Risky Research Review Act

The Risky Research Review Act establishes a new Life Sciences Research Security Board to review proposed federal funding for high-risk life sciences research before it can be approved. The Board, composed of 9 members including scientists, national security experts, and biosafety specialists, must determine if research involving high-consequence pathogens (like Ebola, Marburg virus, or other specified agents) or "gain of function" studies poses unacceptable risks to public health or national security. Entities seeking federal funding must first attest whether their research qualifies as high-risk, and agencies must refer such proposals to the Board for review within 120 days. The Board's determination is binding on agencies and must consider factors including public health risks, national security concerns, and whether the benefits of the research outweigh the risks. This creates a new oversight process for research that could potentially be misapplied to cause harm.