Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Viral Gain of Function Research Moratorium Act”.
Viral Gain of Function Research Moratorium Act
A BILL
To provide a moratorium on all Federal research grants provided to any institution of higher education or other research institute that is conducting gain-of-function research.
Sec. 2 Prohibition on Federal research grants for institutions and research institutes conducting gain-of-function research
Definition of gain-of-Function research— In this section, the term gain-of-function research means any research that—
may be reasonably anticipated to confer attributes to influenza, MERS, or SARS viruses such that the virus would have enhanced pathogenicity or transmissibility in any organism; or
involves the enhancement of potential pandemic pathogens or related risky research with potentially dangerous pathogens.
Prohibition— Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no research grants supported by Federal funds may be awarded to institutions of higher education, or other research institutes, that are conducting gain-of-function research.