WASHINGTON — A House committee next month plans to mark up legislation that would restrict U.S. biotechnology companies from doing business with a Chinese company that makes key drug ingredients, according to five lobbyists tracking the BIOSECURE Act. The goal is for the House to pass the bill before the July 4 recess, setting it up to be included in a year-end must-pass legislative package.
The BIOSECURE Act was written by leaders of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, in response to fears that Chinese biotechnology companies could threaten U.S. national security if they give the Chinese government access to sensitive health information about Americans.
The Select Committee is an ad-hoc panel created to build bipartisan consensus on China policies, but it does not have the authority to pass the bill. It’s up to the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, which is a permanent committee, to pass the BIOSECURE Act. The committee did not respond to questions about the markup.
