Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Don Bacon (R-NE), Chairman of the Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation Subcommittee, delivered the following opening remarks at a hearing on the final report of the National Security Commission for Emerging Biotechnology.
 
Rep. Bacon’s remarks as prepared for delivery:
 
Thank you all for joining us today for a hearing on the Final Report of the National Security Commission for Emerging Biotechnology. 
 
We created this commission in the NDAA four years ago because we recognized the vulnerabilities, challenges, and opportunities that biotechnology presented. 
 
I appreciate the work that the Commissioners and the Commissions staff have done, especially our House members Ranking Member Khanna, and Congresswoman Stephanie Bice. 
 
I also appreciate Senator Todd Young of Indiana, Chair of the Biotech Commission, and Dr. Michelle Rozo, the Vice Chair of the Biotech Commission for appearing before the subcommittee today. 
 
The United States has long been a leader in biotechnology, my home state of Nebraska being a big contributor to our leadership, but there is no doubt that China is catching up. 
 
China has invested heavily in biomanufacturing, synthetic biology, and other biotechnologies; meanwhile prioritizing biotechnology leadership. 
 
It is important now more than ever for the DoD to catalyze research and development in emerging biotech and dedicate the necessary resources to maintain the United States lead in this critical technology area. 
 
While biotech is traditionally thought of for the medical and agricultural sectors, when applied to defense and national security, biotech has the potential to secure supply chains, enhance sensors to counter bioweapons, and improve warfighter readiness and lethality. 
 
The Department of Defense has made strides in improving integration of biomanufacturing to fully maximize the power that biotechnology can bring to bear for national security, but it must continue to scale those capabilities.  
 
Congress recognized this need and the massive potential biotech could have on national security, leading to the creation of the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology in the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act. 
 
The Commission was tasked with carrying out a review of emerging biotech capabilities and associated technologies related to national security. 
 
The Commission released an interim report and recommendations in December 2023; several of which Congress authorized in the FY25 NDAA. 
 
The Commission’s final report will be released this week and today’s hearing provides an opportunity to discuss their findings and legislative recommendations to help secure US leadership in biotechnology. 
 
Thank you both for appearing today, and for your substantive work on this important commission. I will turn it over to Ranking Member Khanna for his opening remarks.