H.R. 8981

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8981 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8981

To establish in the National Institute of Standards and Technology a 
program of measurement research for engineering biology, 
biomanufacturing, and biometrology, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 21, 2026

Mrs. McClain Delaney (for herself, Mr. Obernolte, Ms. Lofgren, and Mr. 
Moylan) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To establish in the National Institute of Standards and Technology a 
program of measurement research for engineering biology, 
biomanufacturing, and biometrology, 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. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Standards and Calibration for 
American Leadership in Engineering Biology Act'' or the ``SCALE Biology 
Act''.

SEC. 2. NIST BIOMETROLOGY LABORATORY PROGRAM.

(a) Certain Implementation Activities.--Subsection (c) of section 2 
of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 
272) is amended--
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting a 
comma after ``Director'';
(2) by redesignating paragraphs (22) through (32) as 
paragraphs (23) through (33), respectively; and
(3) by inserting after paragraph (21) the following new 
paragraph:
``(22) perform research to facilitate and support the 
development of a voluntary, consensus-based set of technical 
standards, guidelines, best practices, methodologies, 
procedures, and processes for engineering biology, 
biomanufacturing, biotechnology, and biometrology;''.
(b) Biometrology Laboratory Program.--The National Institute of 
Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 271 et seq.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating section 36 (15 U.S.C. 271 note) as 
section 37; and
(2) by inserting after section 35 (15 U.S.C. 278t) the 
following new section:

``SEC. 36. BIOMETROLOGY LABORATORY PROGRAM.

``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Director, 
shall establish a program of measurement research for engineering 
biology, biomanufacturing, and biotechnology (in this section referred 
to as the `biometrology laboratory program').
``(b) Purposes.--The purposes of biometrology laboratory program 
are the following:
``(1) To enable innovation and industrial competitiveness 
in engineering biology, biomanufacturing, and biotechnology.
``(2) To improve the accuracy, interoperability, and 
reliability of biological data and materials.
``(3) To support the safe, secure, and responsible 
development and application of biological technologies across 
sectors to support economic and national security.
``(c) Activities.--In carrying out the biometrology laboratory 
program, the Director shall carry out the following:
``(1) Support basic measurement science and technology 
research for engineering biology, biomanufacturing, and 
biotechnology to advance the following:
``(A) Measurement technologies to support 
foundational understanding of the mechanisms of 
conversion of DNA information into cellular function.
``(B) Technologies for measurement of biomolecular 
components and related systems used for engineering 
biology, biomanufacturing, and biotechnology, including 
biomolecular components and related systems pertinent 
to commercial scale and distributed manufacturing of 
products.
``(C) Tools, technical standards, guidelines, best 
practices, methodologies, procedures, and processes for 
biological data.
``(D) Life cycle and sustainability assessments of 
engineering biology, biomanufacturing, and 
biotechnology products.
``(E) The development of technical standards, 
guidelines, best practices, methodologies, procedures, 
and processes that can inform and address biorisk, 
biosafety, and biosecurity concerns.
``(F) Other areas of measurement science and 
technology research determined by the Director to be 
critical to the development and deployment of 
biometrology.
``(2) Inform and expand the development of measurements 
infrastructure needed to develop technical standards to 
establish interoperability and facilitate commercial 
development of the following:
``(A) Biometrology technology.
``(B) Engineering biology, biomanufacturing, and 
biotechnology.
``(3) Seek to convene representatives of industry, 
institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, 
Federal laboratories, and other Federal agencies engaged in 
engineering biology, biomanufacturing, and biotechnology 
research and development to develop coordinated technical 
roadmaps for authoritative measurement of the molecular 
components of the cell.
``(4) Provide access to user facilities with advanced or 
unique equipment, services, materials, and other resources to 
industry, institutions of higher education, nonprofit 
organizations, and Federal, State, and Tribal government 
agencies to perform research and testing.
``(5) Establish or expand, as appropriate, collaborative 
partnerships or consortia with other Federal agencies engaged 
in engineering biology, biomanufacturing, and biotechnology 
research and development, institutions of higher education, 
Federal laboratories, and industry to advance engineering 
biology, biomanufacturing, and biotechnology applications.
``(6) Support graduate and postgraduate research and 
training in biometrology.
``(7) Establish and periodically update, as appropriate, 
common definitions and terminology pertaining to engineering 
biology, biomanufacturing, biotechnology, and the bioeconomy, 
and maintain a publicly available lexicon of such definitions 
and terminology.
``(8) Support extramural research, as appropriate, that 
helps the Institute in advancing measurement science, 
standards, and guidelines for biometrology, engineering 
biology, biomanufacturing, and biotechnology.
``(9) In coordination with the heads of relevant Federal 
agencies, as appropriate, identify where technical standards, 
standardized assessments, or other governance pathways are 
needed to manage risks and support the commercialization of 
novel engineering biology, biomanufacturing, and biotechnology.
``(d) Engineering Biology Foundry.--In carrying out the 
biometrology laboratory program, and in partnership with industry, 
institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations, the 
Director shall support the development of engineering biology related 
foundries to improve measurement assurance and make the engineering of 
living measurement systems more predicable, scalable, and routine.
``(e) Outreach.--In carrying out the activities under subsection 
(c), the Director shall seek input from other Federal agencies, 
institution of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and industry, 
on an ongoing basis, to help inform research and development 
priorities, including through workshops and other multistakeholder 
activities.
``(f) Coordination.--
``(1) Federal departments and agencies.--In carrying out 
the activities under subsection (c), the Director shall 
coordinate with the heads of appropriate Federal departments 
and agencies, including the Executive Office of the President 
and the National Engineering Biology Research and Development 
Initiative established pursuant to section 10402 of the 
Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act (42 
U.S.C. 19132).
``(2) Manufacturing usa program.--The Director shall 
coordinate the activities carried out pursuant to subsection 
(c) with the Manufacturing USA Program, as the Director 
considers appropriate, to support United States leadership in 
biomanufacturing.
``(3) Biomass feedstock utilization.--The Director, as 
practicable and appropriate, shall support efforts relating to 
the coordination and development of biomass feedstock 
utilization with the Secretary of Energy and the Biomass 
Research and Development Board established pursuant to section 
9008 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 
U.S.C. 8108).
``(g) Controls.--In carrying out the biometrology laboratory 
program, the Director shall ensure proper security controls are in 
place to protect sensitive information, as appropriate.
``(h) Report.--Not later than three years after the date of the 
enactment of this section, the Director shall submit to the Committee 
on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, 
and make publicly available on the website of the Institute, a report 
regarding the implementation by the Institute of the biometrology 
laboratory program.
``(i) Implementation Plan.--Not later than the end of the first 
fiscal year after the date of the enactment of this section, the 
Director shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, and 
make available on a public website of the Institute, a plan to carry 
out the biometrology laboratory program, including the following:
``(1) A plan for establishing the Biometrology Laboratory 
Program within the Institute as described by this section, 
including in relation to the Institute's Material Measurement 
Lab and Physical Measurement Lab.
``(2) A plan of how the Institute will carry out the 
biometrology laboratory program's activities under section.
``(3) A plan of how to leverage existing Institute 
infrastructure and expertise to drive international cooperation 
for the advancement of voluntary consensus standards.
``(j) Authorizations.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
the Director to carry out this section as follows:
``(1) $55,000,000 for fiscal year 2026.
``(2) $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2027.
``(3) $70,000,000 for fiscal year 2028.
``(4) $78,000,000 for fiscal year 2029.
``(5) $85,000,000 for fiscal year 2030.
``(k) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) In general.--The following terms have the meanings 
given such terms, respectively, in section 10401 of the 
Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act (42 
U.S.C. 19131):
``(A) Bioeconomy.
``(B) Biological data.
``(C) Biomanufacturing.
``(D) Biomass.
``(E) Biometrology.
``(F) Biorisk.
``(G) Biosafety.
``(H) Biosecurity.
``(I) Biotechnology.
``(J) Engineering biology.
``(2) Additional terms.--
``(A) Director.--The term `Director' means the 
Director of the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology.
``(B) Institute.--The term `Institute' means the 
National Institute of Standards and Technology.
``(C) Institution of higher education.--The term 
`institution of higher education' has the meaning given 
such term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act 
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).
``(D) Nonprofit organization.--The term `nonprofit 
organization' means an organization described in 
section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of such code.
``(E) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the 
Secretary of Commerce.
``(F) Technical standard.--The term `technical 
standard' has the meaning given such term in section 
12(d)(5) of the National Technology Transfer and 
Advancement Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272 note).''.

SEC. 3. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

(a) Repeal.--Section 10221 of the Research and Development, 
Competition, and Innovation Act (42 U.S.C. 18931) is repealed, and the 
item relating to such section in the table of contents in sections 1 
and 10000 for such Act is struck.
(b) Definitions.--
(1) Global definitions.--Section 10002 of the Research and 
Development, Competition, and Innovation Act (42 U.S.C. 18901) 
is amended--
(A) by striking paragraphs (4) and (6); and
(B) by redesignating--
(i) paragraph (5) as paragraph (4); and
(ii) paragraphs (7) through (30) as 
paragraphs (5) through (28), respectively.
(2) Title definitions.--Section 10401 of the Research and 
Development, Competition, and Innovation Act (42 U.S.C. 19131) 
is amended--
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as 
paragraphs (10) and (11), respectively; and
(B) by inserting before paragraph (10), as so 
redesignated, the following new paragraphs:
``(1) Bioeconomy.--The term `bioeconomy' means the economic 
activity derived from the life sciences, particularly in the 
areas of biotechnology and biomanufacturing, including 
industries, products, services, and the workforce.
``(2) Biological data.--The term `biological data' means 
the information, including associated descriptors, derived from 
the structure, function, or process of a biological system(s) 
that is measured, collected, or aggregated for analysis.
``(3) Biomanufacturing.--The term `biomanufacturing' means 
the use of biological systems, including the use of biomass as 
a feedstock, to produce commercially important goods and 
services.
``(4) Biomass.--The term `biomass' means any material of 
biological origin that is available on a renewable or recurring 
basis.
``(5) Biorisk.--The term `biorisk' means the effect of 
uncertainty expressed by the combination of the consequences 
and the associated likelihood of occurrence that a biological 
event will adversely affect the health of humans, nonhuman 
animals, or the environment.
``(6) Biosafety.--The term `biosafety' means the practices, 
controls, and containment infrastructure that reduce the risk 
of unintended exposure to, contamination with, release of, or 
harm from pathogens, toxics, and biological materials.
``(7) Biosecurity.--The term `biosecurity' means the 
security measures designed to prevent the loss, theft, misuse, 
diversion, unauthorized possession or material introduction, or 
intentional release of pathogens, toxics, biological materials, 
and related information or technology.
``(8) Biotechnology.--The term `biotechnology' means 
technology that applies to or is enabled by life sciences 
innovation or product development.
``(9) Engineering biology.--The term `engineering biology' 
means the design, construction, or assembly of the components 
of living systems (such as genetics circuits, enzymes, or 
metabolic pathways) to achieve an intended function or 
outcome.''.
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