### §2626. Development and evaluation of test methods

#### (a) In general

The Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Administrator and acting through the Assistant Secretary for Health, may conduct, and make grants to public and nonprofit private entities and enter into contracts with public and private entities for, projects for the development and evaluation of inexpensive and efficient methods (1) for determining and evaluating the health and environmental effects of chemical substances and mixtures, and their toxicity, persistence, and other characteristics which affect health and the environment, and (2) which may be used for the development of information to meet the requirements of rules, orders, or consent agreements under section 2603 of this title. The Administrator shall consider such methods in prescribing under section 2603 of this title protocols and methodologies for the development of information.

#### (b) Approval by Secretary

No grant may be made or contract entered into under subsection (a) unless an application therefor has been submitted to and approved by the Secretary. Such an application shall be submitted in such form and manner and contain such information as the Secretary may require. The Secretary may apply such conditions to grants and contracts under subsection (a) as the Secretary determines are necessary to carry out the purposes of such subsection. Contracts may be entered into under such subsection without regard to section 3324(a) and (b) of title 31 and section 6101 of title 41.

(Pub. L. 94–469, title I, §27, Oct. 11, 1976, 90 Stat. 2049; renumbered title I, Pub. L. 99–519, §3(c)(1), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2989; amended Pub. L. 104–66, title I, §1061(a), Dec. 21, 1995, 109 Stat. 719; Pub. L. 114–182, title I, §19(r), June 22, 2016, 130 Stat. 510.)

#### **Editorial Notes**

#### Codification

In subsec. (b), "section 3324(a) and (b) of title 31 and section 6101 of title 41" substituted for "sections 3648 and 3709 of the Revised Statutes (31 U.S.C. 529; 41 U.S.C. 5)" on authority of Pub. L. 97–258, §4(b), Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 1067, which Act enacted Title 31, Money and Finance, and Pub. L. 111–350, §6(c), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3854, which Act enacted Title 41, Public Contracts.

#### Amendments

2016—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 114–182 substituted "Health and Human Services" for "Health, Education, and Welfare", "information" for "test data" in two places, "rules, orders, or consent agreements" for "rules promulgated", and "protocols and methodologies" for "standards".

1995—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 104–66 struck out heading and text of subsec. (c). Text read as follows:

"(1) The Secretary shall prepare and submit to the President and the Congress on or before January 1 of each year a report of the number of grants made and contracts entered into under this section and the results of such grants and contracts.

"(2) The Secretary shall periodically publish in the Federal Register reports describing the progress and results of any contract entered into or grant made under this section."

#### **Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries**

#### Effective Date

Section effective Jan. 1, 1977, see section 31 of Pub. L. 94–469, set out as a note under section 2601 of this title.