S. 854 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Mar 5, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryCreates board to review risky life sciences research
This bill sets up a new independent board called the Life Sciences Research Security Board to oversee federal funding for potentially dangerous biological research—the kind that could be misused or made more transmissible or deadly. Before a federal agency can fund any high-risk life sciences research, the board must approve it and decide what safety controls are needed. Universities and other organizations seeking federal funding have to tell agencies whether their research is high-risk, and agencies must verify those claims and send the research to the board for review.
How it affects you
If you work in life sciences research and seek federal funding, you'll need to accurately report whether your research is high-risk, and your work will need board approval before funding can happen. Agency employees who don't follow these new requirements could face discipline. For most people, this doesn't directly change daily life, but it aims to add an extra safety layer to make sure federal funding doesn't support research that could pose public health risks.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Mar 5, 2025)
Risky Research Review Act
This bill establishes the Life Sciences Research Security Board to oversee the award of federal funding for high-risk life sciences research. High-risk life sciences research means the study of an organism, virus, or related product that could be misapplied to pose a significant threat to the public or could enhance the transmissibility or virulence of certain high-risk pathogens (e.g., Ebola).
Specifically, the bill establishes the board as an independent agency that must review proposed high-risk life sciences research, determine whether a federal agency may award funding for the research, and determine minimum required controls for funded research. Entities that are seeking federal funding must attest to whether their research is high-risk life sciences research. Agencies must certify the validity of these attestations and submit proposed high-risk life sciences research to the board. Agencies must also notify the board of intended awards for other life sciences research for potential review.
In making its determinations, the board must consider specified factors, including whether the benefits of the research outweigh the risks. The bill prohibits agencies from awarding federal funding for high-risk life sciences research without approval of the board or for life sciences research currently under board review. The board may also review awards that were made before the bill’s enactment.
Entities that fail to properly attest to the nature of their research may lose their eligibility for funding. Additionally, agency employees who fail to comply with the bill's requirements are subject to disciplinary action.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 854
A BILL
Risky Research Review Act
Sponsor: Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) · Introduced Mar 5, 2025 · Health · 2 versions of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Sep 17, 2025: “Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 164.”
Sections
The wording of this bill hasn’t changed across its 2 official versions.