PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · May 21, 2026
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.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
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.
People & committees
Rep. McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6] · D–MD
Legislative record
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Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
Source last updated: Nov 3, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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