42 U.S.C. § 283r — National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity

(a) Establishment The Secretary, acting through the Director of NIH, must set up an advisory committee called the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity ("the Board"). (b) Duties The Board — which is the same board named in section 205 of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act — must give federal departments and agencies technical advice, guidance, or recommendations on biosafety and biosecurity oversight of biomedical research. This includes overseeing federally conducted or funded "dual use" research (research that could be used for both good and harmful purposes), such as reviewing the policies used to weigh and manage its safety and security risks — taking into account national security, the research's potential benefits, the research community, transparency and public access to information, and international collaboration. It also includes continuing the activities required by section 205 of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act. (c) Considerations In doing its job, the Board may consider strategies to make biomedical research safer and more secure, including using new technology and science to cut safety and security risks and improve pathogen containment, and reaching out to and training researchers, lab staff, and others on safety and security risks and how to reduce them. (d) Membership The Board has two kinds of members. First, non-voting members who serve automatically because of their government role: at least one representative each from the Departments of Health and Human Services, Defense, Agriculture, Homeland Security, Energy, and State, the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, plus representatives of any other federal agencies the Secretary decides should be included. Second, voting members the Secretary appoints for their expertise — in biology, infectious diseases, public health, ethics, national security, and other fields the Secretary decides are appropriate.