This bill allows the Defense Department to set up a program, within one year, to help expand U.S. bioindustrial manufacturing. It would offer competitive awards to companies or groups to build, upgrade, or retool facilities that make important bio-based chemicals and materials for national defense. Funds could also cover planning work needed to get these facilities running. Award choices would focus on strengthening supply chains, meeting future military needs, using plants that can be repurposed to make different products, spreading facilities across regions, and locating near needed inputs or existing bio hubs. The bill defines “biomanufacturing” as using biological systems to make products at commercial scale, and “critical biomanufactured product” as a bio-made chemical, material, or other product relevant to the Defense Department .

Award winners would have to report on progress, timelines, products, and steps toward agreements to supply the Defense Department. The Department would send yearly reports to Congress listing awardees, locations, amounts, why they were chosen, and how projects match national security needs. The program would end after 10 years unless extended if the President finds it is still needed for economic and national security reasons.

Key points

• Who is affected: U.S. biomanufacturing firms and the communities where facilities are located.
• What changes: Competitive funding for building, upgrading, or retooling facilities; required progress reports; annual public reporting of awards and outcomes .
• When: Program can be created within one year; annual reports follow; sunset after 10 years unless extended .