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To amend the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act to support nucleic acid screening, and for other purposes.
Summary
- Directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to conduct research to develop best practices and technical standards for screening nucleic acid synthesis for biosecurity purposes
- Requires research on testing accuracy, operational security, and sequence-of-concern database management to improve nucleic acid screening effectiveness
- Establishes a consortium of industry, universities, nonprofits, and customers to develop priorities and roadmaps for synthetic nucleic acid procurement screening
- Requires the Director of NIST to submit a report to Congress within 18 months on consortium findings regarding nucleic acid screening best practices
- Authorizes $5 million annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 for NIST to conduct nucleic acid screening research and standards development
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
3 cosponsors
Actions (13)
- Jul 21, 2026 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. · senate
- Jul 20, 2026 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. · house
- Jul 20, 2026 On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4666) · house
- Jul 20, 2026 Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4666)
- Jul 20, 2026 DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3029. · house
- Jul 20, 2026 Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4666-4667) · house
- Jul 20, 2026 Mr. Babin moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended. · house
- Jul 16, 2026 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 654. · house
- Jul 16, 2026 Reported by the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. H. Rept. 119-751. · house
- Apr 29, 2025 Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote. · house
- Apr 29, 2025 Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held · house
- Apr 28, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. · house
- Apr 28, 2025 Introduced in House
More bills on these subjects (8)
Other bills that carry the most legislative subjects in common with this one (topical discovery — distinct from the procedural related bills above).
Text versions (4)
Bills are re-published as they move (Introduced → Reported → Engrossed → Enrolled …). Each stage below is a separate text; pick two to see what changed. Data from Congress.gov.
Full text
AN ACT
To amend the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act to support nucleic acid screening, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited “Nucleic Acid Standards for Biosecurity Act”.
SEC. 2. SUPPORTING NUCLEIC ACID SCREENING.
Section 10221 of the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act (42 U.S.C. 18931; enacted as part of title II of division B of Public Law 117-167) is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)(1)—
(A) in subparagraph (C), by striking “and” after the semicolon;
(B) by redesignating subparagraph (D) as subparagraph (E); and
(C) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following new subparagraph:
“(D) best practices, guidelines, and technical standards for risk management associated with engineering biology and biomanufacturing, including risks associated with the use of artificial intelligence; and”;
(2) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as subsections
(c) and (d), respectively; and
(3) by inserting after subsection (a) the following new subsection:
“(b) Nucleic Acid Synthesis Screening Tools and Standards.—
“(1) In general.—The Director, in consultation with heads of Federal agencies the Director considers appropriate, shall carry out measurement research to support the development and improvement of best practices and technical standards for biosecurity measures related to nucleic acid synthesis, including the following:
“(A) Testing to improve the accuracy, efficacy, and reliability of screening for nucleic acid synthesis.
“(B) Best practices, including security and access controls, for operational security and managing sequence-of-concern databases to support such screening.
“(C) Technical implementation guidance to ensure such screening is effective and secure.
“(D) Conformity-assessment best practices and technical standards.
“(E) Methods to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of the implementation of subparagraphs
(A) through (D).
“(2) Consortium.—In carrying out this subsection, the Director shall convene a consortium of stakeholders, including industry, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and customers to carry out the following:
“(A) Develop and periodically update consensus priorities and best practices, as appropriate, for synthetic nucleic acid procurement screening mechanisms.
“(B) Develop roadmaps to inform the activities carried out under paragraph (1).
“(3) Report.—Not later than 18 months after the first meeting of the consortium under paragraph (2), the Director shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives a report summarizing the findings of the consortium.
“(4) Authorization of appropriations.—Of the funds authorized to be appropriated for the National Institute of Standards and Technology pursuant to this section for scientific and technical research and services laboratory activities, there is authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to carry out this subsection.”.
Passed the House of Representatives July 20, 2026.
Attest:
Clerk. 119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 3029
AN ACT
To amend the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act to support nucleic acid screening, and for other purposes.
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