FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

March 5, 2025

 Contact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343

Dr. Rand Paul Reintroduces Bipartisan Risky Research Review Act to Oversee Gain-of-Function Research

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, reintroduced the bipartisan Risky Research Review Act, a first-of-its-kind proposal to establish a Life Sciences Research Security Board within the Executive Branch. This independent board will oversee the funding of gain-of-function research and other high-risk life sciences research that potentially poses a threat to public health, safety, or national security.

“We must demand accountability for the grave oversights that were revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The safety of our nation and the trust in its institutions depend on it. My bill not only strengthens transparency but also ensures that public health decisions are made in the best interest of the American people, free from financial motives and prioritizing national security,” said Dr. Paul. 

U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, is an original cosponsor of the legislation in the Senate. 

“Life science research can yield breakthroughs that help protect the health of Americans, but it must be done with proper safeguards in place,” said Sen. Peters. “By creating an independent oversight agency, this bill will help maintain control of high-risk research, to ensure it’s effective, innovative, and safe.”

U.S. Representative Morgan Griffith (R-VA-09), Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Environment, introduced the bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“Gain-of-function research is reported to be a potential target of a future President Trump Executive Order. As someone who has extensively investigated COVID-19 origins and biosafety concerns in foreign labs, it is clear to me that greater oversight measures are needed to review gain-of-function research of concern and risky experiments that involve virus transmission in humans. The National Institutes of Health has proven they are not capable of properly reviewing risky research applications, as in the case of EcoHealth Alliance. I believe the Risky Research Review Act establishes crucial oversight measures to alleviate the legitimate and significant concerns of the American people, thus reestablishing trust in our public health agencies,” said Rep. Griffith.  

The Life Sciences Research Security Board will serve as an independent body responsible for thoroughly evaluating gain-of-function research and other potentially harmful studies involving high-consequence pathogens. Currently, the funding and study of life sciences research lack sufficient government oversight, allowing American taxpayer dollars to be spent without proper safeguards. Dr. Paul’s legislation establishes a much-needed stringent review process for the board to assess high-risk research and decide whether tax dollars should support specific research proposals, ensuring accountability and strengthening transparency.

The Risky Research Review Act will:

1. Establish an Independent Oversight Board: Form a Life Sciences Research Security Board dedicated to protecting public health, safety, and national security by evaluating and issuing binding determinations on high-risk life sciences research proposals seeking federal funding.
2. Define High-Risk Research: Specify high-risk life sciences research as studies with potential dangerous uses, or dual-use research of concern involving a high-consequence pathogen, or gain-of-function research.
3. Ensure Board Independence: Position the board as an independent agency within the Executive Branch, consisting of one executive director, five non-governmental scientists, two national security experts, and one non-governmental biosafety expert, each serving up to two four-year terms.
4. Restrict Funding Without Approval: Prohibit federal agencies from awarding funding for high-risk life sciences research without board approval.
5. Mandate Majority Vote: Require a majority vote of board members to approve high-risk life sciences research.
6. Empower the Board: Authorize the board to compel agencies to turn over necessary information and records, including classified information.
7. Demand Full Disclosure: Require life sciences research grant applicants to declare if their research falls under high-risk life sciences categories or involves select agents or toxins.
8. Automatic Referral: Mandate that all positive attestations are automatically referred to the board.
9. Continuous Subcontract Disclosure: Require grant recipients to continuously disclose subcontracts or subawards to agencies, with agencies required to submit these disclosures to the board.
10. Annual Reporting: The board will submit an annual report to the appropriate congressional committees and publish it online, summarizing determinations, findings, and information about entities and sub-awardees involved in high-risk life sciences research.

You can read the Risky Research Review Act HERE. 

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