Congress·In Committee·S. 4023

Sen. Young and Sen. Padilla Push Bipartisan Bill to Map DNA of All Wildlife in National Parks

America’s Living Library Act

16 days ago·View on Congress.gov

Legislative Progress

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Key Points

This bill creates a 10-year pilot program to collect and sequence the DNA of animals, plants, fungi, and microbes found in National Parks. It starts at 5 parks within 180 days and expands to 25 total parks within 2 years, building a massive public genomic database of American biodiversity.
From policy text
“The purpose of the program is to facilitate the collection of new genomic data from species that are found in units of the National Park System.”
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All physical samples must remain in the United States, and early access to the genomic data for AI development is restricted to U.S.-organized entities that are not owned or controlled by any foreign entity of concern—a national security safeguard for American biological data.
From policy text
“Any physical samples collected under the program shall not be transferred, exported, or loaned outside the United States.”
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The program authorizes up to $334 million over fiscal years 2027–2031, with funding split among the USGS, the Smithsonian, the Department of Agriculture, and the NIH's National Center for Biotechnology Information for sequencing, sample storage, and data management.
The bill requires consultation with Indian Tribes throughout implementation and directs the Secretary to engage in tribal consultation in accordance with Department policies and applicable law.
From policy text
“In implementing the program, the Secretary shall engage in consultation with Indian Tribes in accordance with section 306108 of title 54, United States Code, Department policies on Tribal consultation, and other applicable law.”
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Private biotech companies can donate equipment like DNA sequencing tools, but the bill includes conflict-of-interest vetting. A future subscription model may also be developed so organizations can pay for database access based on their size and usage.
From policy text
“limit in-kind contributions to the provision of resources to carry out the program, such as materials, instrumentation, or technological capabilities (such as deoxyribonucleic acid sequencing)”
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Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Who is affectedScoreImpactCertaintyScopeDurationSentiment

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions

Mar 5, 2026Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Mar 5, 2026

Introduced in Senate

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

180 days after enactment

5 National Park sites selected for initial genomic sampling

The first parks are chosen based on biodiversity, research value, and geographic diversity—sampling and DNA sequencing begin at these locations.

2 years after enactment

Program expands to 25 total National Park sites

An additional 20 parks are selected, dramatically scaling up the collection of genetic data across diverse ecosystems nationwide.

3 years after enactment

Preliminary findings report sent to Congress

A 3-year progress report includes recommendations for long-term funding, including a possible subscription model for database access—shaping whether the program continues beyond its initial authorization.

Related News

3 articles

National Law Review·11 days ago

America’s Living Library Act Would Collect Genomic Information from Animals, Plants, Fungi, and Microbes on Public Lands

The proposed America’s Living Library Act aims to establish a 10-year project to map the DNA of wildlife in National Parks. The legislation seeks to create a public, AI-ready database of genomic information to support breakthroughs in medicine and agriculture while securing biological data.

Van Nuys News Press·16 days ago

Padilla, Young, Bice, Khanna Introduce America’s Living Library Act to Strengthen U.S. Biotech Innovation

Bipartisan lawmakers introduced the America’s Living Library Act to catalog U.S. biological information. The bill treats biological data as a strategic national asset, aiming to leverage the biodiversity of the National Park System to ensure the U.S. remains a global leader in biotechnology.

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WTRE Radio·16 days ago

Young, Colleagues Introduce America’s Living Library Act

Senators Todd Young and Alex Padilla introduced legislation to create a biological dataset from America's public lands. The bill emphasizes the importance of high-quality datasets for AI and biotech innovation, citing the historical impact of research in Yellowstone National Park.