[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 115 (Thursday, July 11, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S4926]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2584. Mr. YOUNG (for himself and Mr. Padilla) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4638, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2025 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 appropriate place in title X, insert the following:

     SEC. __. ASSESSMENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY CAPABILITIES OF 
                   ADVERSARIES OF THE UNITED STATES.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall 
     seek to enter into an agreement with a federally funded 
     research and development center to conduct an assessment 
     relating to biotechnology and provide recommendations to the 
     Secretary.
       (b) Agreement Elements.--Under an agreement between the 
     Secretary and a federally funded research and development 
     center under this section, the center shall agree--
       (1) to conduct an assessment of--
       (A) scientific topics relating to biotechnology;
       (B) scientific capabilities of potential adversaries of the 
     United States, such as China, Iran, and Russia, relating to 
     biotechnology; and
       (C) the current gaps and future scientific and 
     technological needs for adversaries of the United States to 
     be successful with respect to biotechnology capabilities; and
       (2) to develop recommendations with respect to useful 
     indications of any advancement of such adversaries regarding 
     such capabilities.
       (c) Responsibilities of Secretary.--Under an agreement 
     between the Secretary and a federally funded research and 
     development center under this section, the Secretary shall 
     agree--
       (1) to appoint appropriate Department of Defense employees 
     as liaisons to the center to support the timely conduct of 
     the assessment described in subsection (b)(1);
       (2) to provide the center with access to materials relevant 
     to the conduct of such assessment, consistent with the 
     protection of sources and methods and other critically 
     sensitive information; and
       (3) to ensure that appropriate members and staff of the 
     center have the necessary security clearances, obtained in an 
     expedited manner, to conduct such assessment.
       (d) Report.--
       (1) In general.--If the Secretary enters into an agreement 
     with a federally funded research and development center under 
     this section, not later than October 1, 2025, the Secretary 
     shall submit to the congressional defense committees and the 
     National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology a 
     report that includes the findings and recommendations of the 
     center developed pursuant to the assessment described in 
     subsection (b)(1).
       (2) Form of report.--The report under paragraph (1) shall 
     be submitted in unclassified form, but may contain a 
     classified annex.
       (3) Transmittal to other department entities.--The 
     Secretary shall transmit to relevant offices of the 
     Department of Defense, including the offices of the Under 
     Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, the 
     Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, the 
     Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, the Under Secretary of 
     Defense for Intelligence and Security, and the Office of Net 
     Assessment, a copy of the report under paragraph (1).
                                 ______