To amend title 31, United States Code, to establish the Life Sciences Research Security Board, and for other purposes.
Sponsors
Rand Paul
R-KY | Primary Sponsor
Legislative Progress
ReportedReported by Mr. Paul, without amendment
Mr. Paul (for himself and Mr. Peters) introduced the following …
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Risky Research Review Act establishes a new independent federal agency called the Life Sciences Research Security Board to review and approve all federal funding for "high-risk life sciences research" before it can be awarded. This includes gain-of-function research and dual-use research involving dangerous pathogens like Ebola, smallpox, and certain coronaviruses. The bill aims to prevent federally funded research that could pose threats to public health or national security.
Who Benefits and How
The general public benefits through enhanced oversight of potentially dangerous biological research, reducing the risk of lab accidents or misuse of research findings that could cause pandemics or bioterrorism threats. National security interests gain a structured review process to identify and prevent research that could be weaponized. Responsible research institutions receive clear guidelines and a defined approval process, providing regulatory certainty for legitimate life sciences work.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Federal agencies (such as NIH, DOD, and DHS) must submit all life sciences funding proposals to the Board for review, implement new certification procedures, and cannot award funding for high-risk research without Board approval. Researchers and institutions seeking federal funding must attest under penalty of perjury whether their research qualifies as high-risk, disclose all funding sources, pause research if circumstances change, and face suspension/debarment for false attestations. The federal government bears the cost of establishing and staffing the new 9-member Board plus up to 25 staff members.
Key Provisions
- Creates a 9-member independent Board (5 life scientists, 2 national security experts, 1 biosafety expert, plus an Executive Director) appointed by the President for 4-year terms
- Defines "high-risk life sciences research" to include gain-of-function research and dual-use research of concern involving high-consequence pathogens
- Requires mandatory Board review and approval before any federal agency can award funding for high-risk research
- Mandates researcher attestations about research risk level and disclosure of all funding sources when seeking federal grants
- Imposes strict penalties for non-compliance, including suspension/debarment for researchers and disciplinary action plus permanent security clearance revocation for agency employees who fail to enforce requirements
- Establishes Congressional oversight through the Senate Homeland Security Committee and House Energy and Commerce Committee
Evidence Chain:
This summary is derived from the structured analysis below. See "Detailed Analysis" for per-title beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
Primary Purpose
To establish the Life Sciences Research Security Board as an independent agency to review and approve Federal funding for high-risk life sciences research, ensuring such research does not pose undue threats to public health or national security.
Policy Domains
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_board"
- → The Life Sciences Research Security Board
- "the_president"
- → The President of the United States
- "the_head_of_an_agency"
- → The head of any Federal agency that awards Federal funding for life sciences research
- "the_executive_director"
- → The Executive Director of the Life Sciences Research Security Board
- "entities_seeking_federal_funding"
- → Any entity (e.g., research institution, university, company) seeking Federal funding for life sciences research
- "appropriate_congressional_committees"
- → The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the House Committee on Energy and Commerce
- "the_comptroller_general_of_the_united_states"
- → The Comptroller General of the United States (GAO)
- "the_director_of_the_office_of_government_ethics"
- → The Director of the Office of Government Ethics
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
Has the meaning given the term in section 552(f) of title 5.
The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives.
The Life Sciences Research Security Board established under section 7902(a).
Life sciences research that can be reasonably anticipated to provide knowledge, information, products, or technologies that could be misapplied to do harm or pose a significant threat to public health, safety, agriculture, animals, materiel, or national security, including specific types of pathogen manipulation.
An individual described in section 2105(a) of title 5.
Amounts awarded by an agency pursuant to an intramural or extramural grant, cooperative agreement, interagency agreement, contract, or other instrument.
A research experiment that may enhance the transmissibility or virulence of a high-consequence pathogen.
A wild-type or synthetic pathogen likely capable of wide, uncontrollable spread and causing moderate to severe disease or mortality in humans, or a specific list of dangerous pathogens, excluding seasonal influenza unless manipulated.
Life sciences research that is either dual use research of concern involving a high-consequence pathogen or gain of function research.
The study or use of a living organism, a virus, or a product of a living organism or virus, encompassing various biological disciplines and applications.
A select agent or toxin identified under specific sections of titles 42, 7, or 9 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
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