Program collects and stores genes from extreme-environment life.
S. 4991 — Homestake AI Act of 2026 · Filed by Mike Rounds (R-SD) · 1 cosponsor · Introduced Jul 15, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
The bill sets up a program to collect genes from life in extreme places. Deep mines are one example. It will store complete genetic codes and build underground storage. The program will create a public database of genetic data. U.S. researchers can access it. Universities, private biotech firms, and allied nations will share research.
Who it affects
Scientists can use genetic data to develop new treatments. The treatments target cancer, diabetes, and dementia. Biotech and drug firms gain access to government-funded genetic data. The government pays for the program.
One thing to notice
Private biotech and AI firms can access government-funded genetic data. The bill does not say if firms must share profits.
From the analysis of the bill text, linked under Primary records below.
Where it stands
1 cosponsor: 1 Democrats.
- Jul 15, 2026 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in Senate”
- Jul 15, 2026 — Referred to Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources · Congress.gov: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources”
Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.
Words to know
- genetic data — Information about the genes and genetic makeup of living things.
- genetic codes — The complete set of genetic instructions inside a living thing.
- allied nations — Countries that work together with the U.S. government.
How this was measured
Analysis — Quorum's AI read the full bill text on Jul 21, 2026; transparency and hidden-provision scores are compared against the median of 14,707 analysed bills.
Status and sponsors — Congress.gov's bill record — actions, committee referrals and cosponsors — loaded nightly. The timeline shows status changes, not every procedural action.
As of — page rendered 2026-09-23.
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