Nashville Standard

WASHINGTON—United States Senators Bill Hagerty and Gary Peters have expressed their satisfaction with the bipartisan legislation aimed at safeguarding American genetic data from Chinese-controlled companies. Senator Hagerty emphasized the importance of preventing U.S. taxpayer funds from supporting efforts that jeopardize national security, while Senator Peters highlighted the need to protect Americans' personal health and genetic information.

Representative Gallagher also stressed the dangers posed by companies like Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI) collecting genetic data for potentially malicious purposes, urging Congress to take action to protect the American people. Similarly, Representative Krishnamoorthi emphasized the significance of preventing U.S. taxpayer dollars from subsidizing biotech companies of foreign adversaries, citing the risks associated with sensitive information falling into the wrong hands.

The bipartisan legislation, known as the Prohibiting Foreign Access to American Genetic Information Act of 2024, seeks to ban U.S. taxpayer dollars and federal contracts from going to biotechnology companies with ties to foreign adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party. The bill aims to address the national security risks posed by companies such as BGI, MGI, Complete Genomics, and WuXi AppTec by implementing a fast-track ban on their operations.

In addition to prohibiting companies with concerning business practices, the legislation establishes criteria to identify other potential threats to U.S. national security in the biotechnology sector. It also includes provisions for an annual review process to ensure ongoing monitoring of companies and a redress process for those identified as potential threats.

The bill's comprehensive approach is designed to protect American genetic data from being exploited for military purposes or to undermine national security. By closing loopholes that allow adversarial governments access to sensitive information, the legislation aims to safeguard the American bioeconomy and ensure the secure handling of genomic data.

The bipartisan support for this legislation reflects a shared commitment to addressing the evolving threats posed by foreign-controlled biotechnology companies. With the approval of the committee, Senators Hagerty and Peters, along with their colleagues in the House, are urging swift action by the full Senate to advance this critical measure to protect American genetic data from potential exploitation by foreign adversaries.