Sponsors (6)
Official title: To establish in the National Institute of Standards and Technology a program of measurement research for engineering biology, biomanufacturing, and biometrology, and for other purposes.
Introduced May 21, 2026 by April McClain Delaney · Last progress May 21, 2026
The bill directs federal resources to strengthen measurement, standards, and workforce training for the bioeconomy—boosting commercialization, competitiveness, and consistency of safety rules—while increasing federal spending and creating new regulatory, privacy, and biosecurity risks that will require careful safeguards and access rules.
Researchers, biotech firms, and tech workers gain clearer statutory definitions and consensus measurement standards, reducing legal and technical uncertainty and helping R&D and commercialization proceed faster.
Researchers and industry gain federally funded measurement research programs and shared facilities that improve the accuracy and interoperability of biological data and materials.
The bill coordinates with federal R&D initiatives and Manufacturing USA to strengthen U.S. competitiveness and industrial-scale biomanufacturing capacity.
Federal investment in sensitive biological measurement infrastructure could raise biosecurity and dual-use risks if access controls and oversight are insufficient, potentially increasing public safety risks.
Researchers, small firms, and tech companies may face expanded regulatory reach and new compliance costs as coordination, standards development, and broader statutory definitions are implemented.
Taxpayers will fund the program with increased federal spending amounting to hundreds of millions across FY2026–FY2030, increasing budgetary costs.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Authorizes a new NIST Biometrology Laboratory Program for engineering biology standards, testbeds, workforce support, and measurement research with specified FY2026–FY2030 funding.
Creates a new NIST program to develop measurements, standards, testbeds, and user facilities for engineering biology, biomanufacturing, biotechnology, and biometrology and authorizes multi-year funding for that program. It also updates statutory definitions across related research authorities and removes an older statutory provision to align federal terminology and authorities with the new program. The bill directs NIST to perform measurement research, run user facilities and testbeds, identify standards gaps, coordinate with existing federal initiatives, include security controls, deliver an implementation plan and report to Congress, and provides specified appropriations for FY2026–FY2030.