H.R. 6297 (111th): International Biosecurity Act of 2010

Introduced:
Sep 29, 2010 (111th Congress, 2009–2010)
Sponsor:
Rep. Brad Sherman [D-CA27]
Status:
Died (Referred to Committee)

The bill’s title was written by the bill’s sponsor. H.R. stands for House of Representatives bill.

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Status

This bill was introduced on September 29, 2010, in a previous session of Congress, but was not enacted.

Progress
Introduced Sep 29, 2010
Cosponsors
none
Committees

House Foreign Affairs

The committee chair determines whether a bill will move past the committee stage.

Full Title

To improve the international strategy of the United States for monitoring, reducing, and responding to biological risks, and for other purposes.

Summary

No summaries available.

Text

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Last updated Sep 29, 2010.
27 pages

Primary Source

View on THOMAS (The Library of Congress)

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GovTrack’s Bill Summary

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Library of Congress Summary

The summary below was written by the Congressional Research Service, which is a nonpartisan division of the Library of Congress.

9/29/2010--Introduced.
International Biosecurity Act of 2010 - Directs the Secretary of State to establish the International Biosecurity Initiative which shall: (1) pursue efforts to establish international standards for pathogen and laboratory safety; (2) pursue efforts to ensure a strong global legal regime for biosecurity; (3) pursue strategies to strengthen the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction; (4) engage in cooperative efforts to improve national, regional, and multinational surveillance and response capabilities with respect to infectious disease outbreaks; (5) support international mechanisms that enhance biosecurity policy coordination; (6) facilitate the alignment of foreign assistance for biosecurity with the public health needs of recipient countries; (7) engage in multilateral and bilateral discussions of biodefense programs and control of sensitive biotechnologies to ensure that they are limited to peaceful purposes; and (8) develop an assessment of the potential security threats and societal and ethical impacts posed by emerging and future biotechnology developments. Directs the Secretary to: (1) convene an International Biosecurity Task Force of experts to serve as a nongovernmental consultative body for the International Biosecurity Initiative; (2) establish the Nonproliferation and Counterterrorism Fellowship Program to provide eligible students and recent graduates educational fellowships for obtaining a deeper understanding of federal efforts to counter terrorist activities and to promote nonproliferation; (3) submit to Congress an assessment of the limits and capabilities of technologies that could be used for investigating biological incidents and allegations of illegal biological weapons activities; (4) submit to Congress an assessment of the global legal regime for biosecurity; and (5) report to Congress following any incident in which a foreign country fails to share information about the outbreak of a previously unknown infectious disease or about an outbreak for which the country is otherwise required to share information.

House Republican Conference Summary

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No summary available.

House Democratic Caucus Summary

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The bill contains the following citations to other parts of U.S. law:

United States Code

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