I
104TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1656
To provide for an increase in funding for the conduct and support of diabetes-
related 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 In-
stitutes of Health.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Diabetes Research Act
of 1995’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds as follows:
(1) Diabetes is a serious health problem in
America.
(2) More than 14,000,000 Americans suffer
from diabetes.
(3) Diabetes is the fourth leading cause of
death in America, taking the lives of 162,000 people
annually.
(4) Diabetes disproportionately affects minority
populations, 
especially 
African-Americans, 
His-
panics, and Native Americans.
(5) Diabetes is the leading cause of new blind-
ness, affecting up to 39,000 Americans each year.
(6) Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney fail-
ure requiring dialysis or transplantation, affecting
up to 13,000 Americans each year.
(7) 
Diabetes 
is 
the 
leading 
cause 
of
nontraumatic amputations, affecting 54,000 Ameri-
cans each year.
(8) The cost of treating diabetes and its com-
plications are staggering for our Nation.
(9) Diabetes accounted for health expenditures
of $105,000,000,000 in 1992.
(10) Diabetes accounts for over 14 percent of
our Nation’s health care costs.
(11) Federal funds invested in diabetes re-
search over the last two decades has led to signifi-
cant advances and, according to leading scientists
and endocrinologists, has brought us to the thresh-
old of revolutionary discoveries which hold the poten-
tial to dramatically reduce the economic and social
burden of this disease.
(12) The National Institute of Diabetes and Di-
gestive and Kidney Diseases supports, in addition to
many other areas of research, genetic research, islet
cell transplantation research, and prevention and
treatment clinical trials focusing on diabetes. Other
research institutes within the National Institutes of
Health conduct diabetes-related research focusing on
its numerous complications, such as heart disease,
eye and kidney problems, amputations, and diabetic
neuropathy.
SEC. 3. NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH; INCREASED
FUNDING REGARDING DIABETES.
With respect to the conduct and support of diabetes-
related research by the National Institutes of Health—
(1) in addition to any other authorization of ap-
propriations that is available for such purpose for
the fiscal year involved, there are authorized to be
appropriated for such purpose such sums as may be
necessary for each of the fiscal years 1996 through
2000; and
(2) of the amounts appropriated under para-
graph (1) for such purpose for a fiscal year, the Di-
rector of the National Institutes of Health shall re-
serve—
(A) not less than $155,000,000 for such
purpose for the National Institute of Diabetes
and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; and
(B) not less than $160,000,000 for such
purpose for the other national research insti-
tutes.
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