110 STAT. 1284 PUBLIC LAW 104-132—APR. 24, 1996 Subtitle B—Biological Weapons Restrictions 42 USC 262 note. SEC. 511. ENHANCED PENALTIES AND CONTROL OF BIOLOGICAL AGENTS. (a) FINDINGS. —The Congress finds that— (1) certain biological agents have the potential to pose a severe threat to public health and safety; (2) such biological agents can be used as weapons by individuals or organizations for the purpose of domestic or international terrorism or for other criminal purposes; (3) the transfer and possession of potentially hazardous biological agents should be regulated to protect public health and safety; and (4) efforts to protect the public from exposure to guch agents should ensure that individuals and groups with legitimate objectives continue to have access to such agents for clinical and research purposes. (b) CRIMINAL ENFORCEMENT.—Chapter 10 of title 18, United States Code, is amended— (1) in section 175(a), by inserting "or attempts, threatens, or conspires to do the same," after "to do so,"; (2) in section 177(a)(2), by inserting "threat," after "attempt,"; and (3) in section 178— (A) in paragraph (1), by striking "or infectious substance" and inserting "infectious substance, or biological product that may be engineered as a result of biotechnology, or any naturally occurring or bioengineered component of any such microorganism, virus, infectious substance, or biological product"; (B) in paragraph (2)— (i) by inserting "the toxic material of plants, animals, microorganisms, viruses, fungi, or infectious substances, or a recombinant molecule" after "means"; (ii) by striking "production—" and inserting "production, including—"; (iii) in subparagraph (A), by inserting "or biological product that may be engineered as a result of biotechnology" after "substance"; and (iv) in subparagraph (B), by inserting "or biological product" after "isomer"; and (C) in paragraph (4), by inserting ", or molecule, including a recombinant molecule, or biological product that may be engineered as a result of biotechnology," after "organism". (c) TERRORISM. — Section 2332a(a) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting ", including any biological agent, toxin, or vector (as those terms are defined in section 178)" after "destruction". (d) REGULATORY CONTROL OF BIOLOGICAL AGENTS.— (1) LIST OF BIOLOGICAL AGENTS.— (A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall, through regulations promulgated under subsection (f), establish and maintain a list of each biological agent that has the potential to pose a severe threat to public health and safety.
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