Yesterday, a Senate Committee advanced important, bipartisan legislation that will strengthen the U.S. bioeconomy at a time we need it the most.
The news: During an executive session yesterday, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee agreed to the Bioeconomy Research and Development Act of 2020 (S. 3734), bringing it one step closer to a floor vote.
The bill would foster better coordination within the federal government to support engineering biology and synthetic biology technologies by establishing an initiative to advance R&D, advanced biomanufacturing, develop the future bioeconomy workforce, and support research in related ethical, legal, environmental, safety, security, and societal issues. It would also establish an interagency coordination committee. (It’s the companion bill to the Engineering Biology Research and Development Act of 2019 (H.R. 4373), which passed the House in December.)
At BIO’s request, cosponsor Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) expanded the list of agencies to participate in the interagency committee—and we consider the bill to be an improvement from the version put forward in the previous Congress.
What they’re saying: “In addition to helping scientists develop a vaccine to protect Americans from coronavirus, engineering biology research touches everything from our food, to our environment, to our health care. Strengthening and coordinating our nation’s research initiatives will not only make us safer, but it will bolster our economy and put the United States at the forefront of global research leadership,” said Sen. Gillibrand.
What they’re saying, part 2: “Amid the coronavirus pandemic, it is more important now than ever that we invest in engineering biology research to help scientists working to develop a vaccine, while also establishing a legal framework to safeguard the research,” said Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), another cosponsor.
The next steps: BIO will continue to work with cosponsors to get the bill through the Senate.
Read more about the bill and its bipartisan support.
More Agriculture & Environment News:
The Guardian: The end of plastic? New plant-based bottles will degrade in a year
“Carlsberg and Coca-Cola back pioneering project to make ‘all-plant’ drinks bottles,” made of cardboard with a plant-based plastic lining.
The New York Times: In the shadows of America’s smokestacks, virus is one more deadly risk
“Nationwide, low-income communities of color...are exposed to significantly higher levels of pollution, studies have found, and also see higher levels of lung disease and other ailments. Now, scientists are racing to understand if long-term exposure to air pollution plays a role in the coronavirus crisis, particularly since minorities are disproportionately dying.”