HouseH.R. 8930119th Congress
Federal Biotechnology Workforce Assessment Act
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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8930 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8930
To assess the biotechnology workforce needs of certain Federal
agencies, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 20, 2026
Mr. Khanna (for himself, Mr. McCormick, and Mr. Sessions) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight
and Government Reform
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To assess the biotechnology workforce needs of certain Federal
agencies, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Biotechnology Workforce
Assessment Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform of the House of Representatives.
(2) Appropriate federal agency.--The term ``appropriate
Federal agency'' means--
(A) the Department of Agriculture;
(B) the Department of Commerce;
(C) the Department of Defense;
(D) the Department of Energy;
(E) the Department of Health and Human Services;
(F) the Department of Homeland Security;
(G) the Department of the Interior;
(H) the Department of State;
(I) the Department of the Treasury;
(J) the Environmental Protection Agency;
(K) the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration;
(L) the National Science Foundation;
(M) the Office of the Director of National
Intelligence;
(N) the Office of the United States Trade
Representative; or
(O) such other Federal departments and agencies as
the Director of the Office of Personnel Management
considers appropriate.
(3) Biotechnology position.--The term ``biotechnology
position'' means a position in an appropriate Federal agency
for which the primary duties are--
(A) directly related to biotechnology or carrying
out the activities of such appropriate Federal agency
with respect to biotechnology; or
(B) supporting the positions at such appropriate
Federal agency for which the primary duties are
described in subparagraph (A).
(4) Biotechnology workforce.--The term ``biotechnology
workforce'' means the individuals holding biotechnology
positions.
(5) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of
the Office of Personnel Management.
(6) Public-private talent exchanges.--The term ``public-
private talent exchanges'' means arrangements involving the
temporary assignment of a Federal employee to a non-Federal
organization, or the temporary assignment of a non-Federal
employee to a Federal agency.
SEC. 3. FEDERAL BIOTECHNOLOGY WORKFORCE ASSESSMENT.
(a) In General.--The Director shall, in coordination with the head
of each appropriate Federal agency, identify the biotechnology
workforce of each appropriate Federal agency and conduct an assessment
of the current and future biotechnology workforce needs of each
appropriate Federal agency.
(b) Contents.--The assessment required under subsection (a) shall,
with respect to each appropriate Federal agency--
(1) identify the total number of biotechnology positions
required in such appropriate Federal agency to support the
objectives of such appropriate Federal agency in
biotechnology--
(A) as of the date of enactment of this Act; and
(B) over each of the 5-year and 10-year periods
beginning on such date;
(2) indicate the number of biotechnology positions
identified under paragraph (1) that are filled as of the date
of the assessment;
(3) describe each biotechnology position identified under
paragraph (1), including--
(A) the role of each such biotechnology position in
supporting the objectives of such appropriate Federal
agency in biotechnology; and
(B) the qualifications required for each such
biotechnology position, including seniority level,
education, credentials, training, and security
clearances, including the level of security clearance
and any required infrastructure with respect to such
security clearance;
(4) quantify the total number of security clearances needed
for the biotechnology positions identified under paragraph (1);
(5) indicate the number of security clearances identified
in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (4) that can be
obtained with current appropriations;
(6) quantify the additional appropriations, if any,
required to obtain the security clearances identified in
subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (4);
(7) assess whether the classifications and codes used by
the Office of Personnel Management for biotechnology positions
in such appropriate Federal agency appropriately tracks and
categorizes the biotechnology positions that comprise the
biotechnology workforce of such appropriate Federal agency;
(8) assess the feasibility of developing new occupational
series or codes by the Office of Personnel Management for
biotechnology positions;
(9) identify any challenges affecting the ability of such
appropriate Federal agency to develop the biotechnology
workforce of such appropriate Federal agency;
(10) propose solutions to the challenges identified under
paragraph (8);
(11) assess the practicability and effectiveness of using
current employees of such appropriate Federal agency to help
meet the biotechnology workforce needs of such appropriate
Federal agency with additional training, including the nature
and scope of the training required;
(12) assess the practicability and effectiveness of
detailing current employees of such appropriate Federal agency
to and from other Federal agencies to meet biotechnology
workforce needs of such appropriate Federal agency and such
other Federal agencies, and whether additional training may be
required, including the nature and scope of any such required
training;
(13) identify mechanisms to enable such appropriate Federal
agency to access outside expertise on biotechnology, including
mechanisms to assemble a pool of outside experts who have been
prequalified (including by obtaining any necessary security
clearances) to assist such appropriate Federal agency on
matters relating to biotechnology as needed on a temporary or
intermittent basis; and
(14) identify mechanisms to enable such appropriate Federal
agency to develop the biotechnology workforce of such
appropriate Federal agency through the use of public-private
talent exchanges.
(c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Director shall submit to the appropriate congressional
committees a report on the findings assessments completed under
subsection (a), including the information described in subsection (b).
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