I

104TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1656

To provide for an increase in funding for the conduct and support of diabetesrelated research by the National Institutes of Health.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MAY 17, 1995

Ms. FURSE (for herself and Mr. NETHERCUTT) introduced the following bill;

which was referred to the Committee on Commerce

A BILL

To provide for an increase in funding for the conduct and

support of diabetes-related research by the National Institutes of Health.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Diabetes Research Act

5 of 1995’’.

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

7 The Congress finds as follows:

8 (1) Diabetes is a serious health problem in

9 America.
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1 (2) More than 14,000,000 Americans suffer

2 from diabetes.

3 (3) Diabetes is the fourth leading cause of

4 death in America, taking the lives of 162,000 people

5 annually.

6 (4) Diabetes disproportionately affects minority

7 populations, especially African-Americans, His8 panics, and Native Americans.

9 (5) Diabetes is the leading cause of new blind10 ness, affecting up to 39,000 Americans each year.

11 (6) Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney fail12 ure requiring dialysis or transplantation, affecting

13 up to 13,000 Americans each year.

14 (7) Diabetes is the leading cause of

15 nontraumatic amputations, affecting 54,000 Ameri16 cans each year.

17 (8) The cost of treating diabetes and its com18 plications are staggering for our Nation.

19 (9) Diabetes accounted for health expenditures

20 of $105,000,000,000 in 1992.

21 (10) Diabetes accounts for over 14 percent of

22 our Nation’s health care costs.

23 (11) Federal funds invested in diabetes re24 search over the last two decades has led to signifi25 cant advances and, according to leading scientists
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1 and endocrinologists, has brought us to the thresh2 old of revolutionary discoveries which hold the poten3 tial to dramatically reduce the economic and social

4 burden of this disease.

5 (12) The National Institute of Diabetes and Di6 gestive and Kidney Diseases supports, in addition to

7 many other areas of research, genetic research, islet

8 cell transplantation research, and prevention and

9 treatment clinical trials focusing on diabetes. Other

10 research institutes within the National Institutes of

11 Health conduct diabetes-related research focusing on

12 its numerous complications, such as heart disease,

13 eye and kidney problems, amputations, and diabetic

14 neuropathy.

15 SEC. 3. NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH; INCREASED

16 FUNDING REGARDING DIABETES.

17 With respect to the conduct and support of diabetes18 related research by the National Institutes of Health—

19 (1) in addition to any other authorization of ap20 propriations that is available for such purpose for

21 the fiscal year involved, there are authorized to be

22 appropriated for such purpose such sums as may be

23 necessary for each of the fiscal years 1996 through

24 2000; and
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1 (2) of the amounts appropriated under para2 graph (1) for such purpose for a fiscal year, the Di3 rector of the National Institutes of Health shall re4 serve—

5 (A) not less than $155,000,000 for such

6 purpose for the National Institute of Diabetes

7 and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; and

8 (B) not less than $160,000,000 for such

9 purpose for the other national research insti10 tutes.

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