DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS FO UNITED STATES SENATE LIERAR’ HEARINGS SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: NINETY-PIRST CONGRESS ot HL 15090 PART § RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST, AND EVALUATION Department of the Army ‘Statemenc of Director, Advanced Keseareh Project Agency Statement of Director, Defense Research and Engineeringr ie SYNTHETIC BIOLOGICAL ACERS ‘There are two things about the Biologics! agect feld 1 wauld like n, One ig the possibility of technological surprise, Moleculer otogy ist field chovisedeancing vary rapicly ond eminene biologics believa that within a oetiod of 5 to 10 ywars ix would te possible to produce as WiC a gen an agent that does noe naeuesTTy Pre and Tor whieh re raral imiwuniey TOUTS Wave Seen acquire’, rave been geauired Me Sixes. Are we doing any work aa that feld a Dr. MacArtHuon. We are not. , Mc. Sixes. Why not? Lack af money or lack of incereys# De. MacAnrnun. Certainly not lacie af interest ae each Would you provide for oct records information on what would be required, whaz the advamcages of such 4 program would be, the time and the cost involved? ‘Dr. MacAnraun. We will be very happy to. {The information follows :) she drariatic nengeess being mage in the Seid of molecular biotogy ted us to Investigate aie celevence Of his field at science te Sictogicall warfare 4 sail Troup Sf erperts considered this. tvaceec anc provided ieHfottomingsobvers2 Hone T° ul uiotogical agents up to the present time are representatives of naturally eceurting disease, and are thus knawn by seientisis througnout the warld. They Sie cusily available to qudlified sclentises for research. either far offensive or defensive purposes. #2 Within the next 5 to 10 years. ie would prabetly be possible so make a new in feces microorganism Which could Ger Im eertain wmporcene 85pe% fost Iriporvane of these 1s thet 1 mig peed i mafntain aur relatave freedamirom infectious Cisease, and Kcreiearch program to explore the fesribility of unis could pe completed in approximately 6 years ccm Coral eos of $10 million. would bevery UMcuTe te establish such 2 preg: BpraEram. Molecular biglory is? relatively new science. There are mot many hichly competent scientists if che eld, wimose all are in university laboratories. and they are generally acenuarely siiticrera from sources osher than DOD, However, it war considered feasible ceMRitiae an adequate program through te National Academy of Sciences: National Revea reh Couacil (NAS-NRC) Seer e ese waa discussed with the NAS-NRC. and tencative dlans were clade co Initiate the program. However, decreasing funds in CB. growing criticism Gr ine GB programeand our reluctance t involve tHe NAS NAC in Such # con: troversial endeavor have led us to postpone ie for the part 2 veers. 21 io a highly controversial issue ang there gre many who belave such regi eh SHOE nce be Underta nen Test Te 1eBd to yer atocher method of Terssive Hee Sepulscans Un ths other Nand, wiehout che sure Z4eneRc Hae OE TERE SEPT weeapen ts possible. and sn understanding of the ways. it fould be dane. there is tlitle enat can be dane to devise devensive measures: Should an enemy develon It there is Iittle doubt thse this 1s ea Impoctsne 8” bom Vallliaey techaelogieal’ lrferiori¢y in-wilch shere is no adeas