Reps. McCormick, Khanna Introduce a Bipartisan Package to Close America's Biotechnology Workforce Gap

Biotechnology Workforce Alignment Act of 2026 pairs with a companion bill to assess and strengthen the federal biotech pipeline.

WASHINGTON, May 20, 2026 - Congressman Rich McCormick (R-GA-07) today introduced the Biotechnology Workforce Alignment Act of 2026 alongside Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA-17) as part of a bipartisan legislative package aimed at ensuring America's biotechnology workforce keeps pace with the nation's growing research and manufacturing ambitions.


The package pairs Rep. McCormick's bill with Rep. Khanna's Federal Biotechnology Workforce Assessment Act of 2026, together forming a comprehensive, two-pronged strategy to identify workforce gaps and take decisive action to close them.


The United States is rapidly scaling its biotechnology research and biomanufacturing capacity, but federal workforce development programs have not kept up. Despite significant federal investment in biotech R&D, there is no coordinated national workforce strategy. The result is persistent talent shortages across critical fields, including biomanufacturing, synthetic biology, computational biology, omics sciences, and regulatory science.


These gaps don't just slow innovation; they threaten America's ability to convert scientific breakthroughs into commercial products and national security advantages.

 

The Solution:

The Biotechnology Workforce Alignment Act of 2026 directs the National Science Foundation (NSF) to align federal biotechnology research priorities with workforce development efforts and to strengthen partnerships across education, industry, and government, ensuring that training programs are built around real-world industry needs.


The Federal Biotechnology Workforce Assessment Act of 2026 directs the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to coordinate with relevant federal agency heads to formally define the biotechnology workforce and assess both current and future federal workforce needs. Findings must be reported directly to Congress.


"America leads the world in biotechnology, and we need to keep it that way. Right now, we're making historic investments in biotech research and biomanufacturing. Still, we're leaving talent on the table because we don't have a coordinated strategy to build the workforce that industry actually needs. This legislation fixes that. By aligning federal research priorities with real workforce development and getting a clear-eyed assessment of our gaps, we can ensure America stays ahead of our adversaries and continues to lead the world in the industries of tomorrow. This is exactly the kind of commonsense, results-driven governing that Americans deserve," said Congressman McCormick, GA-07.


“Expanding the federal biotechnology workforce is vital to ensuring the United States remains the global leader in scientific discovery, invention, and entrepreneurship. I’m proud to introduce my Federal Biotechnology Workforce Assessment Act alongside Rep. McCormick’s Biotechnology Workforce Alignment Act to provide a bipartisan approach to identify workforce gaps, strengthen federal coordination, and ensure our biotechnology industry can continue to lead in scientific innovation," said Rep. Ro Khanna.


“A globally competitive biotechnology sector depends on a highly skilled workforce. Georgia Life Sciences is proud to support the Biotechnology Workforce Alignment Act of 2026 because strengthening America’s biotechnology workforce requires greater coordination among education, workforce development, industry needs, and federal research investments. By directing the NSF to identify and support biotechnology workforce pathways, this bill will help better connect students, educators, researchers, and employers to the opportunities driving innovation, economic growth, and U.S. competitiveness,” said Maria Thacker Goethe, President & CEO, Georgia Life Sciences.


“The biotechnology workforce is now a national security asset. These bills are an important step toward making sure the United States can stay ahead in scientific innovation, AI‑enabled discovery, and advanced biomanufacturing. By assessing federal workforce needs and aligning research priorities with real industry demand, Congress is helping make sure we have the talent pipeline needed to turn breakthrough science into strategic advantage. That pipeline has to be broad to include life scientists, but also industrial technicians, mechanics, pipefitters, and other skilled workers who will power the biotechnology economy of the future,” said NSCEB Commissioner Paul Arcangeli. 

 

Source: https://mccormick.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-mccormick-khanna-introduce-bipartisan-package-close-americas

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