1. U.S. Code
  2. title 18
  3. part I
  4. chapter 10
  5. § 175

Collapse to view only § 175. Prohibitions with respect to biological weapons

§ 175. Prohibitions with respect to biological weapons
(a)In General.—Whoever knowingly develops, produces, stockpiles, transfers, acquires, retains, or possesses any biological agent, toxin, or delivery system for use as a weapon, or knowingly assists a foreign state or any organization to do so, or attempts, threatens, or conspires to do the same, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for life or any term of years, or both. There is extraterritorial Federal jurisdiction over an offense under this section committed by or against a national of the United States.
(b)Additional Offense.—Whoever knowingly possesses any biological agent, toxin, or delivery system of a type or in a quantity that, under the circumstances, is not reasonably justified by a prophylactic, protective, bona fide research, or other peaceful purpose, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both. In this subsection, the terms “biological agent” and “toxin” do not encompass any biological agent or toxin that is in its naturally occurring environment, if the biological agent or toxin has not been cultivated, collected, or otherwise extracted from its natural source.
(c)Definition.—For purposes of this section, the term “for use as a weapon” includes the development, production, transfer, acquisition, retention, or possession of any biological agent, toxin, or delivery system for other than prophylactic, protective, bona fide research, or other peaceful purposes.
(Added Pub. L. 101–298, § 3(a), May 22, 1990, 104 Stat. 201; amended Pub. L. 104–132, title V, § 511(b)(1), Apr. 24, 1996, 110 Stat. 1284; Pub. L. 107–56, title VIII, § 817(1), Oct. 26, 2001, 115 Stat. 385; Pub. L. 107–188, title II, § 231(c)(1), June 12, 2002, 116 Stat. 661.)

CITE AS: 18 USC 175

§ 175a. Requests for military assistance to enforce prohibition in certain emergencies

The Attorney General may request the Secretary of Defense to provide assistance under section 382 of title 10 1

1 See References in Text note below.
in support of Department of Justice activities relating to the enforcement of section 175 of this title in an emergency situation involving a biological weapon of mass destruction. The authority to make such a request may be exercised by another official of the Department of Justice in accordance with section 382(f)(2) of title 10.1

(Added Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title XIV, § 1416(c)(1)(A), Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2723.)

CITE AS: 18 USC 175a

§ 175b. Possession by restricted persons
(a)Offense.—
(1)In general.—It shall be unlawful for a restricted person to—
(A) ship, transport, or possess in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce any biological agent or toxin described in paragraph (2); or
(B) receive any biological agent or toxin described in paragraph (2) that has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce.
(2)Agents and toxins covered.—A biological agent or toxin described in this paragraph is a biological agent or toxin that—
(A) is listed as a non-overlap or overlap select biological agent or toxin under part 73 of title 42, Code of Federal Regulations, pursuant to section 351A of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 262a); and
(B) is not excluded or exempted under part 73 of title 42, Code of Federal Regulations.
(3)Penalty.—Whoever knowingly violates this section shall be fined as provided in this title, imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both, but the prohibition contained in this section shall not apply with respect to any duly authorized United States governmental activity.
(b)Transfer to Unregistered Person.—
(1)Select agents.—Whoever transfers a select agent to a person who the transferor knows or has reasonable cause to believe is not registered as required by regulations under subsection (b) or (c) of section 351A of the Public Health Service Act shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both.
(2)Certain other biological agents and toxins.—Whoever transfers a biological agent or toxin listed pursuant to section 212(a)(1) of the Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection Act of 2002 to a person who the transferor knows or has reasonable cause to believe is not registered as required by regulations under subsection (b) or (c) of section 212 of such Act shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both.
(c)Unregistered for Possession.—
(1)Select agents.—Whoever knowingly possesses a biological agent or toxin where such agent or toxin is a select agent for which such person has not obtained a registration required by regulations under section 351A(c) of the Public Health Service Act shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both.
(2)Certain other biological agents and toxins.—Whoever knowingly possesses a biological agent or toxin where such agent or toxin is a biological agent or toxin listed pursuant to section 212(a)(1) of the Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection Act of 2002 for which such person has not obtained a registration required by regulations under section 212(c) of such Act shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both.
(d)Definitions.—In this section:
(1) The term “select agent” means a biological agent or toxin to which subsection (a) applies. Such term (including for purposes of subsection (a)) does not include any such biological agent or toxin that is in its naturally-occurring environment, if the biological agent or toxin has not been cultivated, collected, or otherwise extracted from its natural source.
(2) The term “restricted person” means an individual who—
(A) is under indictment for a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding 1 year;
(B) has been convicted in any court of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding 1 year;
(C) is a fugitive from justice;
(D) is an unlawful user of any controlled substance (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802));
(E) is an alien illegally or unlawfully in the United States;
(F) has been adjudicated as a mental defective or has been committed to any mental institution;
(G)
(i) is an alien (other than an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence) who is a national of a country as to which the Secretary of State, pursuant to section 6(j) 1
1 See References in Text note below.
of the Export Administration Act of 1979 (50 U.S.C. App. 2405(j)), section 620A of chapter 1 of part M of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2371), or section 40(d) of chapter 3 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2780(d)), has made a determination (that remains in effect) that such country has repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism, or (ii) acts for or on behalf of, or operates subject to the direction or control of, a government or official of a country described in this subparagraph;
(H) has been discharged from the Armed Services of the United States under dishonorable conditions; or
(I) is a member of, acts for or on behalf of, or operates subject to the direction or control of, a terrorist organization as defined in section 212(a)(3)(B)(vi) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(3)(B)(vi)).
(3) The term “alien” has the same meaning as in section 101(a)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(3)).
(4) The term “lawfully admitted for permanent residence” has the same meaning as in section 101(a)(20) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(20)).
(Added Pub. L. 107–56, title VIII, § 817(2), Oct. 26, 2001, 115 Stat. 385; amended Pub. L. 107–188, title II, § 231(a), (b)(1), (c)(2), June 12, 2002, 116 Stat. 660, 661; Pub. L. 107–273, div. B, title IV, § 4005(g), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1813; Pub. L. 108–458, title VI, § 6802(c), (d)(1), Dec. 17, 2004, 118 Stat. 3767; Pub. L. 116–31, § 2, July 25, 2019, 133 Stat. 1034.)

CITE AS: 18 USC 175b

§ 175c. Variola virus
(a)Unlawful Conduct.—
(1)In general.—Except as provided in paragraph (2), it shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly produce, engineer, synthesize, acquire, transfer directly or indirectly, receive, possess, import, export, or use, or possess and threaten to use, variola virus.
(2)Exception.—This subsection does not apply to conduct by, or under the authority of, the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
(b)Jurisdiction.—Conduct prohibited by subsection (a) is within the jurisdiction of the United States if—
(1) the offense occurs in or affects interstate or foreign commerce;
(2) the offense occurs outside of the United States and is committed by a national of the United States;
(3) the offense is committed against a national of the United States while the national is outside the United States;
(4) the offense is committed against any property that is owned, leased, or used by the United States or by any department or agency of the United States, whether the property is within or outside the United States; or
(5) an offender aids or abets any person over whom jurisdiction exists under this subsection in committing an offense under this section or conspires with any person over whom jurisdiction exists under this subsection to commit an offense under this section.
(c)Criminal Penalties.—
(1)In general.—Any person who violates, or attempts or conspires to violate, subsection (a) shall be fined not more than $2,000,000 and shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment not less than 25 years or to imprisonment for life.
(2)Other circumstances.—Any person who, in the course of a violation of subsection (a), uses, attempts or conspires to use, or possesses and threatens to use, any item or items described in subsection (a), shall be fined not more than $2,000,000 and imprisoned for not less than 30 years or imprisoned for life.
(3)Special circumstances.—If the death of another results from a person’s violation of subsection (a), the person shall be fined not more than $2,000,000 and punished by imprisonment for life.
(d)Definition.—As used in this section, the term “variola virus” means a virus that can cause human smallpox or any derivative of the variola major virus that contains more than 85 percent of the gene sequence of the variola major virus or the variola minor virus.
(Added Pub. L. 108–458, title VI, § 6906, Dec. 17, 2004, 118 Stat. 3773.)

CITE AS: 18 USC 175c

§ 176. Seizure, forfeiture, and destruction
(a)In General.—
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Attorney General may request the issuance, in the same manner as provided for a search warrant, of a warrant authorizing the seizure of any biological agent, toxin, or delivery system that—
(A) pertains to conduct prohibited under section 175 of this title; or
(B) is of a type or in a quantity that under the circumstances has no apparent justification for prophylactic, protective, or other peaceful purposes.
(2) In exigent circumstances, seizure and destruction of any biological agent, toxin, or delivery system described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1) may be made upon probable cause without the necessity for a warrant.
(b)Procedure.—Property seized pursuant to subsection (a) shall be forfeited to the United States after notice to potential claimants and an opportunity for a hearing. At such hearing, the Government shall bear the burden of persuasion by a preponderance of the evidence. Except as inconsistent herewith, the same procedures and provisions of law relating to a forfeiture under the customs laws shall extend to a seizure or forfeiture under this section. The Attorney General may provide for the destruction or other appropriate disposition of any biological agent, toxin, or delivery system seized and forfeited pursuant to this section.
(c)Affirmative Defense.—It is an affirmative defense against a forfeiture under subsection (a)(1)(B) of this section that—
(1) such biological agent, toxin, or delivery system is for a prophylactic, protective, or other peaceful purpose; and
(2) such biological agent, toxin, or delivery system, is of a type and quantity reasonable for that purpose.
(Added Pub. L. 101–298, § 3(a), May 22, 1990, 104 Stat. 202; amended Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330010(16), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2144; Pub. L. 107–188, title II, § 231(c)(3), June 12, 2002, 116 Stat. 661.)

CITE AS: 18 USC 176

§ 177. Injunctions
(a)In General.—The United States may obtain in a civil action an injunction against—
(1) the conduct prohibited under section 175 of this title;
(2) the preparation, solicitation, attempt, threat, or conspiracy to engage in conduct prohibited under section 175 of this title; or
(3) the development, production, stockpiling, transferring, acquisition, retention, or possession, or the attempted development, production, stockpiling, transferring, acquisition, retention, or possession of any biological agent, toxin, or delivery system of a type or in a quantity that under the circumstances has no apparent justification for prophylactic, protective, or other peaceful purposes.
(b)Affirmative Defense.—It is an affirmative defense against an injunction under subsection (a)(3) of this section that—
(1) the conduct sought to be enjoined is for a prophylactic, protective, or other peaceful purpose; and
(2) such biological agent, toxin, or delivery system is of a type and quantity reasonable for that purpose.
(Added Pub. L. 101–298, § 3(a), May 22, 1990, 104 Stat. 202; amended Pub. L. 104–132, title V, § 511(b)(2), Apr. 24, 1996, 110 Stat. 1284.)

CITE AS: 18 USC 177

§ 178. DefinitionsAs used in this chapter—
(1)
(A) death, disease, or other biological malfunction in a human, an animal, a plant, or another living organism;
(B) deterioration of food, water, equipment, supplies, or material of any kind; or
(C) deleterious alteration of the environment;
(2) the term “toxin” means the toxic material or product of plants, animals, microorganisms (including, but not limited to, bacteria, viruses, fungi, rickettsiae or protozoa), or infectious substances, or a recombinant or synthesized molecule, whatever their origin and method of production, and includes—
(A) any poisonous substance or biological product that may be engineered as a result of biotechnology produced by a living organism; or
(B) any poisonous isomer or biological product, homolog, or derivative of such a substance;
(3) the term “delivery system” means—
(A) any apparatus, equipment, device, or means of delivery specifically designed to deliver or disseminate a biological agent, toxin, or vector; or
(B) any vector;
(4) the term “vector” means a living organism, or molecule, including a recombinant or synthesized molecule, capable of carrying a biological agent or toxin to a host; and
(5) the term “national of the United States” has the meaning prescribed in section 101(a)(22) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(22)).
(Added Pub. L. 101–298, § 3(a), May 22, 1990, 104 Stat. 202; amended Pub. L. 104–132, title V, § 511(b)(3), title VII, § 721(h), Apr. 24, 1996, 110 Stat. 1284, 1299; Pub. L. 107–188, title II, § 231(c)(4), June 12, 2002, 116 Stat. 661.)

CITE AS: 18 USC 178