National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology Expresses Support for the BIOSECURE ACT and Urges Congress to Promote a Robust Biotechnology Innovation System
24 May 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington, DC –
Today, several Commissioners on the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB) announced its support for H.R. 8333, the BIOSECURE Act. In a letter to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, these Commissioners affirmed their support for the federal procurement bans outlined in H.R. 8333 and urged lawmakers to “promote resilient supply chains and a robust biotechnology innovation system” to complement the provisions of the legislation.
These Commissioners see the “Federal procurement ban as a necessary step to protect our national security interests, and we recognize that the U.S. biotechnology industry needs reliable and cost-competitive access to biotechnology equipment and services.”
“We encourage Congress to consider the critical role that our national biotechnology sector, and those of our allies, play in ensuring the strength of our economies when recommending implementation of the BIOSECURE Act.” – NSCEB Commissioner Alexander Titus
Earlier this year, NSCEB Commissioners sent a letter to the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs expressing support for using Federal procurement mechanisms to ban procurement of products and services from certain companies in an effort to secure U.S. data and avoid unfair competition. Those Commissioners also urged Congress to “consider ways to support U.S. companies that offer the same products and services offered by … companies of concern.”
About NSCEB: The National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology is a legislative branch advisory entity whose purpose is to advance and secure biotechnology, biomanufacturing, and associated technologies for U.S. national security and to prepare the United States for the age of biotechnology. The Commission submitted an interim report to the President and the Armed Services Committees in December 2023 and will publish a comprehensive report in early 2025, including recommendations for action by Congress and the federal government. The bipartisan Commission is composed of twelve Commissioners with members from both the Senate and the House of Representatives as well as experts from industry, academia, and government. For more information about the Commission, visit https://biotech.senate.gov
