This bill aims to make our systems better at spotting harmful biological threats. It tells the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to review how it uses Department of Energy national labs for research and to send Congress a plan within 6 months. The plan must explain how DHS will work with these labs to find, test, and buy better detection tools for areas that use the BioWatch program, run outside checks to find weak spots, and have backup plans if tools don’t work as expected. DHS must also work with other governments, colleges, and the private sector to set clear needs for future environmental biodetection programs, and then give Congress an update one year after the law takes effect.

Key points

• Who is affected: DHS; Department of Energy national labs; federal, state, local, and Tribal governments; colleges; private companies; and communities using BioWatch.
• What changes: DHS must assess past lab use; create a strategy; identify needed technologies; make a buying plan; do outside evaluations; and plan for failures.
• When: Strategy due within 180 days of enactment; update due one year after enactment.