107th Congress

Commission to Universally Reduce and Eradicate Disease Act of 2001

H.R. 2593

Background

In his continuing effort to address global health issues, Representative George W. Gekas (R-PA) introduced H.R. 2593, the Commission to Universally Reduce and Eradicate Disease Act of 2001, to establish a commission to recommend a strategy for the global eradication of infectious diseases. The bill is similar to H.R. 2399, the National Commission for the New National Goal: The Advancement of Global Health Act, which Representative Gekas introduced in the 106th Congress.

Provisions of the Legislation/Impact on NIH

Provisions of H.R. 2593 would have established a national commission to recommend to Congress a national strategy for coordinating the activities of governmental, academic, and public and private health care entities regarding global infectious disease eradication. The chairperson and co-chairperson would have been appointed by the President, and the Directors of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Food and Drug Administration, the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would have been included among the Commission's 15 members. The Commission would have been authorized to hold hearings to receive evidence as appropriate and secure necessary information directly from any U.S. department or agency. Although the Commission would have been authorized to submit interim reports to the President and Congress, a final report would have had to be submitted not later than 12 months after enactment of the legislation. A sunset provision was included so that the Commission would have been terminated 30 days after submission of the final report.

H.R. 2593 also would have authorized funds not to exceed $1 million for fiscal year 2002 for NIH. These funds were to have been used to carry out coordination activities under the Act with the Commission, NSF, and other appropriate groups and to make available on the Internet information about the benefits of NIH's infectious disease vaccine development program and health research information.

Status and Outlook

H.R. 2593, which had one cosponsor, was introduced on July 23, 2001, and was referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee. On July 31, the bill was referred to the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health. There was no further action on H.R. 2593 during the 107th Congress.