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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 324 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 324

 To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out 
         activities relating to neglected diseases of poverty.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            February 9, 2023

  Mr. Booker introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
  referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
 To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out 
         activities relating to neglected diseases of poverty.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Study, Treat, Observe, and Prevent 
Neglected Diseases of Poverty Act'' or the ``STOP Neglected Diseases of 
Poverty Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds as follows:
            (1) Neglected diseases of poverty, many of which are also 
        known as ``neglected tropical diseases'', are a group of 
        diseases that disproportionately affect vulnerable populations 
        living in extreme poverty.
            (2) More than 1,000,000,000 people worldwide are affected 
        by neglected diseases of poverty.
            (3) Neglected diseases of poverty can be transmitted--
                    (A) through contaminated food, water, and soil;
                    (B) through parasites, insects, blood transfusion, 
                and organ transplant; and
                    (C) in some cases, congenitally.
            (4) Neglected diseases of poverty have a high rate of 
        morbidity and mortality and can lead to health complications 
        such as heart disease, epilepsy, asthma, blindness, 
        developmental delays, stillbirth, low birthweight, and 
        gastrointestinal disorders.
            (5) Some neglected diseases of poverty can be asymptomatic 
        at the outset, but debilitating, dangerous, and deadly symptoms 
        can emerge over time or under certain conditions, such as 
        pregnancy. It is estimated that millions of people are living 
        with these diseases and are not aware that they are infected.
            (6) For tens of thousands of individuals, diseases of 
        poverty that are chronic and neglected can manifest into severe 
        illness later in life.
            (7) Neglected diseases of poverty place a significant 
        financial burden on affected individuals and communities due to 
        the health care costs associated with these diseases and 
        because these diseases limit individuals' productivity and 
        ability to be active contributors to their communities. This 
        burden could largely be prevented through early screening and 
        treatment, which are highly cost effective.
            (8) Since its inception in 2006, the Neglected Tropical 
        Diseases Program at the United States Agency for International 
        Development and its partners, including the Centers for Disease 
        Control and Prevention, have delivered more than 2,800,000,000 
        treatments to more than 1,400,000,000 people.
            (9) Due to the support provided by the United States Agency 
        for International Development and its partners, 315,000,000 
        people live in regions where they are no longer at risk of 
        contracting lymphatic filariasis, and 67,000,000 people live in 
        regions where they are no longer at risk of contracting 
        trachoma.
            (10) Although the exact prevalence and burden of these 
        diseases in the United States is unknown because of stigma and 
        limited reporting, surveillance, and awareness, one study 
        estimates that there are 12,000,000 individuals living with at 
        least one neglected disease of poverty throughout the country. 
        These diseases disproportionately affect racial and ethnic 
        minorities living in poverty and in regions where water quality 
        and sanitation are substandard.
            (11) The major neglected diseases of poverty in the United 
        States that predominantly occur among those living in poverty 
        are the following: toxocariasis, cysticercosis, Chagas disease, 
        toxoplasmosis, trichomoniasis, hookworm infection, and Dengue 
        Fever and related arbovirus infections.
            (12) There is a lack of diagnostic and treatment programs, 
        including for early diagnosis and treatment, for neglected 
        diseases of poverty. These programs would be highly cost 
        effective and would significantly reduce the burden of 
        morbidity and mortality of these diseases.
            (13) Funding for research, preventive strategies, vaccines 
        and the development of treatments, diagnostic tests, and other 
        therapeutics for neglected diseases of poverty in the United 
        States is limited.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that there is a need to study the 
prevalence and incidence of neglected diseases of poverty in the United 
States, identify preventive methods to combat neglected diseases of 
poverty, conduct research that will lead to more treatments and 
diagnostic tests for neglected diseases of poverty, and supply health 
care providers, public health professionals, and affected individuals 
and communities with educational resources on neglected diseases of 
poverty.

SEC. 4. DEFINITION OF NEGLECTED DISEASES OF POVERTY.

    In this Act, the term ``neglected diseases of poverty'' has the 
meaning given such term in section 399OO(e) of the Public Health 
Service Act, as added by section 5.

SEC. 5. PROGRAMS RELATING TO NEGLECTED DISEASES OF POVERTY.

    Title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 241 et seq.) 
is amended by adding at the end the following:

  ``PART W--PROGRAMS RELATING TO NEGLECTED DISEASES OF POVERTY IN THE 
                             UNITED STATES

``SEC. 399OO. INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE ON NEGLECTED DISEASES OF POVERTY 
              IN THE UNITED STATES.

    ``(a) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of the Study, Treat, Observe, and Prevent Neglected Diseases 
of Poverty Act, the Secretary shall establish an Interagency Task Force 
on Neglected Diseases of Poverty in the United States to provide advice 
and recommendations to the Secretary and Congress to prevent, diagnose, 
and treat neglected diseases of poverty in the United States.
    ``(b) Members.--The task force shall be comprised of 
representatives of--
            ``(1) the Department of Health and Human Services, 
        including the Assistant Secretary for Health and 
        representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and 
        Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, the Health 
        Resources and Services Administration, the National Institutes 
        of Health, and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development 
        Authority;
            ``(2) the Department of State;
            ``(3) the United States Agency for International 
        Development;
            ``(4) the Department of Agriculture;
            ``(5) the Department of Housing and Urban Development;
            ``(6) the Environmental Protection Agency; and
            ``(7) any other Federal agency that has jurisdiction over, 
        or is affected by, neglected diseases of poverty policies and 
        projects, as determined by the Secretary.
    ``(c) Initial Report.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
        of enactment of the Study, Treat, Observe, and Prevent 
        Neglected Diseases of Poverty Act, the task force shall submit 
        a report to the Secretary based on a review of relevant 
        literature to identify gaps in efforts, and guide future 
        efforts, to prevent, diagnose, and treat neglected diseases of 
        poverty in the United States, particularly toxocariasis, 
        cysticercosis, Chagas disease, toxoplasmosis, trichomoniasis, 
        hookworm infection, and Dengue Fever and related arbovirus 
        infections. The report shall include a summary of findings with 
        respect to--
                    ``(A) estimated prevalence of neglected diseases of 
                poverty in the United States;
                    ``(B) geographic distribution and major 
                distribution routes of neglected diseases of poverty in 
                the United States;
                    ``(C) disparities with respect to the burden of 
                neglected diseases of poverty in the United States;
                    ``(D) risk factors for neglected diseases of 
                poverty in the United States;
                    ``(E) existing tools for surveillance, prevention, 
                diagnosis, and treatment of neglected diseases of 
                poverty in the United States;
                    ``(F) current patient pathways and barriers to 
                access information and tools for surveillance, 
                prevention, testing, diagnosis, and treatment of 
                neglected diseases of poverty in the United States;
                    ``(G) comorbidities associated with neglected 
                diseases of poverty in the United States;
                    ``(H) awareness among health care providers and 
                public health professionals regarding neglected 
                diseases of poverty in the United States;
                    ``(I) public awareness of neglected diseases of 
                poverty in the United States, particularly among high-
                risk groups;
                    ``(J) the economic burden of neglected diseases of 
                poverty in the United States; and
                    ``(K) strategies and lessons learned from the 
                United States Agency for International Development 
                Neglected Tropical Diseases Program, particularly those 
                that are most applicable to efforts to prevent, 
                diagnose, and treat neglected diseases of poverty in 
                the United States.
            ``(2) Consultation.--In developing the initial report under 
        paragraph (1), the task force shall consult with appropriate 
        external parties, including States, local communities, 
        scientists, researchers, health care providers, individuals 
        diagnosed with a neglected disease of poverty, public health 
        professionals, and national and international nongovermental 
        organizations.
    ``(d) Duties.--The task force shall--
            ``(1) review and evaluate the current actions and future 
        plans of each applicable agency represented on the task force 
        as described in subsection (b) to prevent, diagnose, and treat 
        neglected diseases of poverty in the United States;
            ``(2) identify current and potential areas of partnership 
        and coordination between Federal agencies and develop a unified 
        implementation plan to prevent, diagnose, and treat neglected 
        diseases of poverty in the United States;
            ``(3) make efforts to apply applicable strategies and 
        lessons learned from the United States Agency for International 
        Development Neglected Tropical Diseases Program when developing 
        the implementation plan under paragraph (2);
            ``(4) establish specific goals within and across Federal 
        agencies to prevent, diagnose, and treat neglected diseases of 
        poverty in the United States, including metrics to assess 
        progress towards reaching those goals;
            ``(5) coordinate plans to communicate research and relevant 
        accomplishments across Federal agencies and with States and 
        local communities relating to the prevention, diagnosis, and 
        treatment of neglected diseases of poverty;
            ``(6) develop consensus guidelines for health care 
        providers and public health professionals for the prevention, 
        diagnosis, and treatment of toxocariasis, cysticercosis, Chagas 
        disease, toxoplasmosis, trichomoniasis, hookworm infection, 
        Dengue Fever and related arbovirus infections, and other 
        neglected diseases of poverty;
            ``(7) biannually make recommendations to Congress on 
        strategies for the development of affordable tools to prevent, 
        diagnose, and treat neglected diseases of poverty, including 
        drugs, diagnostics, and vaccines; and
            ``(8) in developing the guidelines and recommendations 
        under paragraphs (6) and (7), consult with external parties, 
        including States, local communities, scientists, researchers, 
        health care providers and public health professionals, national 
        and international nongovernmental organizations, and centers of 
        excellence with expertise in neglected diseases of poverty, 
        including the centers of excellence described in section 399OO-
        5.
    ``(e) Definition of Neglected Diseases of Poverty.--In this part, 
the term `neglected diseases of poverty'--
            ``(1) means chronic and disabling diseases that are caused 
        by parasites, bacteria, and other pathogens and that primarily 
        impact people living in extreme poverty; and
            ``(2) includes the following:
                    ``(A) Chagas disease.
                    ``(B) Cysticercosis.
                    ``(C) Toxocariasis.
                    ``(D) Toxoplasmosis.
                    ``(E) Trichomoniasis.
                    ``(F) Hookworm infection.
                    ``(G) Dengue Fever and related arbovirus 
                infections.
                    ``(H) Other neglected tropical diseases, including 
                those defined by the World Health Organization, such as 
                the following:
                            ``(i) Buruli ulcer.
                            ``(ii) Chikungunya.
                            ``(iii) Dracunculiasis.
                            ``(iv) Echinococcosis.
                            ``(v) Foodborne trematodiases.
                            ``(vi) Human African trypanosomiasis.
                            ``(vii) Leishmaniases.
                            ``(viii) Leprosy.
                            ``(ix) Lymphatic filariasis.
                            ``(x) Mycetoma.
                            ``(xi) Onchocerciasis.
                            ``(xii) Rabies.
                            ``(xiii) Schistosomiasis.
                            ``(xiv) Soil-transmitted helminthiases.
                            ``(xv) Taeniasis and neurocysticercosis.
                            ``(xvi) Trachoma.
                            ``(xvii) Yaws.

``SEC. 399OO-1. SURVEILLANCE REGARDING NEGLECTED DISEASES OF POVERTY IN 
              THE UNITED STATES.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Director of 
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall award grants to 
States to carry out activities relating to implementing a surveillance 
system to determine the prevalence, incidence, and distribution of 
neglected diseases of poverty, particularly those that most impact 
individuals in the United States, including toxocariasis, 
cysticercosis, Chagas disease, toxoplasmosis, trichomoniasis, hookworm 
infection, and Dengue Fever and related arbovirus infections.
    ``(b) Considerations.--In awarding grants under subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall use the findings in the initial report of the 
Interagency Task Force on Neglected Diseases of Poverty in the United 
States under section 399OO(c) to identify and prioritize geographic 
locations and communities that have the highest estimated prevalence 
of, or have populations at greatest risk of acquiring, neglected 
diseases of poverty, particularly those described in subsection (a).

``SEC. 399OO-2. SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS AT RISK FOR NEGLECTED DISEASES 
              OF POVERTY.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Director of 
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall award grants or 
cooperative agreements to Federally qualified health centers to 
implement and analyze the guidelines developed under section 
399OO(d)(6).
    ``(b) Initial Awards.--The Secretary shall--
            ``(1) using the findings in the initial report of the 
        Interagency Task Force on Neglected Diseases of Poverty in the 
        United States under section 399OO(c), identify the geographic 
        locations in the United States that have the highest estimated 
        prevalence of, or have populations at greatest risk of 
        acquiring, neglected diseases of poverty, particularly those 
        that most impact individuals in the United States, including 
        toxocariasis, cysticercosis, Chagas disease, toxoplasmosis, 
        trichomoniasis, hookworm infection, and Dengue Fever and 
        related arbovirus infections; and
            ``(2) prioritize Federally qualified health centers located 
        in such geographic locations in awarding initial grants or 
        cooperative agreements under subsection (a).
    ``(c) Definition of Federally Qualified Health Center.--In this 
section, the term `Federally qualified health center' has the meaning 
given the term in section 1861(aa) of the Social Security Act.

``SEC. 399OO-3. EDUCATION OF MEDICAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH PERSONNEL AND 
              THE PUBLIC REGARDING NEGLECTED DISEASES OF POVERTY IN THE 
              UNITED STATES.

    ``The Secretary shall consult with the Assistant Secretary for 
Health, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
and the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services 
Administration, professional organizations and societies, and such 
other public health officials as may be necessary, including the 
centers of excellence described in section 399OO-5, to--
            ``(1) develop and implement educational programs to 
        increase the awareness of health care providers and public 
        health professionals with respect to the risk factors, signs, 
        and symptoms of neglected diseases of poverty and strategies to 
        prevent, diagnose, and treat such diseases; and
            ``(2) develop and implement educational programs to 
        increase the awareness of the public with respect to the risk 
        factors, signs, and symptoms of neglected diseases of poverty 
        and strategies to prevent such diseases.

``SEC. 399OO-4. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF NEW DRUGS, VACCINES, AND 
              DIAGNOSTICS.

    ``Consistent with the recommendations of the Interagency Task Force 
on Neglected Diseases of Poverty in the United States established under 
section 399OO, the Secretary shall, directly or through awards of 
grants or cooperative agreements to public or private entities, provide 
for the conduct of research, investigations, experiments, 
demonstrations, and studies, including late-stage and translational 
research, in the health sciences that are related to--
            ``(1) the development of affordable therapeutics, including 
        vaccines, against neglected diseases of poverty; and
            ``(2) the development of affordable medical point-of-care 
        diagnostics to detect neglected diseases of poverty.

``SEC. 399OO-5. NEGLECTED DISEASES OF POVERTY CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE.

    ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary, acting jointly through the 
Director of the National Institutes of Health, may enter into 
cooperative agreements with, and make grants to, public or private 
nonprofit entities to pay all or part of the cost of planning, 
establishing, or strengthening, and providing basic operating support 
for, one or more centers of excellence for research into, training in, 
and development of diagnosis, prevention, control, and treatment 
methods for neglected diseases of poverty in the United States, 
including tools to support prevention.
    ``(b) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a cooperative 
agreement or grant under subsection (a), an entity shall have a 
demonstrated record of research on neglected diseases of poverty.
    ``(c) Coordination.--The Secretary shall ensure that activities 
under this section are coordinated with similar activities of the 
Federal Government relating to neglected diseases of poverty, including 
the task force established under section 399OO.
    ``(d) Use of Funds.--A cooperative agreement or grant awarded under 
subsection (a) may be used for--
            ``(1) staffing, administrative, and other basic operating 
        costs, including such patient care costs as are required for 
        research;
            ``(2) clinical training, including training for allied 
        health professionals, continuing education for health 
        professionals and allied health professions personnel, and 
        information programs for the public with respect to neglected 
        diseases of poverty;
            ``(3) research and development programs, including the end-
        to-end research and development of new treatments, diagnostics, 
        and vaccines;
            ``(4) epidemiological surveillance and transmission studies 
        capabilities; and
            ``(5) health education programs to raise awareness and 
        reduce stigma of neglected diseases of poverty among high-risk 
        populations.
    ``(e) Period of Support; Additional Periods.--
            ``(1) In general.--A cooperative agreement or grant under 
        this section may be provided for a period of not more than 5 
        years.
            ``(2) Extensions.--The period specified in paragraph (1) 
        may be extended by the Secretary for additional periods of not 
        more than 5 years if--
                    ``(A) the operations of the center of excellence 
                involved have been reviewed by an appropriate technical 
                and scientific peer review group; and
                    ``(B) such group has recommended to the Secretary 
                that such period be extended.

``SEC. 399OO-6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``To carry out this part, there are authorized to be appropriated 
such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024 and each fiscal year 
thereafter.''.
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