Bipartisan Bill Would Create Criminal Offense for Pathogen Smuggling
A bill that would create a criminal offense for "knowingly and recklessly importing high-risk agents, toxins or organisms" was introduced last week by Reps. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, and Josh Riley, D-N.Y.
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The Preventing Lethal Agricultural and National Threats (PLANT) Act would authorize penalties of up to 10 years in prison for standard violations, and would double the maximum sentence for instances when the person concealed the material's origin, brought it in on behalf of a foreign government, or if the biological agent or toxin causes more than $1 million in economic damage.
In a press release announcing the bill, Nunn said he wants "to make it clear that any attempt to weaponize U.S. agriculture will have serious consequences."
USDA would promulgate a rule to define high-risk products if the bill becomes law.