National Center for Bioengineering Research Act

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Center for Bioengineering 
Research Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Bioengineering is an interdisciplinary field that 
        applies physical, chemical, and mathematical sciences and 
        engineering principles to the study of biology, medicine, 
        behavior, and health. It advances knowledge from the molecular 
        to the organ systems level, and develops new and novel 
        biologics, materials, processes, implants, devices, and 
        informatics approaches for the prevention, diagnosis, and 
        treatment of disease, for patient rehabilitation, and for 
        improving health.
            (2) Efforts to reduce Federal budget deficits require that 
        resources be managed in ways to maximize productivity.
            (3) As part of the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993, Congress 
        asked for a report on the state of bioengineering research at 
        the National Institutes of Health.
            (4) In 1994, as requested by the Congress, an External 
        Consultants Committee submitted a report to the Director of the 
        National Institutes of Health on support for bioengineering 
        research.
            (5) In 1995, the Director of the National Institutes of 
        Health submitted a report to Congress on Support for 
        Bioengineering Research, that included recommendations for 
        greater coordination of bioengineering research.
            (6) In 1996, an amendment to the National Institutes of 
        Health Revitalization Act of 1996 directed the Secretary of 
        Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the 
        National Institutes of Health, to ``prepare and submit to the 
        Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate and the 
        Committee on Commerce of the House of Representatives, a report 
        containing specific plans and timeframes on how the Director 
        will implement the findings and recommendations of the Report 
        to Congress entitled Support for Bioengineering Research 
        submitted to Congress in August 1995 in compliance with Public 
        Law 103-43, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) 
        Revitalization Act of 1993, Section 1912''. This legislation 
        passed the Senate but was not acted upon by the House.
            (7) In the spring of 1997, the National Institutes of 
        Health established the Bioengineering Consortium, with 
        representation from each of the institutes, to advance 
        bioengineering and its mission within the National Institutes 
        of Health.
            (8) Legislation is needed to support and further the 
        efforts already begun by the National Institutes of Health in 
        order to maximize the health benefits for the American people.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL CENTER FOR BIOENGINEERING RESEARCH.

    (a) In General.--Subpart 2 of part C of title IV of the Public 
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 285 et seq.) is amended by adding at the 
end the following:

``SEC. 425A. NATIONAL CENTER FOR BIOENGINEERING RESEARCH.

    ``(a) Establishment.--The Director of the National Heart, Lung, and 
Blood Institute shall establish, within the National Heart, Lung, and 
Blood Institute, a National Center for Bioengineering Research (in this 
section referred to as the `Center'). The Center shall be headed by a 
director, who shall be appointed by the Director of the National Heart, 
Lung, and Blood Institute.
    ``(b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Center is to--
            ``(1) promote basic research in bioengineering; and
            ``(2) establish an office to enhance the state of and 
        improve coordination of bioengineering research conducted 
        within the National Institutes of Health and throughout the 
        Federal Government.
    ``(c) Duties.--The Center shall--
            ``(1) enhance bioengineering research at the National 
        Institutes of Health by--
                    ``(A) increasing the proportion of National 
                Institutes of Health funds that are devoted to basic 
                rather than applied bioengineering research;
                    ``(B) improving the review of bioengineering grant 
                applications; and
                    ``(C) increasing intramural research in 
                bioengineering;
            ``(2) convene a conference of bioengineering experts 
        representing relevant Federal agencies, academia, and private 
        sector entities to make recommendations to the Director of the 
        Center regarding--
                    ``(A) setting the agenda of the Center; and
                    ``(B) identifying promising research directions and 
                emerging needs and opportunities in bioengineering 
                research;
            ``(3) promote joint funding of collaborative bioengineering 
        research projects conducted by the national research institutes 
        and other agencies of the National Institutes of Health or 
        conducted by any such institute and another Federal entity;
            ``(4) enhance communication among bioengineering 
        investigators within Federal agencies and with private sector 
        entities;
            ``(5) educate members of Congress and the public on the 
        critical importance of bioengineering in enhancing the 
        diagnosis and treatment of disease and strengthening the 
        economy;
            ``(6) annually convene a group of bioengineering experts 
        from Federal agencies and private sector entities to advise the 
        Director of the Center; and
            ``(7) prepare and submit to Congress, through the Director 
        of the National Institutes of Health, an annual report.
    ``(d) Limitation.--The Center may not use amounts provided under 
this section to award grants.
    ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            ``(1) For the center.--There is authorized to be 
        appropriated $750,000 for each fiscal year for the general 
        operation of the Center.
            ``(2) For general bioengineering activities.--There is 
        authorized to be appropriated $20,000,000 for each of the 
        fiscal years 1998 through 2007, to be allocated at the 
        discretion of the Director of NIH among the bioengineering 
        activities being carried out by the national research 
        institutes and other agencies of the National Institutes of 
        Health.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 401(b)(2) of the Public Health 
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 281(b)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
            ``(F) The National Center for Bioengineering Research.''.

Summary: National Center for Bioengineering Research Act - Establishes a National Center for Bioengineering Research within the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to: (1) promote basic research in bioengineering. And (2) establish an office to enhance and improve coordination of bioengineering research conducted within the National Institutes of Health and throughout the Federal Government. Authorizes appropriations.