Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
The House Rules Committee rejected an effort to add the Biosecure Act to the chamber's defense authorization bill, forcing backers of a China biotech crackdown to look at other legislative avenues.
Why it matters: The move late Tuesday delays the consideration of the measure to cut off funding for select companies deemed national security risks but isn't a death knell for a bill that's enjoyed wide bipartisan support.
What they're saying: "I wasn't surprised by that," Rep. Brad Wenstrup, the lead GOP sponsor, told Axios early Wednesday. "We'll seek other routes."
- He said the Rules Committee sought to limit the number of amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act to those that were more germane to defense.
- It still is possible the legislation could be added to the must-pass NDAA later this year.
- Wenstrup said he thinks the measure could even get a standalone vote in the House, but did not know when. "I think we might be able to get it on its own," he said.
The big picture: The bill would cut off federal funding for a group of Chinese biotech companies and give U.S. drug developers until 2032 to cease outsourcing arrangements with them.
