Congress moves to block federal funding for dangerous pathogen research
S. 738 — Dangerous Viral Gain of Function Research Moratorium Act · Filed by Roger Marshall (R-KS) · 1 cosponsor · Introduced Feb 26, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill blocks all federal research grants to universities and research institutes that conduct gain-of-function research—genetic work that makes viruses more infectious, transmissible, or dangerous. The bill defines gain-of-function narrowly to cover influenza, coronaviruses (including SARS-CoV-2), and agents on the federal Select Agents list, and applies the moratorium to any institution doing such work.
Why we flagged it
The bill's operative mechanism is a funding moratorium on a specific class of research deemed dangerous. It is a safety-focused restriction on federal grant distribution, not a deregulation or subsidy.
What the text implies
- The definition of gain-of-function is broad enough to capture research into viral evolution and natural host-jumping, potentially restricting studies that inform pandemic preparedness and vaccine design.
- Institutions may relocate gain-of-function research to private labs, foreign jurisdictions, or less-regulated environments, potentially reducing oversight rather than eliminating the research.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who it affects
The bill protects public health by restricting funding for research that could create more dangerous pathogens, a legitimate safety concern. However, the definition of gain-of-function is broad enough to potentially capture legitimate research into viral evolution, vaccine development, and pandemic preparedness—work that may also protect public health.