(Washington, D.C.) – Today, House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Brian Babin and Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Rich McCormick sent letters to U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Jay Bhattacharya, and National Science Foundation (NSF) Acting Director Brian Stone requesting information on how their agencies are advancing U.S. leadership in biotechnology research while protecting against biosecurity and research security risks.
In the letters, the Chairmen highlight the growing importance of biotechnology to U.S. economic competitiveness, scientific leadership, national security, healthcare, agriculture, energy, and manufacturing. They also emphasize that rapid advances in biotechnology—including synthetic biology, gene editing, DNA synthesis, automated laboratory technologies, and the convergence of biotechnology and artificial intelligence—present significant opportunities as well as emerging security risks.
“The United States must lead in this area of research to support economic growth and societal benefit while strengthening safeguards against harm caused by negligent or malicious actors,” the Chairmen wrote.
The letters also highlight the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology’s April 2025 report, which concluded that “biotechnology will be a defining strategic technology of the twenty-first century” and warned that the United States risks falling behind global competitors without a coordinated national strategy. The report identified biotechnology as critical to economic competitiveness, national defense, public health, agriculture, energy, and industrial production.
The Chairmen commend the Administration's leadership in this area, including President Trump’s May 5, 2025, Executive Order on Improving the Safety and Security of Biological Research.
As part of their oversight, the Chairmen ask the agencies to identify any significant gaps, vulnerabilities, or emerging threats related to biotechnology; explain whether they have implemented recommendations from the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology; and identify any additional authorities, resources, statutory changes, or policy tools needed to strengthen U.S. biotechnology leadership while protecting national security and biosecurity.
The letters underscore the Committee's interest in ensuring that the United States remains a leader in biotechnology research and innovation while maintaining appropriate safeguards against the misuse of emerging biological capabilities.
To read the full letter to DOE, please click here.
To read the full letter to NIH, please click here.
To read the full letter to NSF, please click here.