118 HR 9785 IH: Chinese Laboratory Accountability and Watchful Spending Act of 2024 U.S. House of Representatives 2024-09-24 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I118th CONGRESS2d SessionH. R. 9785IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESSeptember 24, 2024Mr. Langworthy (for himself, Mr. Higgins of Louisiana, and Mr. Davis of North Carolina) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concernedA BILLTo require the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to submit to Congress an annual report on biomedical research funded by the United States and performed in China.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Chinese Laboratory Accountability and Watchful Spending Act of 2024 or the CLAWS Act of 2024.

2.

Annual report on federally-funded biomedical research in china

(a)

Definitions

In this section:(1)

Covered agency

The term covered agency means—(A)an Executive agency, as defined in section 105 of title 5, United States Code; and(B)an independent regulatory agency, as defined in section 3502 of title 44, United States Code.(2)

Covered project

The term covered project means a project—(A)funded by a covered agency; and(B)that is awarded directly or indirectly through a grant, contract, other transaction agreement, subaward, cooperative agreement, or any other form of assistance to an entity that—(i)is located in China; or(ii)performs the project in whole or in part in China.(3)

Project

The term project means biomedical research or experimentation conducted for the identification, control, treatment, and prevention of human or animal diseases, including the testing of any drug, biological product, device, vaccine, vaccine adjuvant, antiviral, or diagnostic test.(b)

Requirement

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall issue guidance requiring covered agencies to annually include in a report described in paragraph (2) of section 3516(a) of title 31, United States Code, or a consolidated report described in paragraph (1) of such section, information relating to each covered project of the covered agency, which shall include a detailed description of the covered project, including—(1)the purpose of the covered project;(2)whether the covered project involves—(A)pathogens with pandemic potential;(B)biological select agents and toxins;(C)dual use research of concern;(D)human or animal subjects; and(E)classified research;(3)each location where the covered project is carried out and, if applicable—(A)whether the research location is subject to the jurisdiction, direction, control, or operates on behalf of the Government of the People’s Republic of China; and(B)whether the research location engages in joint research with, or is supported by, or affiliated with China’s military, internal security forces, or intelligence agencies;(4)if applicable, the rationale for conducting the covered project in China;(5)the contract or award number of the covered project;(6)each covered agency or subagency funding the covered project;(7)each primary contractor, subcontractor, grant recipient, and subgrant recipient of the covered project;(8)the start date of the covered project;(9)the current expected date for completion of the covered project;(10)the cost of the covered project during the previous fiscal year;(11)the total cost of the covered project since inception;(12)a description of specific steps taken to ensure research security of the covered project; and(13)any noncompliance with respect to the covered project documented by the covered agency during the reporting period.