S6946 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 18, 1995

brought increased economic development to communities across the Nation’s revitalizing inner cities, stimulating revenue and creating jobs. Nationally, the nonprofit arts industry

generates an estimated $37 billion in

economic activity and employs 1.3 million Americans. The arts attract tourist dollars, encourage business development, spur urban renewal, and improve

the overall quality of life in our cities

and towns.

Endowment grants also support important education and public programs.

In my own State of Maryland, NEH

grants are assisting Essex Community

College in developing its curriculum

and training faculty members to teach

it; aiding in the preservation of historic Maryland newspapers such as the

Log Cabin Advocate and the Independent Farmer; and funding museum exhibits such as the one on enlisted airmen in World War II at the Airmen Memorial Museum in Suitland, Maryland.

Endowment grants enrich the lives of

all Americans by bringing diverse aspects of our cultural heritage right

into our own communities. Among the

most important beneficiaries of the

arts are the children of this Nation.

Exposure to the arts motivates children—stimulating their imaginations

and increasing their confidence. For

young people especially, a whole new

world opens up to them when they

enter a museum. The House proposals

terminating funding for the arts would

effectively slam the door to that new

world. In my view, it is imperative that

we keep that door open for Americans

of all ages.

OFFICE FOR RARE DISEASE

∑

RESEARCH ACT

fMrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I

ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar Order No. 104, S. 184.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The

clerk will report.

The assistant legislative clerk read

as follows:

A bill (S. 184) to establish an Office for

Rare Disease Research in the National Institutes of Health, and for other purposes.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there

objection to the immediate consideration of the bill?

There being no objection, the Senate

proceeded to consider the bill.

Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I

ask unanimous consent that the bill be

deemed read a third time, passed, the

motion to reconsider be laid upon the

table, and that any statements relating

to the bill be printed at the appropriate

place in the RECORD.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without

objection, it is so ordered.

So the bill (S. 184) was passed, as follows:

S. 184

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 ‘‘Office for

Rare Disease Research Act of 1995’’.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE FOR RARE

DISEASE RESEARCH.

Part A of title IV of the Public Health

Service Act (42 U.S.C. 281 et seq.) is amended

by adding at the end thereof the following

new section:

‘‘SEC. 404F. OFFICE FOR RARE DISEASE RESEARCH.

‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established

within the Office of the Director of the National Institutes of Health an office to be

known as the Office for Rare Disease Research (in this section referred to as the ‘Office’). The Office shall be headed by a director, who shall be appointed by the Director

of the National Institutes of Health.

‘‘(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Office is

to promote and coordinate the conduct of research on rare diseases through a strategic

research plan and to establish and manage a

rare disease research clinical database.

‘‘(c) ADVISORY COUNCIL.—The Secretary

shall establish an advisory council for the

purpose of providing advice to the director of

the Office concerning carrying out the strategic research plan and other duties under

this section. Section 222 shall apply to such

council to the same extent and in the same

manner as such section applies to committees or councils established under such section.

‘‘(d) DUTIES.—In carrying out subsection

(b), the director of the Office shall—

‘‘(1) develop a comprehensive plan for the

conduct and support of research on rare diseases;

‘‘(2) coordinate and disseminate information among the institutes and the public on

rare diseases;

‘‘(3) support research training and encourage the participation of a diversity of individuals in the conduct of rare disease research;

‘‘(4) identify projects or research on rare

diseases that should be conducted or supported by the National Institutes of Health;

‘‘(5) develop and maintain a central

database on current government sponsored

clinical research projects for rare diseases;

‘‘(6) determine the need for registries of research subjects and epidemiological studies

of rare disease populations; and

‘‘(7) prepare biennial reports on the activities carried out or to be carried out by the

Office and submit such reports to the Secretary and the Congress.’’.

ORDERS FOR FRIDAY, MAY 19, 1995

fMrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I

ask unanimous consent that when the

Senate completes its business today, it

stand in recess until the hour of 8:45

a.m. on Friday, May 19; that following

the prayer, the Journal of proceedings

be deemed approved to date, the time

for the two leaders be reserved for their

use later in the day, and the Senate

then resume consideration of the concurrent budget resolution.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without

objection, it is so ordered.

fPROGRAM

Mrs. HUTCHISON. For the information of all Senators, tomorrow morning

the Senate will debate the Domenici

substitute, which is the text of President Clinton’s budget, with that vote

to occur at 10:45 a.m. That will be the

last vote for the day. However, Senators LAUTENBERG and ROCKEFELLER

will offer an amendment on which

there will be debate. A vote will occur

on that amendment at 3:15 p.m., Monday, under a previous order. That 3:15

vote on Monday is the first vote of the

day. Additional rollcall votes can be

expected throughout the day and into

the evening on Monday.