Sept 9 (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives on

Monday passed a bill that aims to restrict business with China's

WuXi AppTec, BGI and several other biotech companies

on national security grounds.

It was the first floor vote for the Biosecure Act, which

would prohibit federal contracts with targeted firms and those

that do business with them.

Supporters argue the measure is necessary to protect

Americans' personal health and genetic information as well as

U.S. pharmaceutical supply chains.

The bill passed by 306 to 81, easily topping the two-thirds

majority necessary under the process.

The legislation must pass the U.S. Senate before it can be

sent to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.

In debate on the House floor earlier on Monday,

Representatives John Moolenaar and Raja Krishnamoorthi, the

chair and ranking member of the House Select Committee on China,

respectively, were among those who argued in favor of the

legislation.

Representative Jim McGovern, a critic of China's human right

abuses, opposed the bill, arguing that he could not get a clear

answer for how the companies were identified. WuXi Biologics ( WXIBF )

, which is targeted, is constructing a facility in his

district in Massachusetts.

The U.S. Senate's Homeland Security committee voted in

March to approve a similar bill, but it is unclear if and when

the full Senate will vote on the legislation.

Other companies named are MGI and its California-based

subsidiary Complete Genomics.

The targeted companies say the measure is based on false and

misleading allegations and that it would limit competition. They

deny posing any threat to U.S. national security and each say

they should not be included in the bill.