Web of Biological Data Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- S. 4770
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Science, Technology, Communications
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-11: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-29T18:29:03Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose The legislation establishes a centralized federal resource, called the Web of Biological Data, to improve access to biological datasets—especially those funded by the U.S. government—for use in advanced computational research, including artificial intelligence. It also creates a related research and development program focused on generating, storing, curating, and managing biological data.
Key Provisions
- The Secretary of Energy must award a grant to a National Laboratory within 180 days to build and operate the Web, which serves as a single entry point for researchers to access or host biological data.
- The Web must include data quality metrics, metadata standards, and tiered cybersecurity controls, with restrictions on access by adversarial countries.
- An implementation plan is required within one year, followed by a two-year Phase I (initial testing on select data types) and a five-year Phase II (full expansion to all federally funded data and tools).
- An 11-member advisory board, chaired by the selected National Laboratory director, oversees implementation and includes representatives from industry, academia, other National Laboratories, and federal agencies.
- The Director must collaborate with agencies such as the National Science Foundation, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and National Library of Medicine, and may enter data-sharing and cost-sharing agreements.
- Annual reports to Congress are required on progress, cybersecurity assessments, and user engagement.
- Funding authorizations total $420 million over the first five years, with specific allocations for research, Phase I, and subsequent operations.
- A rule of construction explicitly preserves all existing privacy, consent, and data-protection requirements.
Significant Changes to Existing Law This bill creates a new program rather than amending prior statutes. It directs the Department of Energy to lead a cross-agency biological data platform while maintaining current legal standards for privacy and human-subject protections.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: Requires coordination among the Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Library of Medicine, and other biosafety entities; may increase administrative and technical workload.
- Citizens and researchers: Provides U.S. researchers with improved access to standardized biological data and tools, potentially accelerating AI-driven discoveries, while limiting access for certain foreign entities.
- International relations: Introduces data-sharing restrictions with non-reciprocal or adversarial countries, which could affect global scientific collaboration.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal science agencies and National Laboratories.
- Academic researchers and biotechnology industry partners.
- Philanthropic organizations participating in cost-sharing.
- International allies involved in reciprocal data exchanges.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The bill emphasizes biosecurity and cybersecurity safeguards, including biannual independent assessments, without altering constitutional privacy protections. It explicitly avoids superseding existing laws on informed consent or unauthorized data use, reducing potential conflicts with individual rights.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (3)
Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA], Sen. Kim, Andy [D-NJ], Sen. Rounds, Mike [R-SD]
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-11: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- 2026-06-11: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Web of Biological Data Act of 2026 — issued 2026-06-11 — PDF (13 pages)