National Biotechnology Initiative Act of 2025

This bill would create a National Biotechnology Initiative to coordinate federal work on biotech across many agencies. It directs the President’s office to lead the effort and bring together departments like Agriculture, Health, Defense, Energy, EPA, NASA, and others to boost the economy and strengthen national security through biotech. A new National Biotechnology Coordination Office in the Executive Office of the President would advise the President, organize planning, support research, improve rules, and share plain‑language information with the public .

The bill backs research, data tools, and test sites; helps small businesses and startups; and aims to make it easier and faster to bring safe biotech products to market with clearer rules. If agencies can’t agree on how to regulate a product, the Office of Management and Budget must step in to fix overlaps and set a clear path . It also strengthens biosafety and biosecurity and supports training for students, workers, and veterans . A single federal website would offer plain‑language info, show open funding opportunities, post regulatory documents, and provide a one‑stop application for products that involve more than one agency. A national strategy is due within two years and then updated every five years; annual public reports are required; the Comptroller General will review progress around year three and regularly after that; and the new Office winds down after 20 years . To run the Initiative, the bill authorizes $22 million in 2026, $35 million in 2027, and $25 million each year from 2028–2030.

Key points

• Who is affected: Students, workers, and veterans gaining training and career pathways; small businesses and startups; researchers; and communities where industrial sites may be retooled for biotech. The public and policymakers get clearer, plain‑language information .
• What changes: Work spans health, food and agriculture, energy, space, defense, mining, and the environment; rules are clarified and streamlined (with OMB as a backstop); there’s support for data standards and AI tools; more outreach and education; and stronger international partnerships to align rules and expand market access .
• When: New Office within 180 days; public website within 540 days; a regulatory‑streamlining plan within one year; first annual report in one year; national strategy in two years (then every five); first independent review begins at three years; wind‑down after 20 years .