[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 194 (Thursday, November 4, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S7946]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 4453. Mr. RISCH submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to 
amendment SA 3867 submitted by Mr. Reed and intended to be proposed to 
the bill H.R. 4350, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2022 
for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

        At the end of subtitle F of title X, insert the following:

     SEC. 1054. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE REPORT ON 
                   OVERSIGHT OF INTERNATIONAL LIFE SCIENCES 
                   RESEARCH COLLABORATION.

       (a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the 
     United States shall submit a report to the appropriate 
     congressional committees on the following matters:
       (1) An audit of United States Government authorities, 
     policies, and processes governing cooperation with other 
     nations as it relates to life sciences research that could be 
     weaponized or pose dual-use concerns, such as pathogens or 
     toxins, synthetic biology, and related emerging technologies, 
     and the degree to which these authorities, policies, and 
     processes account for national security, proliferation, and 
     country-specific considerations in decisions on whether to 
     pursue such collaboration.
       (2) An assessment of the degree of coordination between 
     Federal departments and agencies responsible for public 
     health preparedness and the governance of biomedical research 
     and Federal departments and agencies responsible for national 
     security, especially the United States Department of State, 
     to assess and account for security implications of 
     cooperation with other nations on life sciences research.
       (b) Elements.--The review required under subsection (a) 
     shall address the following elements:
       (1) The Federal department or agencies or other 
     governmental entities that provide funding or other material 
     support for life sciences research, especially biological 
     research, with other nations.
       (2) The authorities, policies, and processes that currently 
     exist for reviewing, approving, and monitoring grant funding 
     or other material support for biological research with other 
     nations, including a description of all the steps involved 
     reviewing, approving, and monitoring such funding or other 
     support.
       (3) Which Federal departments and agencies, including 
     specific bureaus and offices, are involved in the 
     authorities, policies, and processes described in paragraph 
     (2).
       (4) The circumstances under which Federal departments and 
     agencies apply enhanced review, monitoring, and coordination 
     to proposed collaboration, as well as an analysis of the 
     extent to which and how national security, proliferation, or 
     country-specific considerations, such as a nation's adherence 
     to the Biological Weapons Convention, are among the 
     circumstances that trigger enhanced scrutiny of whether the 
     United States Government should fund a particular research 
     program.
       (5) The information required to be included in an 
     application for United States Government funding of life 
     sciences research to address potential national security, 
     proliferation, or country-specific concerns, and whether the 
     information required varies across departments and agencies.
       (6) The extent to which Federal departments and agencies 
     with national security responsibilities have visibility into 
     the information described in paragraph (5) prior to an award 
     being made, even if grantees are applying to funding from 
     another Federal department or agency.
       (7) The processes and timeline by which funds are issued to 
     the awardee or awardees after a grant or other funding award 
     is made, and to what extent these funds are monitored for 
     national security implications thereafter, including how 
     Federal departments and agencies with national security 
     responsibilities are involved in monitoring such research 
     after funds are awarded.
       (c) Report Submission.--Within 15 days of the completion of 
     the report required under subsection (a), the Comptroller 
     General shall submit the report to--
       (1) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on 
     Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, and the Committee on 
     Armed Services of the Senate; and
       (2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on 
     Energy and Commerce, and the Committee on Armed Services of 
     the House of Representatives.
       (d) Form of Report.--The report required under subsection 
     (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include 
     a classified annex.
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