Lifesaving Vaccine Technology Act of 1999

Summary: Lifesaving Vaccine Technology Act of 1999 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish an income tax credit for 30 percent of the qualified expenses (excluding amounts funded by any grant, contract, or otherwise by another person or any governmental entity) for medical research related to developing vaccines against widespread diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, HIV, or any infectious disease (of a single etiology) which, according to the World Health Organization, causes over one million human deaths annually. 
States that any qualified vaccine research expenses for a taxable year to which an election under this Act applies shall not be taken into account for purposes of determining the credit allowable for increasing research expenditures. 
Denies such a credit with respect to any vaccine research (other than human clinical testing) conducted outside the United States. 
States that the vaccine research credit shall include an amount equal to 20 percent of the amount paid by the taxpayer to acquire qualified research stock in a corporation if the corporation waives its own right to the credit and meets other specified criteria. 
Declares that it is the sense of Congress that if the vaccine research credit is allowed to any corporation or shareholder of a corporation, the corporation should certify to the Secretary of the Treasury that, within one year after that vaccine is first licensed, the corporation will establish a good faith plan utilizing technology transfer, differential pricing, in-country production, or other mechanisms to maximize international access to high quality and affordable vaccines. 
Directs the Institute of Medicine to study and report to Congress on the effectiveness of the vaccine research credit in stimulating vaccine research. 
Expresses the sense of Congress that the President and Federal agencies (including the Departments of State, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury) should work together in vigorous support of the creation and funding of a multi-lateral, international effort, such as a vaccine purchase fund, to accelerate the introduction of vaccines to which the vaccine research credit applies and of other priority vaccines into the poorest countries in the world. 
Expresses the sense of Congress that flexible or differential pricing for vaccines, providing lowered prices for the poorest countries, is one of several valid strategies to accelerate the introduction of vaccines in developing countries.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Lifesaving Vaccine Technology Act of 
1999''.

SEC. 2. CREDIT FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH RELATED TO DEVELOPING VACCINES 
              AGAINST WIDESPREAD DISEASES.

    (a) In General.--Subpart D of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to business related 
credits) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

``SEC. 45D. CREDIT FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH RELATED TO DEVELOPING VACCINES 
              AGAINST WIDESPREAD DISEASES.

    ``(a) General Rule.--For purposes of section 38, the vaccine 
research credit determined under this section for the taxable year is 
an amount equal to 30 percent of the qualified vaccine research 
expenses for the taxable year.
    ``(b) Qualified Vaccine Research Expenses.--For purposes of this 
section--
            ``(1) Qualified vaccine research expenses.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Except as otherwise provided in 
                this paragraph, the term `qualified vaccine research 
                expenses' means the amounts which are paid or incurred 
                by the taxpayer during the taxable year which would be 
                described in subsection (b) of section 41 if such 
                subsection were applied with the modifications set 
                forth in subparagraph (B).
                    ``(B) Modifications.--For purposes of subparagraph 
                (A), subsection (b) of section 41 shall be applied--
                            ``(i) by substituting `vaccine research' 
                        for `qualified research' each place it appears 
                        in paragraphs (2) and (3) of such subsection, 
                        and
                            ``(ii) by substituting `75 percent' for `65 
                        percent' in paragraph (3)(A) of such 
                        subsection.
                    ``(C) Exclusion for amounts funded by grants, 
                etc.--The term `qualified vaccine research expenses' 
                shall not include any amount to the extent such amount 
                is funded by any grant, contract, or otherwise by 
                another person (or any governmental entity).
            ``(2) Vaccine research.--The term `vaccine research' means 
        research to develop vaccines and microbicides for--
                    ``(A) malaria,
                    ``(B) tuberculosis,
                    ``(C) HIV, or
                    ``(D) any infectious disease (of a single etiology) 
                which, according to the World Health Organization, 
                causes over 1,000,000 human deaths annually.
    ``(c) Coordination With Credit for Increasing Research 
Expenditures.--
            ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), any 
        qualified vaccine research expenses for a taxable year to which 
        an election under this section applies shall not be taken into 
        account for purposes of determining the credit allowable under 
        section 41 for such taxable year.
            ``(2) Expenses included in determining base period research 
        expenses.--Any qualified vaccine research expenses for any 
        taxable year which are qualified research expenses (within the 
        meaning of section 41(b)) shall be taken into account in 
        determining base period research expenses for purposes of 
        applying section 41 to subsequent taxable years.
    ``(d) Special Rules.--
            ``(1) Limitations on foreign testing.--No credit shall be 
        allowed under this section with respect to any vaccine research 
        (other than human clinical testing) conducted outside the 
        United States.
            ``(2) Certain rules made applicable.--Rules similar to the 
        rules of paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 41(f) shall apply 
        for purposes of this section.
            ``(3) Election.--This section (other than subsection (e)) 
        shall apply to any taxpayer for any taxable year only if such 
        taxpayer elects to have this section apply for such taxable 
        year.
    ``(e) Shareholder Equity Investment Credit in Lieu of Research 
Credit.--
            ``(1) In general.--For purposes of section 38, the vaccine 
        research credit determined under this section for the taxable 
        year shall include an amount equal to 20 percent of the amount 
        paid by the taxpayer to acquire qualified research stock in a 
        corporation if--
                    ``(A) the amount received by the corporation for 
                such stock is used within 18 months after the amount is 
                received to pay qualified vaccine research expenses of 
                the corporation for which a credit would (but for 
                subparagraph (B) and subsection (d)(3)) be determined 
                under this section, and
                    ``(B) the corporation waives its right to the 
                credit determined under this section for the qualified 
                vaccine research expenses which are paid with such 
                amount.
            ``(2) Qualified research stock.--For purposes of paragraph 
        (1), the term `qualified research stock' means any stock in a C 
        corporation--
                    ``(A) which is originally issued after the date of 
                the enactment of the Lifesaving Vaccine Technology Act 
                of 1999,
                    ``(B) which is acquired by the taxpayer at its 
                original issue (directly or through an underwriter) in 
                exchange for money or other property (not including 
                stock), and
                    ``(C) as of the date of issuance, such corporation 
                meets the gross assets tests of subparagraphs (A) and 
                (B) of section 1202(d)(1).''
    (b) Inclusion in General Business Credit.--
            (1) In general.--Section 38(b) of such Code is amended by 
        striking ``plus'' at the end of paragraph (11), by striking the 
        period at the end of paragraph (12) and inserting ``, plus'', 
        and by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(13) the vaccine research credit determined under section 
        45D.''.
            (2) Transition rule.--Section 39(d) of such Code is amended 
        by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(9) No carryback of section 45d credit before 
        enactment.--No portion of the unused business credit for any 
        taxable year which is attributable to the vaccine research 
        credit determined under section 45D may be carried back to a 
        taxable year ending before the date of the enactment of section 
        45D.''.
    (c) Denial of Double Benefit.--Section 280C of such Code is amended 
by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(d) Credit for Qualified Vaccine Research Expenses.--
            ``(1) In general.--No deduction shall be allowed for that 
        portion of the qualified vaccine research expenses (as defined 
        in section 45D(b)) otherwise allowable as a deduction for the 
        taxable year which is equal to the amount of the credit 
        determined for such taxable year under section 45D(a).
            ``(2) Certain rules to apply.--Rules similar to the rules 
        of paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of subsection (c) shall apply 
        for purposes of this subsection.''.
    (d) Deduction for Unused Portion of Credit.--Section 196(c) of such 
Code (defining qualified business credits) is amended by striking 
``and'' at the end of paragraph (7), by striking the period at the end 
of paragraph (8) and inserting ``, and'', and by adding at the end the 
following new paragraph:
            ``(9) the vaccine research credit determined under section 
        45D(a) (other than such credit determined under the rules of 
        section 280C(d)(2)).''.
    (e) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for subpart D of 
part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 of such Code is amended by adding 
at the end the following new item:

                              ``Sec. 45D. Credit for medical research 
                                        related to developing vaccines 
                                        against widespread diseases.''.
    (f) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to taxable years ending after the date of the enactment of this 
Act.
    (g) Distribution of Vaccines Developed Using Credit.--It is the 
sense of the Congress that if credit is allowed under section 45D of 
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to any corporation or shareholder of 
a corporation by reason of vaccine research expenses incurred by the 
corporation in the development of a vaccine, such corporation should 
certify to the Secretary of the Treasury that, within 1 year after that 
vaccine is first licensed, such corporation will establish a good faith 
plan utilizing technology transfer, differential pricing, in-country 
production, or other mechanisms to maximize international access to 
high quality and affordable vaccines. The preceding sentence shall not 
be construed to waive rights to set prices, patent ownership, or 
confidentiality of privileged information.
    (h) Study.--The Institute of Medicine shall conduct a study of the 
effectiveness of the credit under section 45D of the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986 in stimulating vaccine research. Not later than the date 
which is 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Institute of Medicine shall submit to the Congress the results of such 
study together with any recommendations it may have to improve the 
effectiveness of such credit in stimulating vaccine research.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    (a) Acceleration of Introduction of Priority Vaccines.--It is the 
sense of Congress that the President and Federal agencies (including 
the Department of State, the Department of Health and Human Services, 
and the Department of the Treasury) should work together in vigorous 
support of the creation and funding of a multi-lateral, international 
effort, such as a vaccine purchase fund, to accelerate the introduction 
of vaccines to which the credit under section 45D of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 applies and of other priority vaccines into the 
poorest countries in the world.
    (b) Flexible Pricing.--It is the sense of Congress that flexible or 
differential pricing for vaccines, providing lowered prices for the 
poorest countries, is one of several valid strategies to accelerate the 
introduction of vaccines in developing countries.