Ro Khanna (D-CA)
To direct the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering to issue guidance for private entities on demonstrating how biobased products meet Department of Defense requirements, and for other purposes.
A Democratic bill with 2 Democratic cosponsors · See all 2 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill directs the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering to create guidance for private companies. This guidance will show these entities how to prove their biobased products meet Department of Defense requirements. Additionally, the Comptroller General of the United States must analyze if Department of Defense requirement processes exclude biobased products. If exclusions are found, the Comptroller General must provide recommendations to reduce them in a report to congressional defense committees.
Yes· 3 of 13
- Scored +5
Would business owners be better off under this?
Specifically benefits owners of companies producing biobased products by lowering barriers to DoD contracts.
- Scored +4
Does this cut the pollution that drives climate change?
Shifting DoD requirements toward biobased products generally reduces reliance on petroleum-based synthetics.
- Scored +4
Would farmers be better off under this?
Increased demand for biobased products typically increases demand for agricultural raw materials.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Guidance for Private Entities: Section 1(a) requires the creation of public guidance on how private entities can prove their biobased products meet Department of Defense requirements, which helps these companies navigate the process.
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Identification of Exclusions: Section 1(b)(1) directs the Comptroller General to determine if Department of Defense processes intentionally or unintentionally exclude biobased products.
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Recommendations for Improvement: Section 1(b)(2) requires the Comptroller General to provide recommendations to reduce the exclusion of biobased products if such exclusions are found.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts for people are explicitly mentioned in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this cut the pollution that drives climate change? — Shifting DoD requirements toward biobased products generally reduces reliance on petroleum-based synthetics. Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — Promotes the use of sustainable, living-organism-based materials over traditional chemicals. Does this invest in rural communities? — Biobased product manufacturing often relies on agricultural feedstocks, benefiting rural economies. Does this put more money into wind, solar and other renewable power? — Indirectly supports the broader bio-economy and renewable material sectors. Does this reduce how much oil, gas and coal is produced? — Decreases demand for petrochemicals by encouraging biobased alternatives in defense.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would business owners be better off under this? — Specifically benefits owners of companies producing biobased products by lowering barriers to DoD contracts. Would farmers be better off under this? — Increased demand for biobased products typically increases demand for agricultural raw materials. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Supports the growth of the bio-economy which is often centered in rural agricultural areas.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — Provides clear guidance for private entities, including small bio-tech firms, to compete for defense contracts. Is this likely to create jobs? — Increasing DoD procurement of biobased products likely stimulates growth and hiring in the bio-manufacturing sector. Is this likely to grow the economy? — Facilitates market entry for biobased technology companies into the defense industrial base.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more money into scientific research? — Encourages the development and validation of bio-engineering and synthetic biology applications.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — Requires the DoD to make guidance publicly available and the GAO to report on exclusion processes.
- 9/8/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Donald DavisDemocrat · North Carolina
John GaramendiDemocrat · California