Ratcliffe’s bill to prosecute for possession of biological toxins, agents passes committee

Bipartisan legislation to criminalize the possession of certain toxins sponsored by U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) received approval from the U.S. House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.

“With the threat of bioterrorism on the rise, it’s more important than ever to ensure that our legal system is equipped to properly punish individuals who knowingly accumulate deadly toxins and agents without required registration,” Rep. Ratcliffe said.

The congressman in March introduced the Effective Prosecution of Possession of Biological Toxins and Agents Act of 2019, H.R. 1986, with bill cosponsors U.S. Reps. Will Hurd (R-TX), Doug Collins (R-GA), and Kathleen Rice (D-NY).

If enacted, H.R. 1986 would close a loophole in federal law that permits dangerous toxins and agents to be knowingly accumulated by individuals without proper registration, according to a summary of the bill provided by the congressman’s office.

In general, according to the bill, “it shall be unlawful for a restricted person to ship, transport, or possess in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce any biological agent or toxin … that has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce,” including those that are listed as a non-overlap or overlap select biological agent or toxin under the Code of Federal Regulations.

H.R. 1986 also would expand the list of such controlled toxins and agents to ensure the possession of dangerous substances are properly punished by law, according to Rep. Ratcliffe’s office.

“As a former federal prosecutor, I’m committed to improving the laws on the books to make sure that dangerous substances are kept out of the hands of people who can use them for malign activity,” said Rep. Ratcliffe.