New bill would require licenses to share synthetic gene data with foreign adversaries
In markupH.R. 6624Latest action
Sponsor: Warren Davidson · Representative · OH
AIDecoded by AI · checked against the recordRead the official text
Official title: Biological Intellectual Property Protection Act of 2025
119th Congress
Topics: Security & foreign affairs
Introduced:
Read the official bill on Congress.govIn plain words
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HR 6624 would require a federal license before sending synthetic DNA or RNA sequence files to China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea.
55-second read · 4 questions answered below
What does this do?
HR 6624 would add synthetic DNA and RNA sequences designed by humans or artificial intelligence to existing U.S. export control rules. Companies and researchers would need to apply for a federal government license before transferring those genetic sequence files to entities in designated foreign adversary countries. Information already considered publicly available or educational under current export rules would be exempt, so basic academic publishing would likely not be affected.
Who does it affect?
The bill affects U.S. biotechnology companies, university research labs, and scientists working in synthetic biology who collaborate with or send data to researchers or organizations in China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea. Those groups would be required to obtain a federal license before making such international transfers.
Why does it matter?
Congress has expressed concern that foreign governments, particularly China, could use shared genetic design data to advance their own military or industrial programs. The bill does not ban the underlying research, only the transfer of certain genetic sequence files to entities connected to countries on the foreign adversary list.
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Where does it stand?
- IntroducedDec 11, 2025
- House committeeYou are here · Apr 22, 2026
- House vote
- Senate
- The president's desk
Right now: a House committee is reviewing it. If the Senate changes it, it goes back to the House before reaching the president.
Latest action: — Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 30 - 14.