Engineering Biology Research and Development Act of 2019
Floor Speech
I rise in support of H.R. 4373, the Engineering Biology Research and Development Act of 2019.
I was proud to join Chairwoman Johnson, as well as Representatives Jim Sensenbrenner and Zoe Lofgren, in introducing this bill.
The U.S. was a key driver in biological innovation in the 20th century, but there is increasing global competition. Other countries recognize the benefits of biotech technology and are striving to capture its potential through new investments and friendly regulations.
H.R. 4373 promotes a national research strategy around engineering biology to ensure that the U.S. remains the global leader in biology and biotechnology.
New gene editing techniques like CRISPR and the advancement of rapid gene sequencing are driving innovation in agriculture, medicine, energy, and manufacturing. We must keep pace and set a research and regulatory framework that supports innovation and creates a marketplace for new ideas and projects, while setting the safety and ethical standards for the world to follow.
H.R. 4373 establishes a national engineering biology research and development initiative to provide interagency research coordination and develop a 3-year strategic plan.
The bill also authorizes research at the agencies under the Science Committee's jurisdiction, including the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Department of Energy.
Last month, the White House convened a summit with the Nation's foremost bioeconomy leaders from industry, academia, and government to discuss how to maintain America's leadership in biology for our economic and national security. I hope that summit, along with this legislation, will build momentum for a serious national public-private effort to advance and protect the U.S. bioeconomy.
I urge my colleagues to support this good, bipartisan bill.
In both the Agriculture Committee and the Science Committee, we have discussed biotechnology research and regulation for years, but I can't remember a more exciting or challenging time for the field than today. H.R. 4373 will set a national agenda to advance innovation and help us meet those challenges.
I appreciate the chairwoman and her staff for working with us and the biology stakeholder community to produce a good, bipartisan bill. I ask my colleagues to support this bill.
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