United States · Bill · HR
H.R. 7897 (95th)
Recombinant DNA Act
Introduced
20 June 1977
Last action
20 June 1977 · Introduced
Status
Referred to House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce.
Sponsors
Rep. Rogers, Paul G. [D-FL-11], Rep. Preyer, Richardson [D-NC-6], Rep. Scheuer, James H. [D-NY-11], Rep. Waxman, Henry A. [D-CA-24], Rep. Florio, James J. [D-NJ-1], Rep. Maguire, Andrew [D-NJ-7], Edward Markey, Rep. Ottinger, Richard L. [D-NY-24], Rep. Walgren, Doug [D-PA-18], Rep. Carter, Tim Lee [R-KY-5], Rep. Madigan, Edward R. [R-IL-21], Rep. Skubitz, Joe [R-KS-5]
Subjects
Healthcare
Source updated
2 September 2025
Summary
Recombinant DNA Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to regulate recombinant DNA activities. Requires that all recombinant DNA activities conducted during the interim control period, which shall begin on the tenth day after the date of enactment of this Act, and end eighteen months after such date or on the date on which certain regulations promulgated by the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare take effect, whichever occurs first, be carried out in accordance with the physical and biological containment requirements in the recombinant DNA research guidelines of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare published on July 7, 1976. Requires that every individual or entity responsible for conducting any recombinant DNA activity on the date of enactment of this Act, or to be commenced during the interim control period, submit a report with respect to such activity to the Secretary. Requires each facility conducting any recombinant DNA activity to be licensed in accordance with this Act. Requires the Secretary to promulgate regulations with respect to the issuance of such licenses prescribing containment requirements, laboratory safety requirements, and reporting procedures. Directs the Secretary to promulgate regulations to control the conduct of recombinant DNA activities carried on outside of such licensed facilities prescribing containment and personnel safety requirements. Sets forth the procedure for the issuance of licenses to facilities to conduct recombinant DNA activity with respect to the authority of the Secretary and local biohazards committees to issue such licenses. Requires the Secretary to compile a list of recombinant DNA activities authorized by this Act, and to make such list available for public inspection. Prohibits the licensing of any facility unless a local biohazards committee has been established in accordance with this Act with jurisdiction over such facility. Authorizes such committees to issue licenses to certain facilities, and requires such committees to inspect and monitor recombinant DNA activities conducted in such facilities. Authorizes the inspection of facilities conducting recombinant DNA activities by inspectors designated by the Secretary. Establishes civil and criminal penalties for violation of this Act. Sets forth the procedure for disclosure of certain otherwise confidential data if the Secretary or committee determines that the release of such data is necessary to protect against an imminent, unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment. Establishes the Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee to advise the Secretary in promulgating regulations required by this Act.
This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.
Timeline
20 June 1977
Introduced
Referred to House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce.
Source: IntroReferral
20 June 1977
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
20 June 1977
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
Votes
No vote records are attached yet.
Versions
No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.
Documents
1 official file
Introduced in House
summary · EN · 20 June 1977
Sponsors
- Rep. Rogers, Paul G. [D-FL-11] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Preyer, Richardson [D-NC-6] · D · Cosponsor
- Rep. Scheuer, James H. [D-NY-11] · D · Cosponsor
- Rep. Waxman, Henry A. [D-CA-24] · D · Cosponsor
- Rep. Florio, James J. [D-NJ-1] · D · Cosponsor
- Rep. Maguire, Andrew [D-NJ-7] · D · Cosponsor
- Edward Markey · D · Cosponsor
- Rep. Ottinger, Richard L. [D-NY-24] · D · Cosponsor
- Rep. Walgren, Doug [D-PA-18] · D · Cosponsor
- Rep. Carter, Tim Lee [R-KY-5] · R · Cosponsor
- Rep. Madigan, Edward R. [R-IL-21] · R · Cosponsor
- Rep. Skubitz, Joe [R-KS-5] · R · Cosponsor
- · hsif00 · Standing
Related records
- related to → Recombinant DNA Act
Sources
PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.
- Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/95th-congress/house-bill/7897
- Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/95/hr/7897
- us · 95-hr-7897 · source updated 2 September 2025