National Biotechnology Initiative Act of 2025

This bill authorizes the National Biotechnology Initiative to advance national security, economic productivity, and competitiveness through coordination of federal biotechnology activities. It establishes an interagency committee and a National Biotechnology Coordination Office within the Executive Office of the President to oversee planning, research, data management, commercialization, regulatory streamlining, biosafety, and workforce development across multiple federal agencies.

Sec. 2, Definitions: Defines key terms including bioliteracy, biological data, biomanufacturing, biotechnology, the Director of the National Biotechnology Coordination Office, the Initiative, the Interagency Committee, the Office, and participating agencies.

Sec. 3, Authorization of the National Biotechnology Initiative: Requires the President to implement an initiative to advance national security, economic productivity, and competitiveness through federal biotechnology activities. Lists 13 specific participating agencies and allows the Director to add others. Requires each agency head to carry out activities including creating a national strategy, addressing national security, supporting R&D, managing biological data, promoting commercialization, streamlining regulation, addressing biosafety and biosecurity, developing the workforce, promoting bioliteracy, and fostering international partnerships.

Sec. 4, Initiative Coordination: Requires the President to designate an interagency committee within 180 days to coordinate Initiative activities. The committee includes one Assistant Secretary-level member from each participating agency, with three co-chairpersons (the Director and two selected members serving staggered terms). Establishes the National Biotechnology Coordination Office within the Executive Office of the President, headed by a Director appointed by the President who serves as principal advisor on biotechnology. The Office handles planning, national security assessments, R&D coordination, biological data management, product commercialization, regulatory streamlining, and biosafety and biosecurity strategies.

Sec. 5, Convening of Experts on Biotechnology Research and Development: Allows the Director, in consultation with the Interagency Committee, to convene experts as needed, exempting such convenings from the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

Sec. 6, Agency Activities: Requires each participating agency head to conduct activities supporting the Initiative, including designating an Assistant Secretary-level lead, coordinating with the Office, implementing the national strategy, analyzing foreign threats, supporting R&D, managing biological data and databases, promoting commercialization through programs like SBIR and STTR, streamlining regulation, addressing biosafety and biosecurity, and developing the biotechnology workforce through education, training, and entrepreneurship programs.