Dangerous Viral Gain of Function Research Moratorium Act
This bill prohibits institutions of higher education or other research institutes that are conducting gain-of-function research from receiving federal research grants. Gain-of-function research means research that (1) involves the genetic alteration of specified viruses, agents, and toxins (e.g., coronavirus) to change or enhance their functions, such as their ability to cause or spread disease; or (2) may reasonably be anticipated to give new traits to such organisms that enhance such functions or otherwise threaten public health or national security.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 738 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 738
To provide a moratorium on all Federal research grants provided to any
institution of higher education or other research institute that is
conducting dangerous gain-of-function research.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 26, 2025
Mr. Marshall (for himself and Mrs. Blackburn) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide a moratorium on all Federal research grants provided to any
institution of higher education or other research institute that is
conducting dangerous gain-of-function research.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Dangerous Viral Gain of Function
Research Moratorium Act''.
SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON FEDERAL RESEARCH GRANTS FOR INSTITUTIONS AND
RESEARCH INSTITUTES CONDUCTING DANGEROUS GAIN-OF-FUNCTION
RESEARCH.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Gain-of-function research.--The term ``gain-of-function
research'' means any research that--
(A) involves the genetic alteration of an organism
to change or enhance the organism's biological
functions, which change or enhancement may include
increased infectivity, transmissibility, pathogenicity,
or host range (which is the spectrum of hosts that an
organism can infect); or
(B) may be reasonably anticipated to confer
attributes to an organism, such that the organism would
have enhanced infectivity, pathogenicity, or
transmissibility, or otherwise pose a threat to
national security, public safety, or the health of
humans, companion animals, or livestock, poultry,
seafood and aquaculture species, or game animals.
(2) Organism.-- The term ``organism'' means an influenza
virus, a coronavirus (including a Middle Eastern Respiratory
Syndrome (MERS) virus, SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2, or SARS-like
viruses), or an agent or toxin on the Select Agents and Toxins
List of the Department of Health and Human Services or the
Department of Agriculture under part 331 of title 7, Code of
Federal Regulations, part 121 of title 9, Code of Federal
Regulations, or part 73 of title 42, Code of Federal
Regulations, or any synthetic construct of such virus, agent,
or toxin.
(b) Prohibition.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no
research grants supported by Federal funds may be awarded to
institutions of higher education, or other research institutes, that
are conducting gain-of-function research.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
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