Standards and Calibration for American Leadership in Engineering Biology Act or the SCALE Biology Act This bill establishes a biometrology laboratory program within the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and expands NIST’s role in related research and support activities. Biometrology applies the science of measurement to the study of living organisms. Biometrology is used in many disciplines, including biomanufacturing, engineering biology, and biotechnology. Current law requires NIST to support biometrology research and related activities. The bill directs NIST to establish a biometrology laboratory program to enable innovation, improve biological data, and support the safe and responsible development and application of biological technologies. The bill expands NIST’s existing biometrology-related activities to include establishing common terminology and definitions related to engineering biology, biomanufacturing, biotechnology, and the bioeconomy; supporting external research that advances biometrology and related disciplines; and identifying areas where technical standards and other governance mechanisms are needed. In carrying out these activities, NIST must coordinate with other federal agencies and specified federal programs as appropriate. The bill also directs NIST to support the development of specialized engineering biology facilities (i.e., foundries) in partnership with industry and other specified stakeholders. (Engineering biology involves the synthetic programming of cellular systems. NIST currently operates a Living Measurement Systems Foundry, which supports biometrology and engineering biology research and testing.) The bill also explicitly authorizes NIST to conduct research to support the development of voluntary, consensus-based technical standards, best practices, and other resources for engineering biology, biomanufacturing, biotechnology, and biometrology.

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SubjectsBiological and life sciencesDrug safety, medical device, and laboratory regulationHigher educationPublic-private cooperationResearch administration and fundingResearch and developmentScience and engineering educationTechnology assessment

XML scalars

congress: 119
type: HR
number: 8981
originChamber: House
originChamberCode: H
introducedDate: 2026-05-21
updateDate: 2026-11-03T17:10:13Z
updateDateIncludingText: 2026-11-03T17:10:13Z
title: SCALE Biology Act
legislationUrl: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/8981

Constitutional authority statement (CDATA)

[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 87 (Thursday, May 21, 2026)][House]From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]By Mrs. McCLAIN DELANEY:H.R. 8981.Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuantto the following:Article I, Section 8, clause 3 (Commerce Clause)[Page H3725]

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Rep. McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6] · [D-MD-6] · M001232
Dem-MD-6 current · 1 term · @RepAprilDelaney · 1 district office

Sponsor record (congress_legislators)

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M001232

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current

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April McClain Delaney

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April

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Lynn

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McClain Delaney

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null

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1964-05-28

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2025-01-03

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2027-01-03

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1130 Longworth House Office Building Washington DC 20515-2006

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none

Committee memberships (5)

Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development (house) · house · rank 11
Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology (house) · house · rank 9
House Committee on Agriculture (house) · house · rank 23 · site
House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology (house) · house · rank 15 · site
Research and Technology (house) · house · rank 5

Social media

Twitter: @RepAprilDelaney
Facebook: @RepAprilDelaney
Instagram: @repaprildelaney

District offices (1)

30 W. Patrick St., Suite 505, Frederick, MD, 21701 · 301-926-0300 · fax 771-200-5671 · 39.4140304,-77.4119974

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none

Sponsor FEC record (fec_live)

Candidate record (candidates) · cycle 2026

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H4MD06340

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2026

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DELANEY, APRIL MCCLAIN

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DEMOCRATIC PARTY

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House

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2025-03-31

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2025-03-31

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null

Candidate summary (candidate_summaries) · cycle 2026

cycle

2026

total_receipts

$12,308,220.11

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$12,013,487.97

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$307,611.31

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$14,873,000.00

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2025-01-01

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2026-06-30

Connected committees (0)

none

Cosponsors (5)

Rep. Obernolte, Jay [R-CA-23] · [R-CA-23] · O000019 · Co-sponsored 2026-05-21 · original
Rep-CA-23 current · 3 terms · @JayObernolte · 1 district office
Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18] · [D-CA-18] · L000397 · Co-sponsored 2026-05-21 · original
Dem-CA-18 current · 16 terms · @RepZoeLofgren · 2 district offices
Del. Moylan, James C. [R-GU-At Large] · [R-GU-0] · M001219 · Co-sponsored 2026-05-21 · original
Rep-GU current · 2 terms · @JMoylanforGuam · 1 district office
Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7] · [D-VA-7] · V000138 · Co-sponsored 2026-06-15
Dem-VA-7 current · 1 term · @RepVindman · 1 district office
Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2] · [D-NC-2] · R000305 · Co-sponsored 2026-07-13
Dem-NC-2 current · 3 terms · @RepDeborahRoss · 1 district office

Committees (1)

Science, Space, and Technology Committee [House Standing]
2026-07-21T14:00:00ZMarkup By
2026-05-21T14:05:45ZReferred To

Actions — from XML (5)

2026-07-21Committeevia House committee actions
Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote.
2026-07-21Committeevia House committee actions
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
2026-05-21IntroReferralH11100via House floor actions
Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
2026-05-21IntroReferralIntro-Hvia Library of Congress
Introduced in House
2026-05-21IntroReferral1000via Library of Congress
Introduced in House

Actions — from bill_actions table (0)

none

Titles

Display Title2026-06-06T03:38:28Z
SCALE Biology Act
Short Title(s) as IntroducedIH2026-06-06T03:38:27Z
SCALE Biology Act
Short Title(s) as IntroducedIH2026-06-06T03:38:27Z
Standards and Calibration for American Leadership in Engineering Biology Act
Official Title as IntroducedIH2026-06-06T03:33:35Z
To establish in the National Institute of Standards and Technology a program of measurement research for engineering biology, biomanufacturing, and biometrology, and for other purposes.

Text versions (from XML)

Introduced in House2026-05-21T04:00:00Z
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-119hr8981ih/xml/BILLS-119hr8981ih.xml

Versions — from bill_versions table (0)

none

Policy area

Science, Technology, Communications

Summaries

00 · 2026-05-21 · Introduced in House

Standards and Calibration for American Leadership in Engineering Biology Act or the SCALE Biology Act

This bill establishes a biometrology laboratory program within the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and expands NIST’s role in related research and support activities.

Biometrology applies the science of measurement to the study of living organisms. Biometrology is used in many disciplines, including biomanufacturing, engineering biology, and biotechnology. Current law requires NIST to support biometrology research and related activities.

The bill directs NIST to establish a biometrology laboratory program to enable innovation, improve biological data, and support the safe and responsible development and application of biological technologies.

The bill expands NIST’s existing biometrology-related activities to include

establishing common terminology and definitions related to engineering biology, biomanufacturing, biotechnology, and the bioeconomy;
supporting external research that advances biometrology and related disciplines; and
identifying areas where technical standards and other governance mechanisms are needed.

In carrying out these activities, NIST must coordinate with other federal agencies and specified federal programs as appropriate.

The bill also directs NIST to support the development of specialized engineering biology facilities (i.e., foundries) in partnership with industry and other specified stakeholders. (Engineering biology involves the synthetic programming of cellular systems. NIST currently operates a Living Measurement Systems Foundry, which supports biometrology and engineering biology research and testing.)

The bill also explicitly authorizes NIST to conduct research to support the development of voluntary, consensus-based technical standards, best practices, and other resources for engineering biology, biomanufacturing, biotechnology, and biometrology.

Related bills

S 5557 (119) SCALE Biology Act
Latest: 2026-09-24 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Relationship: Related bill (via CRS)

Amendments (0)

none

Laws

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Committee reports

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Calendar number

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CBO cost estimates

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Latest action

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2026-07-21

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Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote.

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Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

contributor

Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress

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This file contains bill summaries and statuses for federal legislation. A bill summary describes the most significant provisions of a piece of legislation and details the effects the legislative text may have on current law and federal programs. Bill summaries are authored by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress. As stated in Public Law 91-510 (2 USC 166 (d)(6)), one of the duties of CRS is "to prepare summaries and digests of bills and resolutions of a public general nature introduced in the Senate or House of Representatives". For more information, refer to the User Guide that accompanies this file.

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SCALE Biology Act

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Rep. McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6]

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Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote.

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