Review - HR 10197 Introduced - Biosecurity Modernization

Earlier this month, Rep Pfluger (R,TX) introduced HR 10197, the Biosecurity Modernization and Innovation Act. The bill outlines biosecurity requirements for covered entities with respect to high-risk DNA/RNA sequences. It provides HHS with authority to enforce such requirements and to develop a list of covered sequences to which such requirements apply. No new funding is authorized. 

NOTE: There is an interesting article, Securing Benchtop DNA Synthesizers, on IFP.org (Institute for Progress), that looks at this topic of security for benchtop synthesizers and critical sequences. 

Moving Forward  

Pfluger is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee to which this bill is assigned for consideration. This means that there may be sufficient influence to see this bill considered by that Committee. I expect that there will be some level of push back on this bill from the synthetic biology community, especially with the high level of the potential penalties proposed, but it is difficult to predict how that will affect support within the Committee for this bill. I do expect that there would be some level of bipartisan support for the legislation, but probably not enough to see the bill move to the floor under the suspension of the rules process. This late in the session, there is relatively little chance of any action being taken on this bill. 

For more information on the provisions of this bill, including a commentary on the narrow focus of the efforts, see my article at CFSN Detailed Analysis - https://patrickcoyle.substack.com/p/hr-10197-introduced-biosecurity-modernization - subscription required.