safe harbor in paragraph (1) shall not apply to an entity or individual that conducts testing-- (A) for the primary purpose of obtaining a competitive advantage; (B) that intentionally disrupts the commercial or laboratory operations of a covered entity; (C) that submits a finding the entity or individual knows to be false or materially incomplete; (D) that publicly discloses a specific vulnerability of an identified covered entity before the end of a remediation period established by the Secretary; or (E) for the primary purpose of inflicting harm upon the United States bioeconomy or national security, including actions taken at the direction of a foreign adversary. (i) Reports to Congress.--Not less frequently than once each year, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the administration of this section.”
“(h) Safe Harbor for Qualified Testing.-- (1) In general.--A qualified testing entity, and any individual acting on behalf of such entity, that conducts testing in good faith and in accordance with the standards developed under subsection (c)(4) shall not, for any act reasonably necessary, including use of a simulated identity, submission of a test order or associated procurement, or shipping activity to carry out such testing-- (A) be liable for breach of contract or of a covered entity's terms of service; or (B) be treated as having violated a provision of Federal or State law solely by reason of the use of a simulated identity or the provision of false or simulated information reasonably necessary to carry out such testing under subsection (c)(4).”
“(4) Adjustments for inflation.--Effective on October 1 of each year (beginning in the first fiscal year after the date of the enactment of this Act), the dollar amounts in effect under paragraph (3) shall be increased by a percentage equal to the percentage by which the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers (U.S. city average) increased during the 12- month period ending with the last month for which Consumer Price Index data is available. In the event that such Consumer Price Index does not increase during such period, the dollar amount in effect under such paragraph during the previous fiscal year shall be maintained.”
“(2) Powers of the court.--In an action brought under paragraph (1), the court may-- (A) enjoin a violation described in paragraph (1); and (B) award damages under paragraph (3). (3) Award of damages.--A person who violates a requirement as described in paragraph (1) is liable for statutory damages-- (A) in the case of an individual, in the sum of not more than $500,000, adjusted from time to time under paragraph (4); and (B) in the case of a person who is not an individual, in the sum of not more than $750,000, adjusted from time to time under paragraph (4).”
“(f) Relationship With Other Federal Guidelines and Recommendations.--The regulations established and maintained under subparagraphs (A) and (B) of subsection (a)(1) shall supplant any Federal guidelines or recommendations relating to nucleic acid synthesis screening that-- (1) were in effect before the date of the enactment of this Act; and (2) are voluntary. (g) Civil Enforcement.-- (1) Civil action.--The Attorney General may bring a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction against any person who violates a requirement promulgated under subparagraph (A) or (B) of subsection (a)(1), including through providing false or misleading information or engaging in other deceptive practices, or does not demonstrate compliance within the grace period set forth by subsection (a)(1)(E)(ii).”
“(5) For covered entities, as specified in section 101(2)(A)(ii), technical standards and cybersecurity specifications for securing benchtop nucleic acid synthesizers as feasible and appropriate. (d) Updates.--As frequently as the Secretary considers appropriate to account for technological advances, but not less frequently than once every 2 years, the Secretary shall review and update the regulations promulgated under subsection (a). (e) Protection of Customer Information.--Any information about a customer included in a submission under subparagraph (A)(i) or (D)(i) of subsection (a)(1) shall, be kept confidential and shall be exempt from disclosure under section 552(b)(3) of title 5, United States Code.”
“(4) Standards for the independent testing of the screening of sequence inputs, synthesis instructions, orders, and customers by covered entities (sometimes referred to as ``red-teaming''), which shall include-- (A) a testing protocol, consisting of test sequences, simulated customer profiles, and order patterns, that is designed so that test orders are not readily distinguishable from legitimate orders, is reviewed and updated not less frequently than once each year, and is not disclosed to covered entities or to the public; (B) criteria for a qualified testing entity, including that-- (i) such entity has no financial interest in a market competitor of the covered entity being tested, and the routine procurement of nucleic acid synthesis products, or the receipt of membership dues by a nonprofit or academic entity shall not constitute such an interest; and (ii) such entity maintains controls adequate to safeguard testing protocols and entity-specific results; and (C) criteria for a valid finding, requiring documented evidence that a test order was submitted to a covered entity by a qualified testing entity in accordance with the standards developed under this paragraph and that the covered entity acted inconsistently with a requirement under paragraph (1) or (2).”
“(2) Evaluation of the sequences recommended for the list established and updated under subparagraphs (C) and (D) of subsection (a)(1), including by developing best practices and guidelines for determining if a novel sequence is a sequence of concern. (3) Research and prototype sequence-to-function models to supplement the system established and maintained under subsection (a)(1)(D).”
“(2) Treatment of information received.--Information received as part of the technical assistance request under paragraph (1) may not be used in any enforcement against a covered entity. (c) National Institute of Standards and Technology Requirements.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary shall develop best practices, technical standards, and other tools needed to support the administration of subsection (a), including the following: (1) Testing and evaluation of customer and order screening protocols to improve accuracy, efficacy, and reliability, and to support the conformity assessment system under subsection (a)(1)(E).”
“(2) Rules of construction.--Paragraph (1)(A) shall not be construed-- (A) to prohibit a covered entity, as defined in section 101(2)(A)(i), from synthesizing a sequence; or [[Page S3901]] (B) to prohibit a covered entity, as defined in section 101(2)(A)(ii), from producing equipment for synthesizing nucleic acids. (b) Program of Technical Assistance.-- (1) Program required.--The Secretary shall establish a program to provide technical assistance upon request of a covered entity, including assistance with orders whose screening results are ambiguous, subject to determination by the Secretary, in consultation with the heads of such other Federal departments and agencies as the Secretary considers appropriate.”
“(G) Safeguards to ensure regulations promulgated under this subsection avoid unnecessary burden on innovation and industry by-- (i) allowing covered entities to offer an expedited review process for institutional customers, including considering principal investigators at institutions of higher education, with demonstrated records of legitimacy; (ii) providing exemptions from customer screening requirements for sequences or products as determined in clause (iii) that are clearly non-hazardous and pose no credible threat to public health or national security based on scientific literature and industry best practices for biosecurity screening; and (iii) conducting regular consultations with relevant experts to determine exempted sequences and minimize regulatory burden while maintaining security effectiveness.”
“(F) A process, administered by an official of the Department of Commerce designated by the Secretary-- (i) to receive findings from testing conducted in accordance with the standards developed under subsection (c)(4), reports of suspicious orders submitted by covered entities, and related tips and referrals from Federal, State, or local authorities; (ii) to determine whether a reported order corresponds to a test order submitted in accordance with the standards developed under subsection (c)(4) and, if so, record the covered entity's identification of the order as evidence of compliance and close the report without referral to any law enforcement agency; and (iii) to act on a valid finding that a covered entity has failed to maintain compliance with a requirement under this paragraph, including by affording the covered entity notice and a grace period as established in subparagraph (E)(ii).”
“(E) A conformity assessment system to verify that covered entities are adhering to the requirements established and maintained under subparagraphs (A) and (B), which will include-- (i) an auditing process to ensure sequence inputs, synthesis instructions, orders, and customers have been scrutinized appropriately, including procedures to conduct adversarial testing (sometimes referred to as ``red- teaming'') in accordance with the standards developed under subsection (c)(4), at random intervals to ensure compliance; and (ii) a process to revoke conformity status of covered entities that fail to maintain compliance with the requirements established and maintained under subparagraphs (A) and (B), including the establishment of a grace period for covered entities who have failed auditing or adversarial testing under clause (i) to demonstrate compliance or mitigation steps.”
“(C) A list of sequences of concern, which shall be determined by the Secretary in consultation with the heads of Federal departments and agencies as the Secretary considers appropriate. (D) A system for reviewing and updating on a regular basis the list of sequences of concern established and maintained under subparagraph (C) that-- (i) uses a docket to allow for privacy-preserving submissions from the public on recommendations for the list of sequences of concern; (ii) includes an expedited procedure to rapidly add sequences of concern to the list on a provisional basis, which may include, as far as technically feasible, automatic procedures such as algorithmic literature scanning, industry self-reporting, or inter-agency submissions; and (iii) incorporates strong data security and confidentiality standards.”
“Such protocols shall-- (i) include the ability for privacy-preserving submission of information regarding sequence inputs, synthesis instructions, and orders for potential sequences of concern to a mechanism, which may be maintained by the Secretary or an independent organization designated by the Secretary, for facilitating effective split order detection across covered entities, utilizing the list established and maintained under subparagraph (C); and (ii) prioritize the mitigation of misuse of sequences capable of creating pathogens with pandemic potential. (B) A requirement for covered entities to implement screening protocols to verify the identity and legitimacy of customers.”
“SEC. 103. NUCLEIC ACID SYNTHESIS SECURITY. (a) Regulations Required.-- (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall, in consultation with the heads of other agencies as the Secretary considers appropriate, establish and maintain by regulation the following: (A) A requirement for covered entities to implement screening protocols to detect sequence inputs, synthesis instructions, and orders for sequences of concern included in the list established and maintained under subparagraph (C), including sequences generated through benchtop nucleic acid synthesizers.”
“It is the Sense of Congress that-- (1) the field of biotechnology is accelerating and the United States is at risk of losing its biotechnology leadership to foreign adversaries; (2) this acceleration of the field brings the United States into a period of both great opportunity and risk; (3) policymaking for biosecurity, biosafety, and responsible innovation needs to be flexible to keep pace with advances in the biotechnology and ensure an environment that allows biotechnology research and industry to flourish; (4) the current landscape of biosecurity and biosafety authorities is spread among multiple agencies, contributing to slow policymaking, which, coupled with the rapid advancement of biotechnology, becomes outdated quickly; (5) previous studies conducted by the Government Accountability Office, the National Security Commission for Emerging Biotechnology, and several presidential administrations have already identified gaps in the Federal Government's oversight of biosecurity and biosafety risks; (6) the United States Government needs to streamline biosecurity and biosafety authorities to ensure efficiency and clarity; (7) gene synthesis technology is becoming increasingly sophisticated and accessible, along with the ability to design novel nucleic acid sequences; (8) both of these factors described in paragraph (7) may increase the risk of the development and deployment of new pathogens by bad actors; and (9) gene synthesis screening of orders and customers is immediately needed to mitigate risk in the short-term, which will act as a stopgap while the United States Government develops a comprehensive biosecurity and biosafety strategy that is appropriate for the dynamic and rapidly advancing field of biotechnology.”
“(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Commerce. (5) Under secretary.--The term ``Under Secretary'' means the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology. SEC. 102. SENSE OF CONGRESS.”
“(2) Covered entity.-- (A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the term ``covered entity'' means a person who-- (i) synthesizes and sells synthetic nucleic acids to persons in the United States or in a foreign country; or (ii) produces and distributes or sells, including resellers, equipment for synthesizing nucleic acids, including benchtop nucleic acid synthesizers, to persons in the United States or in a foreign country. (B) Exception.--The term ``covered entity'' does not include a person to the extent the person sells or distributes synthetic nucleic acids within a commercial entity for the purpose of such entity's research and development activities. (3) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy.”
“In this division: (1) Benchtop nucleic acid synthesizer.--The term ``benchtop nucleic acid synthesizer'' means a device or integrated system that-- (A)(i) is capable of performing de novo synthesis of nucleic acid sequences by an end user at the site of use; or (ii) is capable of performing de novo synthesis of nucleic acid sequences without requiring the end user to submit an order to a separate covered entity to perform such synthesis; and (B) is intended for distribution to, or use by, individual researchers, research institutions, institutional core facilities, or other end users, regardless of the physical dimensions of such device or system.”
“4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows: At the end, add the following: DIVISION F--AMERICAN BIOTECHNOLOGY COMPETITIVENESS ACT SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This division may be cited as the ``American Biotechnology Competitiveness Act''. TITLE I--BIOSECURITY MODERNIZATION AND INNOVATION SEC. 101. DEFINITIONS.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 113 (Monday, July 13, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 113 (Monday, July 13, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S3900-S3903] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SA 6666. Mr. YOUNG (for himself, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Cotton, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Fetterman, and Mr. Budd) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S.”
“(c) Definitions.--In this section: [[Page S3900]] (1) Critical infrastructure.--The term ``critical infrastructure'' has the meaning given the term in section 721(a) of the Defense Production Act of 1950 (50 U.S.C. 4565(a)). (2) LOGINK.--The term ``LOGINK'' means the public, open, shared logistics information network known as the National Public Information Platform for Transportation and Logistics by the Ministry of Transport of the People's Republic of China. (d) Form.--The report under subsection (a) shall be provided in an unclassified format, but may include a classified annex. ______”
“(b) Contents.--The report under subsection (a) shall include-- (1) consideration of existing literature and reporting from Federal and non-Federal sources; (2) an assessment of the number of commercial shipping vessels by class required to sustain the national economy; (3) an assessment of opportunities to leverage private sector funding to enhance the capability of marine infrastructure of the United States; (4) an assessment of an ability to construct and repair seaports and shipyards during national security emergencies, including readiness to construct temporary facilities, and carry out marine salvage and firefighting operations; and (5) an evaluation of the possible effects on the commercial operations of United States ports and other critical infrastructure of prohibiting any entity that owns or operates a port or terminal in the United States from using or sharing data with-- (A) LOGINK; (B) any logistics platform controlled by, affiliated with, or subject to the jurisdiction of the Chinese Communist Party or the Government of the People's Republic of China; or (C) any logistics platform that shares data with a system described in subparagraph (A) or (B).”
“(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Maritime Administrator shall submit to Congress a report on the status and resources and authorities needed to execute and complete necessary vessels, harborcraft, port, shipyard, and other infrastructure improvements to ensure the national security interests of the United States and support the domestic and foreign commerce of the United States.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 113 (Monday, July 13, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 113 (Monday, July 13, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S3899-S3900] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SA 6665. Mr. YOUNG (for himself and Mr. Kelly) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows: At the appropriate place in title X, insert the following: SEC. __. ASSESSMENT ON MARITIME INFRASTRUCTURE READINESS.”