H.R. 6664

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6664 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6664

To establish a Biotechnology Management Office in the Department of 
Defense and to provide support for the research and development of 
bioindustrial manufacturing processes, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 11, 2025

Mr. Neguse introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To establish a Biotechnology Management Office in the Department of 
Defense and to provide support for the research and development of 
bioindustrial manufacturing processes, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. BIOTECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT OFFICE.

(a) Designation of Senior Official.--Not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall 
designate a senior official, with relevant biotechnology experience, 
from a position within the Department of Defense that was in effect on 
the day before the date of the enactment of this Act, to--
(1) be the senior official for biotechnology issues;
(2) be the head of the Biotechnology Management Office 
established under subsection (b); and
(3) carry out the responsibilities for the office in 
subsection (c).
(b) Establishment of Biotechnology Management Office.--Not later 
than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of Defense shall, with input from the senior official 
designated under subsection (a), charter and establish, under the 
authority, direction, and control of the Deputy Secretary of Defense, a 
Biotechnology Management Office to foster the development, acquisition, 
and sustainment of broad-based biotechnology capabilities for the 
Department.
(c) Responsibilities.--The office established under subsection (b) 
shall be responsible for the following:
(1) Maintaining and executing a long-term research, 
development, acquisition, and sustainment roadmap.
(2) Updating policies and guidance within the Department 
relating to the acquisition, adoption, and transition of 
biotechnology-based products into Department use.
(3) Coordinating with activities across the Department, the 
Federal Government, industry, academia, and international 
partners relating to biotechnology.
(4) Proposing options for streamlining the regulatory or 
acquisition process of the Department.
(5) Conducting, as may be needed, global competition 
analyses, net assessment, or forecasting to support 
decisionmakers on biotechnology advances.
(6) Supporting the development of public-private 
partnerships with academia, industry, and other State and local 
government partners, including through the development or 
fostering of regionally focused innovation ecosystems.
(7) Identifying biotechnology workforce and training gaps 
across the workforce of the Department.
(8) Such other responsibilities as the Secretary considers 
appropriate.
(d) Sunset.--This section shall terminate on September 30, 2030.
(e) Briefing.--Not later than 30 days after the designation of the 
senior official pursuant to subsection (a), the Secretary shall provide 
to the congressional defense committees a briefing on the proposed 
scope of the charter for the office to be established pursuant to 
subsection (b), as well as implementation plans for preliminary 
activities the office will pursue during the proceeding one-year 
period.

SEC. 2. SUPPORT FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF BIOINDUSTRIAL 
MANUFACTURING PROCESSES.

Section 215 of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117-263; 10 U.S.C. 4841 note) is 
amended--
(1) by redesignating subsections (d) through (f) as 
subsections (e) through (g), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following new 
subsection:
``(d) Funding.--Funds authorized to be appropriated or otherwise 
made available to the Department of Defense for research, development, 
test, and evaluation may be used to carry out the activities described 
in subsection (c), including the design and construction activities 
described in subsection (c).''.
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