Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth escorted by scientists while touring a laboratory during a visit to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, in March 2025. The 2027 NDAA has put new provisions in place for biotech development within the military. (Department of Defense/US Air Force Senior Airman Madelyn Keech)

The NDAA Strengthens Government Support for Biotech. It Can Be Even Stronger.

Share this link on Facebook

Share this page on X (Twitter)

Share this link on LinkedIn

Share this page on Reddit

Email a link to this page

Both houses of Congress have urged the Pentagon to stand up a “Biotechnology Management Office,” ensuring a unified approach to biotech within the armed services.

For over a year, the Congressionally-mandated National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB), of which I am a member, has been urging the Congress to pass legislation that would strengthen America’s ability to preserve its lead over China in this critical scientific field. The Commission’s April 2025 report offered a series of recommendations that would both reorganize the Executive Branch to enable more efficient exploitation of biotechnology for national security and spur private investment to enable the production of a host of biotech products at scale. The report warned policymakers that they had only a few years to act in order to secure America’s longstanding lead in biotechnology. Otherwise they would risk ceding that lead to China.

Chinese president Xi Jinping has long identified biotechnology as a national security priority for his country. For two decades, the Chinese government has devoted massive resources to seize international leadership of this critical sector. It is noteworthy that China is forging ahead with biotech developments on the battlefield, such as strengthening human capacity and endurance in combat operations.

China already dominates much of the biotech........

© The National Interest