SCALE Biology Act

The SCALE Biology Act establishes a program of measurement research for engineering biology, biomanufacturing, and biotechnology at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). It also makes technical and conforming amendments to related laws.

Sec. 2, NIST Biometrology Laboratory Program: This section amends the NIST Act to add research on voluntary technical standards for engineering biology, biomanufacturing, biotechnology, and biometrology. It creates a new Biometrology Laboratory Program within NIST, led by the Secretary of Commerce through the NIST Director. The program's purposes are to enable innovation and industrial competitiveness, improve accuracy and reliability of biological data and materials, and support safe and secure development of biological technologies. Activities include basic measurement research, developing measurement infrastructure, convening stakeholders for technical roadmaps, providing access to user facilities, establishing partnerships, supporting graduate training, updating definitions, supporting extramural research, and identifying needed standards. The Director must also support engineering biology foundries, conduct outreach, coordinate with federal agencies and the Manufacturing USA Program, ensure security controls, and submit a report and implementation plan to Congress. Authorized appropriations are $55 million for FY2026, $60 million for FY2027, $70 million for FY2028, $78 million for FY2029, and $85 million for FY2030. The section defines key terms.

Sec. 3, Technical and Conforming Amendments: This section repeals a section of the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act and updates definitions in that Act. It adds new definitions for bioeconomy, biological data, biomanufacturing, biomass, biorisk, biosafety, biosecurity, biotechnology, and engineering biology.