109th Congress

Liver Research Enhancement Act

H.R. 1108

Background

Approximately 10 percent of the Nation's population suffer from liver, bile duct, or gallbladder disease, and more than 3 million Americans are infected with hepatitis C.

During the 107th Congress, Representatives Dan Miller (R-FL) and Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA) introduced H.R. 5047, the Liver Research Enhancement Act. In response to this legislation, Elias Zerhouni, Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Allen Spiegel, Director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), made a commitment to Representative Michael Bilirakis (R-FL), Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, that NIH would take administrative steps to stimulate liver disease research. These steps included the development of a trans-NIH Liver Disease Research Action Plan under the auspices of an NIH-wide Liver Disease Research Coordinating Committee. To ensure optimal scientific coordination of liver disease research, this new committee was established as a distinct component of the NIDDK Digestive Disease Interagency Coordinating Committee. The committee released the Action Plan for Liver Disease Research in December 2004.

During the 108th Congress, Representative Lynch reintroduced the legislation as H.R. 371; he submitted the legislation again in the 109th Congress as H.R. 1108.

Provisions of the Legislation/Impact on NIH

H.R. 1108 is identical to the legislation introduced in 2002 by Representatives Miller and Lynch. H.R. 1108 would:

• Amend the Public Health Service Act to establish the National Center on Liver Disease Research. The Center would be headed by a Director appointed by the Director of NIDDK in consultation with the Director of NIH.
• Establish the Liver Disease Research Advisory Board to assist the Director of the Center in developing the Liver Disease Research Action Plan, which would identify scientific opportunities and priorities for liver disease research. The plan would be revised every 3 years; progress would be reviewed annually.
• Require the Director of the Center to coordinate implementation of the Plan with the national research institutes. The institutes would be required to allocate adequate funds for the Plan's implementation.

Status and Outlook

H.R. 1108 was introduced by Representative Lynch on March 3, 2005, and was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. No further action has occurred on this legislation.