---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 18653"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "18653"
heading: "Office of Science Biological Threat Preparedness Research Initiative"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/18653"
units:
  - "Chapter 161 — Department of Energy Research and Innovation"
  - "Subchapter III — Department of Energy Office of Science Policy"
---

# §18653. Office of Science Biological Threat Preparedness Research Initiative

- (a) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/18601.md?p=4) shall establish within the [Office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1) of Science a cross-cutting research [initiative](/usc/42/19131.md?p=1), to be known as the “Biological Threat Preparedness Research [Initiative](/usc/42/19131.md?p=1)”, to leverage the innovative analytical resources and tools, user [facilities](/usc/42/11049.md?p=4), and advanced computational and networking capabilities of the [Department](/usc/42/18601.md?p=1) in order to support efforts that prevent, prepare for, predict, and respond to biological threats to national security, including infectious diseases.
- (b) **Competitive, merit-reviewed process—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/18601.md?p=4) shall carry out the [initiative](/usc/42/19131.md?p=1) established under [subsection (a)](#a) through a competitive, merit-reviewed process, and consider applications from [National Laboratories](/usc/42/7381c–1.md?p=a-3), institutions of higher education, multi-institutional collaborations, industry partners and other appropriate entities.
- (c) **Activities—** In carrying out the [initiative](/usc/42/19131.md?p=1) established under [subsection (a)](#a), the [Secretary](/usc/42/18601.md?p=4) shall—
  - (1) determine a comprehensive set of technical milestones for the research activities described in that subsection;
  - (2) prioritize the objectives of—
    - (A) supporting fundamental research and development in advanced analytics, experimental studies, materials synthesis, and high-performance computing technologies needed in order to more quickly and effectively characterize, model, simulate, and predict complex natural phenomena and biological materials related to emerging biological threats;
    - (B) supporting the development of tools that inform epidemiological modeling, and applying artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other computing tools to accelerate such processes;
    - (C) supporting research and capabilities that enhance understanding and modeling of the transport of pathogens in indoor and outdoor air and water environments;
    - (D) identifying priority research opportunities and capabilities for molecular design and modeling for medical countermeasures;
    - (E) ensuring that new experimental and computational tools are accessible to relevant research communities, including private sector entities and other Federal research institutions; and
    - (F) supporting activities and [projects](/usc/42/11360.md?p=20) that combine computational modeling and simulation with experimental research [facilities](/usc/42/11049.md?p=4) and studies;
  - (3) leverage the research infrastructure of the [Department](/usc/42/18601.md?p=1), including scientific computing user [facilities](/usc/42/11049.md?p=4), x-ray light sources, neutron scattering [facilities](/usc/42/11049.md?p=4), nanoscale science research centers, and sequencing and biocharacterization [facilities](/usc/42/11049.md?p=4);
  - (4) leverage experience from existing modeling and simulation research and work sponsored by the [Department](/usc/42/18601.md?p=1) and promote collaboration and data sharing between [National Laboratories](/usc/42/7381c–1.md?p=a-3), research entities, and user [facilities](/usc/42/11049.md?p=4) of the [Department](/usc/42/18601.md?p=1) by providing necessary access and secure data transfer capabilities; and
  - (5) ensure that new experimental and computational tools are accessible to relevant research communities, including private sector entities, to address emerging biological threats.
- (d) **Coordination—** In carrying out the [initiative](/usc/42/19131.md?p=1) established under [subsection (a)](#a), the [Secretary](/usc/42/18601.md?p=4) shall coordinate activities with—
  - (1) other relevant [offices](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1) of the [Department](/usc/42/18601.md?p=1);
  - (2) the National Nuclear Security Administration;
  - (3) the [National Laboratories](/usc/42/7381c–1.md?p=a-3);
  - (4) the [Director](/usc/42/18601.md?p=2) of the National Science [Foundation](/usc/42/17351.md?p=3);
  - (5) the [Director](/usc/42/18601.md?p=2) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;
  - (6) the [Director](/usc/42/18601.md?p=2) of the National Institutes of Health;
  - (7) the Assistant [Secretary](/usc/42/18601.md?p=4) for Preparedness and Response;
  - (8) the heads of other relevant Federal agencies;
  - (9) institutions of higher education; and
  - (10) the private sector.
- (e) **Infectious Diseases High Performance Computing Research Consortium—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/18601.md?p=4), in coordination with the [Director](/usc/42/18601.md?p=2) of the National Science [Foundation](/usc/42/17351.md?p=3) and the [Director](/usc/42/18601.md?p=2) of the [Office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1) of Science and Technology Policy, shall establish and operate an Emerging Infectious Diseases High Performance Computing Research [Consortium](/usc/42/16282.md?p=d-4) (referred to in this section as the “[Consortium](/usc/42/16282.md?p=d-4)”), to support the [initiative](/usc/42/19131.md?p=1) established under [subsection (a)](#a) by providing, to the extent practicable, a centralized entity for multidisciplinary, collaborative, emerging infectious disease and biosecurity research and development through high performance computing and advanced data analytics technologies and processes, in conjunction with the experimental research [facilities](/usc/42/11049.md?p=4) and studies supported by the [Department](/usc/42/18601.md?p=1).
  - (2) **Membership—** The members of the [Consortium](/usc/42/16282.md?p=d-4) may include [representatives](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=5) from relevant Federal agencies, the [National Laboratories](/usc/42/7381c–1.md?p=a-3), the private sector, and institutions of higher education, which can each contribute relevant compute time, capabilities, or other resources.
  - (3) **Activities—** The [Consortium](/usc/42/16282.md?p=d-4) shall—
    - (A) match applicants with available Federal and private sector computing resources;
    - (B) consider supplemental awards for computing partnerships with [Consortium](/usc/42/16282.md?p=d-4) members to qualifying entities on a competitive merit-review basis;
    - (C) encourage collaboration and communication among member [representatives](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=5) of the [Consortium](/usc/42/16282.md?p=d-4) and awardees;
    - (D) provide access to the high-performance computing capabilities, expertise, and user [facilities](/usc/42/11049.md?p=4) of the [Department](/usc/42/18601.md?p=1) and the [National Laboratories](/usc/42/7381c–1.md?p=a-3); and
    - (E) submit an annual report to the [Secretary](/usc/42/18601.md?p=4) summarizing the activities of the [Consortium](/usc/42/16282.md?p=d-4), including—
      - (i) describing each [project](/usc/42/11360.md?p=20) undertaken by the [Consortium](/usc/42/16282.md?p=d-4);
      - (ii) detailing organizational expenditures; and
      - (iii) evaluating contributions to the achievement of technical milestones as determined in [subsection (a)](#a).
  - (4) **Coordination—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/18601.md?p=4) shall ensure the coordination of, and avoid unnecessary duplication of, the activities of the [Consortium](/usc/42/16282.md?p=d-4) with the activities of other research entities of the [Department](/usc/42/18601.md?p=1), other Federal research institutions, institutions of higher education, and the private sector.
- (f) **Report—** Not later than 2 years after August 9, 2022, the [Secretary](/usc/42/18601.md?p=4) shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee on [Energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) and [Commerce](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) of the House of [Representatives](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=5), and the Committee on [Energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) and Natural Resources, the Committee on [Commerce](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7), Science, and Transportation, and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, a report detailing the effectiveness of—
  - (1) the interagency coordination among each Federal agency involved in the [initiative](/usc/42/19131.md?p=1) established under [subsection (a)](#a);
  - (2) the collaborative research achievements of that [initiative](/usc/42/19131.md?p=1), including the achievement of the technical milestones determined under that subsection; and
  - (3) potential opportunities to expand the technical capabilities of the [Department](/usc/42/18601.md?p=1).
- (g) **Funding—** Out of [funds](/usc/42/12854.md?p=3) authorized to be appropriated for the [Office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1) of Science in a fiscal year, there is authorized to be appropriated to the [Secretary](/usc/42/18601.md?p=4) to carry out the activities under this section $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 115–246, title III, § 315, as added Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title I, § 10112(a), Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1461.)