                 TITLE 18--CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
 
                             PART I--CRIMES
 
                     CHAPTER 10--BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS
 
Sec. 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) Definition.--For purposes of this section, the term ``for use as 
a weapon'' does not include the development, production, transfer, 
acquisition, retention, or possession of any biological agent, toxin, or 
delivery system for prophylactic, protective, or other peaceful 
purposes.

(Added Pub. L. 101-298, Sec. 3(a), May 22, 1990, 104 Stat. 201; amended 
Pub. L. 104-132, title V, Sec. 511(b)(1), Apr. 24, 1996, 110 Stat. 
1284.)


                               Amendments

    1996--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 104-132 inserted ``or attempts, 
threatens, or conspires to do the same,'' before ``shall be fined under 
this title''.


                               Short Title

    Section 1 of Pub. L. 101-298 provided that: ``This Act [enacting 
this chapter and amending section 2516 of this title] may be cited as 
the `Biological Weapons Anti-Terrorism Act of 1989'.''


                           Purpose and Intent

    Section 2 of Pub. L. 101-298 provided that:
    ``(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act [see Short Title note above] 
is to--
        ``(1) implement the Biological Weapons Convention, an 
    international agreement unanimously ratified by the United States 
    Senate in 1974 and signed by more than 100 other nations, including 
    the Soviet Union; and
        ``(2) protect the United States against the threat of biological 
    terrorism.
    ``(b) Intent of Act.--Nothing in this Act is intended to restrain or 
restrict peaceful scientific research or development.''

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in sections 175a, 176, 177, 2332b, 
2339A, 2516 of this title; title 10 section 382.
