H.R. 8539 — Introduced in House

I 118th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8539 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 23, 2024Mr. Khanna (for himself and Mrs. Bice) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture A BILL To establish the Office of Biotechnology Policy in the Department of Agriculture, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Agricultural Biotechnology Coordination Act of 2024. 2. Biotechnology at the Department of Agriculture (a) Prioritization The Secretary of Agriculture shall prioritize biotechnology at the Department of Agriculture by providing for the effective coordination of policies and activities with respect to biotechnology, biomanufacturing, synthetic biology, and related emerging technologies. (b) Office of Biotechnology Policy Subtitle A of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6912 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 224B. Office of Biotechnology Policy (a) Establishment The Secretary shall establish within the Department the Office of Biotechnology Policy (referred to in this section as the Office). (b) Director The Office shall be headed by a Director (referred to in this section as the Director), who shall report directly to the Secretary or a designee of the Secretary. (c) Duties of the Office The Office shall be responsible for— (1) the development and coordination of policies, activities, and services of the Department with respect to biotechnology and related topics, including— (A) research and development; (B) communication, extension, and education; (C) regulation and labeling; and (D) commercialization, use, and trade; (2) assisting other offices and agencies of the Department in fulfilling their responsibilities relating to biotechnology under applicable laws; and (3) carrying out such other duties as are required by law or determined by the Secretary. (d) Interagency coordination In support of the duties required under subsection (c), the Director shall provide leadership to ensure coordination of interagency activities with the Environmental Protection Agency, the Food and Drug Administration, and other Federal and State agencies. (e) Outreach In carrying out the duties of the Office under this section, the Director shall consult as necessary with biotechnology developers, academics, agricultural producers, and other entities that may be affected by biotechnology-related activities or actions of the Department or other Federal or State agencies. . (c) Conforming amendment Subtitle A of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 is amended by redesignating section 225 (7 U.S.C. 6925) (relating to the Food Access Liaison) as section 224A.