A quiet Memorial Day week on the Hill, but Congress returns to a packed agenda. Here’s what we’re tracking:
Moolenaar to Treasury: Add Biotech to COINS Act Select Committee on the CCP Chairman John Moolenaar sent a letter last week urging Treasury Secretary Bessent to designate biotechnology a “prohibited technology” under implementing regs for the Comprehensive Outbound Investment National Security (COINS) Act of 2025. The letter cites ~$136B in cross-border out-licensing deals between U.S. pharma and Chinese biotech in 2025 and flags pharmaceutical IP, drug discovery platforms, clinical R&D capabilities, and biologics manufacturing know-how as transactions warranting particular Treasury scrutiny. One to watch as the outbound investment regime takes shape with expected guidance from Treasury on COINS implementation in the coming months.
McCormick (R-GA) & Khanna (D-CA) Drop Biotech Workforce Package A bipartisan two-bill rollout last week aims to map and grow America’s “bio-literate” workforce in response to the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology’s recommendations. The Biotechnology Workforce Alignment Act directs NSF to align federal research priorities with workforce development and strengthen industry–education–government partnerships. The Federal Biotechnology Workforce Assessment Act directs OPM to define the federal biotech workforce and assess current and future needs. Both bills frame talent as core to U.S. competitiveness with China.
Two Hearings on Our Radar Next Week We’ll be watching the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, IP, AI, and the Internet next week closely as they hold a hearing, on June 4, Medicines and IP: Balancing Innovation and Access. We’ll be listening for how members frame the role of IP in driving biotech innovation. We’re also tracking the House Small Business Committee’s June 3 hearing, Restoring America’s Industrial Base: The Role of Small Businesses in National Security. We’ll be listening for any discussion of biomanufacturing onshoring and how small biotechs fit into supply chain resilience.
Reconciliation 2.0 Stalled Last Week; Vote-a-Rama on Deck Senate Republicans punted the $72B immigration reconciliation bill past the recess after disagreements over a new DOJ “anti-weaponization” fund and East Wing security funding. The Senate picks it back up upon returning next week. Rumors have persisted over expected MFN drug pricing amendments during vote-a-rama, and we’ll be monitoring closely though we don’t expect them to move in this package. The delay in 2.0 has impacts on rumored Reconciliation 3.0 opportunities. Given the tight window, every floor day spent on 2.0 shrinks the runway for whatever Republicans want to attempt next.
GAO Releases AI Competitiveness Framework GAO published “Artificial Intelligence: A Framework to Assess U.S. Competitiveness and Inform Policy Options” on May 21. The report was requested by Sens. Heinrich, Rounds, Schumer, and Young. The 82-page framework provides a structured way to benchmark U.S. AI capabilities against peer nations across four pillars: Science & Technology (R&D, software, hardware, data, digital infrastructure); Human Capital (workforce, education, talent mobility); Governance (collaboration, laws, responsible practices, vision and leadership); and Economy (business environment, investment, business activities). The report explicitly noted AI can be used as a helpful tool in providing better and more timely case for patients, including detecting early signs of diseases such as Alzheimer’s.