Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios
The House is aiming for a September vote on legislation cracking down on Chinese biotech companies, Speaker Mike Johnson's office told Axios.
Why it matters: The Biosecure Act has bipartisan backing and was seen as having momentum, but this is the first confirmation that House leadership plans to hold a floor vote on the measure.
- It also appears it will get its own vote after missing the boat as an amendment to the NDAA last month.
What they're saying: "We will vote on the Biosecure Act, which will halt federal contracts with biotech companies that are beholden to adversaries and endanger Americans' health care data," Johnson said Monday in a speech at the Hudson Institute.
- "Our goal is to have a significant package of China-related legislation signed into law by the end of this year, this Congress," he added.
- Johnson spokesman Taylor Haulsee then told Axios the target for the vote is roughly September.
What's inside: The bill would cut off federal funding for certain Chinese biotech companies that are deemed national security risks, which could shake up supply chains in the highly interconnected biotech industry.
The bottom line: The measure may have to end up packaged in a larger bill to eventually make it into law, but the announcement from Johnson of a vote is another sign of the momentum behind the legislation.
