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Stopping Genetic Monitoring by China Act
3/12/2024, 4:11 PM
Summary of Bill S 2551
If passed, the Stopping Genetic Monitoring by China Act would prohibit any federal agency or entity from entering into agreements or partnerships with Chinese companies or organizations for the purpose of genetic monitoring. It would also require the Secretary of State to submit a report to Congress detailing any known instances of Chinese genetic monitoring activities in the United States.
Additionally, the bill includes provisions for the imposition of sanctions on individuals or entities found to be in violation of the prohibition on genetic monitoring by China. These sanctions could include financial penalties, restrictions on travel to the United States, or other punitive measures. Overall, the Stopping Genetic Monitoring by China Act aims to protect the privacy and security of American citizens by preventing China from conducting genetic monitoring activities within the United States. It reflects growing concerns about the potential misuse of genetic data and the need to safeguard sensitive information from foreign entities.
Congressional Summary of S 2551
Stopping Genetic Monitoring by China Act
This bill imposes export controls on genetic testing and sequencing technologies and bars exports of such technologies to specific countries. The bill also imposes sanctions on foreign persons (individuals and entities) involved with certain activities, including human rights violations.
Specifically, the End-User Review Committee must place on the Commerce Control List (CCL) technologies identified as genetic instruments by the Department of Defense, the Department of State, or the Department of Energy. The committee must also deny licenses required to export or transfer such technology to countries specified in this bill (e.g, Iran, North Korea, China, or Russia) unless the license applicant demonstrates that the technology will not be used for human rights abuses or by an entity engaged in human rights abuses. (Items covered by the CCL are subject to export controls and typically may not be exported without a license.)
The bill also requires the President to impose property- and visa-blocking sanctions on certain foreign persons, including (1) persons that are responsible for or complicit in gross violations of internationally recognized human rights, (2) persons that conduct genetic testing and analysis and are located in a country targeted by the export controls in this bill, (3) any university in China involved in genetic monitoring and human rights abuses, (4) any private company in China with an owner or senior management official who is a delegate to the National People's Conference, and (5) corporate officers of entities sanctioned under this bill.
