Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios
The Biosecure Act crackdown on select Chinese biotech companies was left out of text of the annual defense authorization bill released tonight, while a restriction on gender-affirming care for minors in Tricare was included.
Why it matters: The absence of language directed at Chinese research firms deemed national security threats is a blow to the the bipartisan effort, but the measure could still move in the future.
Driving the news: The Biosecure Act would have restricted biotechnology companies of concern from participating in government-funded research projects over worries that they could use patient data for nefarious purposes, which the companies denied.
- The measure had run into concerns from Sen. Rand Paul and some House Democrats, who worried about a lack of due process for the companies targeted.
What's next: There is still hope among backers that the CR later this month could provide another vehicle for the measure.
- There had been some chatter in recent days about a potential change to add further review steps, though it's unclear how far those talks actually got.
What's inside: A separate measure that did make the cut in the National Defense Authorization Act is a restriction on gender-affirming care for minors in Tricare.
- "Medical interventions for the treatment of gender dysphoria that could result in sterilization" are not allowed for children under 18, per the bill text.
- Speaker Mike Johnson's office touted this as an important move to "ban transgender medical treatment for minors."
