Bill · H.R. 7832· House(119-HR-7832)
America’s Living Library Act
- Introduced
- 3/5/2026
- Last activity
- 3/5/2026 — Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, House Administration, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Sponsored by
- Ro Khanna
- Cosponsors
- - 4 - 2
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill establishes the America's Living Library Project, a pilot program led by the Secretary of the Interior. The program aims to collect and sequence genomic data from various species found within the National Park System. It includes the creation of a new program office within the United States Geological Survey to manage the initiative. Selected National Park units will serve as the primary locations for this biological data collection and long-term sample storage. The program involves coordination between multiple federal agencies and specific scientific institutions. The authority for this project is set to terminate 10 years after its enactment.
Yes· 3 of 12
Does this put more money into scientific research?+7
The bill authorizes significant funding for genomic sequencing, data storage, and sample preservation.
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?+6
The bill establishes a project to collect and preserve genomic data from species within the National Park System.
Does this better protect the country from computer attacks?+5
The bill mandates specific cybersecurity and access safeguards for the genomic database.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Scientific Advancement through Data Access: The bill establishes a publicly available genomic database containing sequence data, annotations, and metadata, which can support scientific research (Section 2(d)(1)(B)).
-
Protection of Biological Resources: The program includes requirements to evaluate species to identify those that need long-term storage, specifically targeting "high-priority species" based on ecological, economic, or cultural value (Section 2(g)(2)(B)).
-
Safety and Risk Mitigation: The bill mandates that any microbial or pathogen material requiring enhanced biosafety must be stored in separate, access-controlled collections with appropriate containment (Section 2(g)(2)(B)(iv)).
-
Support for Domestic Innovation: The implementation plan includes creating pathways for United States-based entities to access data for the development and training of artificial intelligence models (Section 2(i)(3)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Security and Privacy Risks: While the database excludes personally identifiable information, the Secretary has the discretion to withhold sensitive collection locality information to protect personnel and resources (Section 2(d)(1)(B)).
-
Potential for Conflict of Interest: The bill recognizes the need to develop specific mechanisms to vet and prevent conflicts of interest when receiving in-kind contributions from biotechnology companies (Section 2(e)(3)(C)(ii)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Education And Technology
- Increases Scientific Research Funding+7Improves Internet Access+1
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Environmental Protections+6Improves Rural Development+1
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Privacy Rights+4Improves Government Transparency+3
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Native Americans+3Good For Business Owners+2
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Improves Cybersecurity Defense+5
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Small Business Support+1
- Healthcare
- Improves Healthcare Access+1
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Poverty Reduction+1
- 6/18/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/21/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/16/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/19/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/5/2026
- Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, House Administration, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 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.
Robert AderholtRepublican · Alabama
Jake AuchinclossDemocrat · Massachusetts
Stephanie BiceRepublican · Oklahoma
Donald DavisDemocrat · North Carolina
Chrissy HoulahanDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Eugene VindmanDemocrat · Virginia