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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
June 2005
| NHLBI Programs |
- Asthma Awareness, Education, and Treatment Act of 2005 (H.R. 172)
- Asthma Act (H.R. 2098)
|
| NIH Activities or Structure |
- Biomedical Research Assistance Voluntary Option Act (H.R. 370)
- Restore Scientific Integrity to Federal Research and Policymaking
Act (H.R. 839)
- National Pain Care Policy Act of 2005 (H.R. 1020)
- Clinical Research Act of 2005 (H.R. 2308)
- Joe Testaverde Adult Stem Cell Research Act of 2005 (H.R. 2541)
|
- National Center for Social Work Research Act (S. 90)
- Fair Access to Clinical Trials Act of 2005 (FACT Act) (S. 470)
- Lupus Research, Education, Awareness, Communication, and Healthcare
Amendments of 2005 (S. 756)
- Prevention of Childhood Obesity Act (S. 799)
|
| Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research or Human Cloning |
- Stem Cell Replenishment Act of 2005 (H.R. 162)
- Human Cloning Research Prohibition Act (H.R. 222)
- Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005 (H.R. 810 and S. 471)
- Human Cloning Prohibition Act of 2005 (H.R. 1357 and S. 658)
- Stem Cell Research Investment Act of 2005 (H.R. 1650)
|
- Human Cloning Ban and Stem Cell Research Protection Act of 2005 (H.R. 1822
and S. 876)
- Respect for Life Embryonic Stem Cell Act of 2005 (H.R. 2574)
- Human Chimera Prohibition Act of 2005 (S. 659)
|
| New or Expanded DHHS Offices or Programs |
- Men's Health Act of 2005 (H.R. 457 and S. 228)
- Screening Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms Very Efficiently (SAAAVE) Act
of 2005 (H.R. 827 and S. 390)
- Stroke Treatment and Ongoing Prevention Act (H.R. 898 and S. 1064)
- Women's Health Office Act of 2005 (H.R. 949 and S. 569)
|
- Teague Ryan Sudden Child Cardiac Arrhythmia Syndromes Screening and
Education Act of 2005 (H.R. 1252)
- Patient Navigator Outreach and Chronic Disease Prevention Act of 2005
(H.R. 1812 and S. 898)
- Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005 (H.R. 2520)
|
| Compensation of People Affected by Conditions
of Interest to the NHLBI |
- Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act (H.R. 554)
- Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2005 (H.R. 1227 and S. 306)
|
- Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act of 2005 (H.R. 1360 and S. 852)
- Steve Grissom Relief Fund Act of 2005 (H.R. 2199)
|
| Resolutions |
- America's Blood Centers (H.Res. 220)
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Awareness Month (H.Con.Res. 10)
- National Donate Life Month (H.Con.Res. 124)
- Non-Federal Funding for Embryonic Stem Cell Research
(H.Con.Res. 166)
|
- Deep-Vein Thrombosis Awareness Month (S.Res. 56)
- American Thoracic Society (S.Res. 114)
- National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month (S.Res. 115)
|
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NHLBI Programs
Asthma Awareness, Education, and Treatment Act of 2005
Number: H.R. 172
Sponsor: Representative Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-CA)
Referred to: House Committee on Energy and Commerce and House Committee on
Ways and Means (January 4)
Highlights: Would require the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program to
- identify all Federal programs that carry out asthma-related activities.
- develop, in consultation with appropriate Federal agencies and professional and voluntary health organizations, a
Federal plan for responding to asthma.
- submit, not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act, recommendations to the Congress
on ways to strengthen and improve the coordination of asthma-related activities of the Federal Government.
Asthma Act
Number: H.R. 2098
Sponsor: Representative Nita Lowey
(D-NY)
Referred to: House Committee on Education and the Workforce and
House Committee on Energy and Commerce (May 4)
Highlights: Would require the National
Asthma Education and Prevention Program Coordinating Committee to submit a report
- describing the scope of the problem of asthma in the United States.
- listing all Federal programs that have asthma-related activities.
- making recommendations for strengthening and better coordinating Federal asthma activities.
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NIH Activities or Structure
Biomedical Research Assistance Voluntary Option Act
Number: H.R. 370
Sponsor: Representative Michael Bilirakis (R-FL)
Referred to: House Committee on Energy and Commerce and
House Committee on Ways and Means (January 26)
Highlights: Would allow taxpayers
to donate part of their income tax refund to the NIH for biomedical research.
Restore Scientific Integrity to Federal Research and Policymaking Act
Number: H.R. 839
Sponsor: Representative Henry Waxman (D-CA)
Referred to: House Committee on Government Reform and House Committee on Science (February 16)
Highlights: Would prohibit political
interference with scientific research by Federal employees and the use of “litmus
tests” for the appointment of members to Federal scientific advisory committees.
National Pain Care Policy Act of 2005
Number: H.R. 1020
Sponsor: Representative Mike Rogers (R-MI)
Referred to: House Committee on the Armed Services,
House Committee on Energy and Commerce, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and House Committee on Ways and Means (March 1)
Highlights: Would establish a National Center for Pain and Palliative Care Research at the NIH.
Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced a bill that also addresses treatment
of people experiencing pain, the Conquering Pain Act of 2005 (S. 999).
S. 999, which was referred to the Senate HELP Committee on May 11,
includes a provision requiring the NIH to convene a national conference
to discuss the translation of pain research into the delivery of
health services including mental health
services to chronic pain patients and those needing end-of-life care.
Clinical Research Act of 2005
Number: H.R. 2308
Sponsor: Representative Dave Weldon
(R-FL)
Referred to: House Committee on
Energy and Commerce (May 11)
Highlights: Would require the NIH
to award grants to academic health centers to
- establish career development programs for new and mid-level clinician-investigators
who are fully committed to academic clinical research careers.
- support the translation of basic science to patient care by implementing
and conducting all aspects of clinical research.
Joe Testaverde Adult Stem Cell Research Act of 2005
Number: H.R. 2541
Sponsor: Representative Peter King (R-NY)
Referred to: House Committee on Energy and Commerce (May 23)
Highlights: Would require the NIH
to fund least at five Centers of Excellence that would conduct basic and clinical
research on stem cells obtained from human placenta, umbilical cord blood, or
other specified cell sources.
National Center for Social Work Research Act
Number: S. 90
Sponsor: Senator Daniel Inouye (D-HI)
Referred to: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) (January 24)
Highlights: Would establish a National Center for Social Work Research at the NIH.
Fair Access to Clinical Trials Act of 2005 (FACT Act)
Number: S. 470
Sponsor: Senator Christopher Dodd
(D-CT)
Referred to: Senate HELP Committee (February 28)
Highlights: Would expand the scope of ClinicalTrials.gov and establish a database of clinical trial results.
Other bills that would encourage participation in clinical trials
were introduced in May; the Patients' Bill of Rights Acts of 2005 (H.
R. 2259 and S. 1012) were introduced by Representative John Dingell
(D-MI) and Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA), and the Patient Protection
Act of 2005 (H.R. 2650) was introduced by Representative Charlie Norwood
(R-GA). H.R. 2259 (introduced May 11) and H.R. 2650 (introduced May 26) were
referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, House Committee on Education
and the Workforce, and House Committee on Ways and Means. S. 1012 (introduced
May 12) was referred to the Senate Committee on Finance.
Lupus Research, Education, Awareness, Communication, and Healthcare Amendments of 2005
Number: S. 756
Sponsor: Senator Robert Bennett
(R-UT)
Referred to: Senate HELP Committee (April 11)
Highlights: Would require the
- NIH to expand its research portfolio to improve understanding and treatment of lupus.
- DHHS Office of Women's Health, in collaboration with the Lupus Foundation
of America, Inc., and the NIH National Center on Minority Health and Health
Disparities, to develop a national campaign to raise awareness about lupus.
Prevention of Childhood Obesity Act
Number: S. 799
Sponsor: Senator Edward Kennedy
(D-MA)
Referred to: Senate HELP Committee
(April 14)
Highlights: Would require the
NIH Director, in accordance with the NIH Strategic Plan for Obesity Research,
to expand and intensify research that addresses the prevention of childhood
obesity.
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Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research or Human Cloning
Stem Cell Replenishment Act of 2005
Number: H.R. 162
Sponsor: Representative Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-CA)
Referred to: House Committee on House Energy and Commerce (January 4)
Highlights: Would permit Federal funds to be used for research on human embryonic
stem cell lines that were created after the August 9, 2001, deadline established by President Bush.
Human Cloning Research Prohibition Act
Number: H.R. 222
Sponsor: Representative Cliff Stearns (R-FL)
Referred to: House Committee on Energy and Commerce and
House Committee on Science (January 4)
Highlights: Would prohibit expenditure of Federal funds to conduct or
support “any project of research that includes the use of human somatic cell nuclear transfer technology to produce an oocyte
that is undergoing cell division toward development of a fetus.”
Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005
Numbers: H.R. 810 and S. 471
Sponsors: Representative Michael
Castle (R-DE) and Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA)
Referred to: House Committee on Energy and Commerce (February 15) and Senate
HELP (February 28)
Latest Action: The House of Representatives
passed H.R. 810 (May 24)
Highlights:
Would permit federal support for research using human embryonic stem cells, regardless
of the date of derivation, as long as
- the cell lines were derived from embryos created for fertility treatments.
- the embryos are not needed for fertility treatments and would otherwise be discarded.
- the individuals seeking fertility treatments donated the embryos for research with written informed consent and without
receiving any financial or other inducements to make the donation.
Human Cloning Prohibition Act of 2005
Numbers: H.R. 1357 and S. 658
Sponsors: Representative Dave Weldon (R-FL) and Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS)
Referred to: House Committee on the Judiciary and Senate HELP Committee (March 17)
Highlights: Would prohibit both reproductive and therapeutic cloning and would
impose a criminal penalty of up to 10 years for violation of bill provisions. The Senate version of the bill, which is identical
to a bill passed in the House of Representatives during the 108th Congress, would require a study by the Government Accountability
Office to assess whether new medical developments would require amendments to the bill.
Stem Cell Research Investment Act of 2005
Numbers: H.R. 1650
Sponsor: Representative Nancy Johnson
(R-CT)
Referred to: House Committee on Ways and Means (April 14)
Highlights: Would allow tax credits
for holders of bonds issued by state or local governments to support stem cell
research.
Human Cloning Ban and Stem Cell Research Protection Act of 2005
Numbers: H.R. 1822 and S. 876
Sponsors: Representative Mary
Bono (R-CA) and Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
Referred to: House Committee on
Energy and Commerce (April 26) and Senate Committee on the Judiciary (April
21)
Highlights: Would prohibit reproductive
cloning, but specifically permit therapeutic cloning as long as certain ethical
requirements were met.
Respect for Life Embryonic Stem Cell Act of 2005
Number: H.R. 2574
Referred to: Representative Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD)
Referred to: House Committee on Energy and Commerce (May 24)
Highlights: Would require the NIH to support animal research to develop techniques for the derivation of stem cells from embryos that do not harm the embryo.
Human Chimera Prohibition Act of 2005
Number: S. 659
Sponsor: Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS)
Referred to: Senate Committee on the Judiciary (March 17)
Highlights: Would prohibit any person from attempting to create a human chimera,
which is broadly defined to include various methods of introducing non-human cells into human embryos.
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New or Expanded DHHS Offices or Programs
Men's Health Act of 2005
Numbers: H.R. 457 and S. 228
Sponsors: Representative Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-CA) and Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID)
Referred to: House Committee on Energy and Commerce and Senate HELP Committee (February 1)
Highlights: Would establish an Office of Men's Health at the DHHS.
Screening Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms Very Efficiently (SAAAVE) Act of 2005
Numbers: H.R. 827 and S. 390
Sponsors: Representative John Shimkus
(R-IL) and Senator Christopher Dodd (D CT)
Referred to: House Committee on Energy and Commerce and
Senate Committee on Finance (February 15)
Highlights: Would provide for coverage of ultrasound screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms under part B of the Medicare program and would
require the Secretary, DHHS, to raise awareness among health care practitioners and the general public about the importance of early detection and treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms.
Stroke Treatment and Ongoing Prevention Act
Number: H.R. 898 and S. 1064
Sponsors: Representative Lois Capps
(D-CA) and Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS)
Referred to: House Committee on
Energy and Commerce (February 17) and Senate HELP Committee (May 18)
Highlights: Would amend the Public Health Service Act to strengthen education,
prevention, and treatment programs relating to stroke, and for other purposes.
Women's Health Office Act of 2005
Numbers: H.R. 949 and S. 569
Sponsors: Representative Carolyn
Maloney (D-NY) and Senator Olympia Snowe (R ME)
Referred to: House Committee on Energy and Commerce (February 17) and Senate
HELP Committee (March 8)
Highlights: Would establish an Office
of Priority Populations at the Agency for Heathcare Research and Quality and Offices
of Women's Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Health
Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Food and Drug Administration, and
DHHS.
Teague Ryan Sudden Child Cardiac Arrhythmia Syndromes Screening and Education Act of 2005
Number: H.R. 1252
Sponsors: Representative Carolyn
McCarthy (D-NY)
Referred to: House Committee on
Energy and Commerce (March 10)
Highlights: Would provide for
grant programs, funded through the CDC, to screen children for sudden cardiac
arrhythmia syndromes and to educate health professionals and the general public
about sudden cardiac arrhythmia syndromes and screening methods.
Patient Navigator Outreach and Chronic Disease Prevention Act of 2005
Numbers: H.R. 1812 and S. 898
Sponsors: Representative Robert Menendez
(D-NJ) and Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX)
Referred to: House Committee on
Energy and Commerce and Senate HELP Committee (April 24)
Latest Actions: Committees filed their respective reports (H.Rept. 109-104, June 7; S.Rept. 109-73, May 26)
Highlights: Would require HRSA,
with input from the Indian Health Service, the National Cancer Institute, and
“such other offices and agencies as deemed appropriate by the Secretary,” to fund
programs to reduce barriers to
- early detection of cancer and chronic diseases, including cardiovascular
diseases, for populations affected by health disparities.
- treatment and follow-up care services for those who have cancer or chronic
diseases.
Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005
Number: H.R. 2520
Sponsor: Representative Christopher
Smith (R-NJ)
Referred to: House Committee on Energy and Commerce (May 23)
Latest Action: Became Public Law
No. 109-129 (December 20)
Highlights: Would establish a network
of cord blood banks, to be named the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program,
at HRSA. Program banks would prepare, store, and distribute human umbilical cord
blood stem cells for the treatment of patients and for peer-reviewed research.
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Compensation of People Affected by Conditions
of Interest to the NHLBI
Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act
Number: H.R. 554
Sponsor: Representative Richard
Anthony Keller (R-FL)
Referred to: House Committee on
the Judiciary (February 2)
Latest Action: Passed in House (October 19)
Highlights: Would protect manufacturers,
distributors, or sellers of food or non-alcoholic beverage products that comply
with applicable statutory and regulatory requirements from claims of injury
relating to a person's weight gain, obesity, or any health condition associated
with weight gain or obesity.
Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2005
Numbers: H.R. 1227 and S. 306
Sponsors: Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL) and Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME)
Latest Actions: After passage of S. 306 in the Senate, the companion measure was
introduced in the House and referred to three committees.
Referred to: House Committee on Education and the Workforce, House Committee on Energy and
Commerce, House Committee on Ways and Means (March 10)
Highlights: Would prohibit discrimination with respect to insurance and employment because of genetic information.
Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act of 2005
Numbers: H.R. 1360 and S. 852
Sponsors: Representative Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA)
Referred to: House Committee on Education and the Workforce, House Committee on Energy and Commerce, House Committee on Financial Services, House Committee on the Judiciary, House Committee on Ways and Means (March 17), and Senate Committee on the Judiciary (April 19)
Highlights: Would establish a trust
fund to compensate victims of asbestos exposure. The bills include a provision
that would require the NIH to enter into a contract with the IOM to conduct a
study on the causal link between asbestos exposure and cancers of the colon/rectum,
larynx, esophagus, pharynx, and other organs.
In the House, Representative Chris Cannon (R-UT) introduced a related bill, the Asbestos Compensation Fairness Act of 2005 (H.R. 1957)
on April 28. It was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Steve Grissom Relief Fund Act of 2005
Number: H.R. 2199
Sponsors: Representative David Price
(D-NC)
Referred to: House Committee on Ways and Means (May 5)
Highlights: Would establish a fund that would provide $100,000 as compensation to individuals who contracted human immunodeficiency virus through transfusion of contaminated blood or transplant of an organ from an infected donor.
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Resolutions
A resolution recognizing America's Blood Centers and member organizations
for their commitment to providing over half the Nation with a safe and adequate
volunteer donor blood supply, and for other purposes
Number: H. Res. 220
Sponsor: Representative Charles
Boustany (R-LA)
Referred to: House Committee on
Energy and Commerce (April 19)
Latest Action: Agreed to in the
House (October 25)
A concurrent resolution supporting the goals and ideals of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Awareness Month
Number: H.Con.Res. 10
Sponsor: Representative Cliff Stearns (R-FL)
Referred to: House Committee on Government Reform (January 6)
A concurrent resolution expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the importance of organ, tissue, bone marrow, and blood
donation and supporting the goals and ideals of National Donate Life Month
Number: H.Con.Res. 124
Sponsor: Representative Rush Holt
(D-NJ)
Referred to: House Committee on
Energy and Commerce (April 6)
A concurrent resolution expressing the sense of the Congress that the federal government should not infringe on state or
private programs that fund embryonic stem cell research
Number: H.Con.Res. 166
Sponsor: Steve Israel (D-NY)
Referred to: House Committee on Energy and Commerce (May 24)
A resolution designating the month of March as Deep-Vein Thrombosis Awareness Month
Number: S.Res. 56
Sponsor: Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA)
Latest Action: Agreed to in the Senate by unanimous consent on March 2.
A resolution recognizing the 100th anniversary of the American Thoracic Society, celebrating its achievements,
and encouraging the Society to continue offering its guidance on lung-related health issues to the people of the
United States and to the world
Number: S.Res. 114
Sponsor: Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID)
Referred to: Senate HELP Committee (April 20)
A resolution designating May 2005 as National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month
Number: S.Res. 115
Sponsor: Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO)
Latest Action: Agreed to in the
Senate by unanimous consent (May 9)
Content last modified: 7/25/06
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