119-hr5186

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5186 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 5186

To authorize the Secretary of Defense to carry out a program to support 
 the defense biotechnology supply chain, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 September 8, 2025

 Mr. Khanna (for himself, Mr. Garamendi, and Mr. Davis of North 
 Carolina) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To authorize the Secretary of Defense to carry out a program to support 
 the defense biotechnology supply chain, 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 SUPPLY CHAIN RESILIENCY PROGRAM.

    (a) Authorization.--

    (1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense, in coordination 
 with the Secretaries of the military departments and the heads 
 of relevant Defense Agencies, may establish and implement a 
 program (referred to in this section as the ``Program'') to 
 develop, scale, and transition biotechnology research from the 
 military service laboratories, including biotechnology-based 
 chemicals, materials, fuels, and other products relevant to the 
 mission of the Department of Defense that support the 
 resilience, sustainability, and responsiveness of the defense 
 supply chain.

    (2) Activities.--Under the Program, the Secretary of 
 Defense may carry out the following activities:
        (A) Conduct an assessment of supply chain 
 vulnerabilities in the Department of Defense.
        (B) Direct the military service laboratories to 
 establish mechanisms to collaboratively--
            (i) conduct applied research, including 
 experimentation, advanced technological 
 development, advanced component development, 
 and rapid prototyping in bioindustrials, 
 biomanufacturing, and related disciplines to 
 support defense missions;
            (ii) develop, prototype, test, and 
 transition biologically derived materials and 
 products to reduce reliance on foreign supply 
 chains and vulnerable supply chains;
            (iii) upgrade, expand, or construct 
 physical and digital infrastructure, including 
 laboratory facilities, of the Department and 
 its partners to support bioindustrial research, 
 development, testing, prototyping, and 
 production;
            (iv) as needed, enter into contracts, 
 cooperative agreements, grants, or other 
 transactions with relevant Federal entities and 
 non-Federal entities such as commercial 
 entities, research institutions, and academic 
 organizations to execute the activities under 
 this paragraph; and
            (v) support education, training, and 
 workforce development initiatives to build and 
 sustain a skilled bioindustrial and 
 biomanufacturing workforce.
            (C) Collaborate across the military departments, 
 Defense Agencies, and other Federal entities to ensure 
 alignment with national bioindustrial and supply chain 
 strategies.
            (D) Promote the development and utilization of 
 next-generation feedstocks and processes in ways that 
 support local economic growth.
        (E) Modernize infrastructure through investment in 
 facilities that enable rapid prototyping and advanced 
 materials testing.
        (F) Establish performance metrics and benchmarks to 
 measure progress toward operational integration and 
 transition to programs of record.

    (3) Other considerations.--In the event the Secretary 
 carries out the Program, the Secretary of Defense shall--
        (A) prioritize technologies and capabilities that 
 address critical defense supply chain vulnerabilities 
 and enhance military readiness, including technologies 
 and capabilities necessary to--
            (i) reduce logistics through field-enabled 
 manufacturing of materials such as 
 construction-grade bio-cement and deployable 
 infrastructure components;
            (ii) enhance performance through 
 development of novel materials including 
 protective coatings and biologically derived 
 composites; or
            (iii) improve cost efficiency of 
 manufacturing and reduce dependency on foreign 
 supply chains;
        (B) consult with representatives of industry, 
 academia, and other Federal agencies with relevant 
 expertise, to accelerate development and transitions; 
 and
            (C) ensure the Program supports the development and 
 fielding of emerging technologies such as 
 biotechnologies that provide operational and strategic 
 advantages to the Armed Forces, including through--
            (i) cross-service and public-private 
 partnerships; and
            (ii) applied research, pilot-scale 
 production, and technology transition efforts 
 focused on biomanufacturing and materials 
 innovation.

    (b) Plan and Reports.--

    (1) Initial plan.--Not later than 90 days after electing to 
 commence the Program, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to 
 the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of 
 Representatives a plan for the allocation of appropriations to 
 fund the Program.

    (2) Annual reports.--Not later than one year after 
 commencing the Program, and annually thereafter until the 
 Program terminates under subsection
            (c) , the Secretary of 
 Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the 
 Senate and the House of Representatives a report detailing all 
 activities carried out under the program. Each report shall 
 include, to the extent applicable, the following:
        (A) A summary of key research, development, and 
 prototyping efforts initiated or continued during the 
 year covered by the report, including technical 
 objectives, anticipated defense applications, and 
 funding.
        (B) A list of significant partnerships or 
 agreements executed with industry, academic 
 institutions, and other Federal agencies, including the 
 purpose, national security nexus, and funding level of 
 each such partnership or agreement.
            (C) An assessment of infrastructure enhancements 
 undertaken to support bioindustrial development and 
 scale-up, including facility modernization and 
 equipment acquisition.
            (D) An evaluation of program performance against 
 established milestones or metrics, including progress 
 toward the transition of technologies to operational 
 use or acquisition programs.
        (E) An identification of major technical, 
 logistical, or policy challenges encountered, and 
 actions taken to mitigate such challenges.
        (F) Any recommendations for additional authorities, 
 funding mechanisms, or interagency coordination 
 necessary to enhance the effectiveness of the Program.

    (3) Form.--Each report under this subsection shall be 
 submitted in unclassified form but may contain a classified 
 annex.
            (c) Sunset.--

    (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph

    (2) , the 
 authority to carry out the Program shall terminate on the date 
 that is 10 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.

    (2) Extension.--The Program may be continued after the 
 termination date specified in paragraph

    (1) if, before such 
 date, the President--
        (A) determines that continuation of the Program is 
 necessary to meet national economic or national 
 security needs; and
        (B) submits notice of such determination to the 
 Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the 
 House of Representatives.
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