SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Asthma Awareness,
Education and Treatment Act of 2001’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds as follows:
(1) Asthma is a chronic lung condition that af-
fects an estimated 14,600,000 Americans, including
4,800,000 children.
(2) An estimated 40,000,000 to 50,000,000
Americans suffer from allergies, including allergic
asthma.
(3) Asthma is the most common chronic res-
piratory disease of children, accounting for 25 per-
cent of school absenteeism, and is the third leading
cause of preventable hospitalizations.
(4) During the period 1980 through 1994 the
prevalence of pediatric asthma increased by 72 per-
cent, and the percentage of preschool children with
asthma increased by 160 percent.
(5) The prevalence of asthma is greater in
women than in men (5.6 percent of women as com-
pared to 5.1 percent of men).
(6) Asthma has a disparate impact on low in-
come families, i.e, a family of four with an income
of less than $17,650. In households with an annual
income of less than $10,000, 79.2 of 1,000 individ-
uals who are under the age of 45 have asthma, while
in families with an annual income of between
$20,000 and $35,000, 53.6 of 1,000 individuals
under the age of 45 have asthma.
(7) In 1997, more than 5,000 Americans died
from asthma attacks. During the period 1993
through 1995, the average number of deaths from
asthma for African Americans was 38.5 deaths per
million individuals, while the average for Caucasians
was 15.1 deaths per million.
(8) Asthma is estimated to cost the United
States over $12,000,000,000 annually and the rise
in the prevalence of asthma will lead to higher costs
in the future.
(9) African Americans are five times more like-
ly than other segments of the population to seek
care for asthma at an emergency room.
(10) The asthma death rate is four times high-
er among African American children and two times
higher among all African Americans.
(11) Exercise improves the physical and psycho-
logical well-being of children. Children with asthma
require treatment programs that are tailored to their
unique needs because in some instances, exercise can
trigger negative response among asthmatics.
SEC. 3. GRANTS FOR PROJECTS FOR ASTHMA-RELATED AC-
TIVITIES FOR LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and
Human Services (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Sec-
retary’’) may make grants to public and nonprofit private
entities for the purpose of carrying out projects to provide
for individuals in low-income communities—
(1) screenings and referrals regarding asthma,
allergies, and related respiratory problems in accord-
ance with subsection (b);
(2) information and education regarding such
conditions in accordance with subsection (c); and
(3) workshops regarding such conditions that
are provided for parents, teachers, physical edu-
cation instructors, school nurses, school counselors,
athletic coaches, and other individuals who serve in
supervisory roles of children in such communities.
(b) SCREENINGS AND REFERRALS.—The Secretary
shall ensure that screenings and referrals regarding asth-
ma, allergies, and related respiratory problems under sub-
section (a) are comprehensive, and that the settings in
which the screenings and referrals are provided include—
(1) traditional medical settings such as hos-
pitals, health clinics, and the offices of physicians;
and
(2) nontraditional settings for the provision of
such services, such as nurseries, elementary and sec-
ondary schools, community centers, public housing
units, volunteer organizations, convenience stores,
local governmental offices, day care centers, sites
that offer nutrition-related services for women, in-
fants, and children, and governmental offices that
provide cash assistance for low-income individuals.
(c) INFORMATION AND EDUCATION.—The Secretary
shall ensure that information and education on asthma,
allergies, and related respiratory problems under sub-
section (a) is provided in accordance with the following:
(1) The information and education is provided
in the language and cultural context that is most ap-
propriate for the individuals for whom the informa-
tion and education is intended.
(2) The information and education includes in-
formation and education to increase understanding
on the following:
(A) The symptoms of the conditions.
(B) Preventing the conditions.
(C) Monitoring and managing the condi-
tions, including—
(i) avoiding circumstances that may
cause asthma attacks or other respiratory
problems; and
(ii) being aware of appropriate medi-
cation options, such as the need as appro-
priate to keep in one’s possession an asth-
ma inhaler.
(D) The importance of developing a treat-
ment plan that permits asthmatic children to
regularly engage in sports and other physical
activities.
(3) The settings in which the information and
education are provided include traditional settings
such as the settings described in subsection (b)(1)
and nontraditional settings such as the settings de-
scribed in subsection (b)(2).
(d) EVALUATIONS
OF PROJECTS.—The Secretary
shall (directly or through contract) provide for the evalua-
tion of projects carried under subsection (a), including—
(1) determining the number of low income chil-
dren and adults who have received screenings and
referrals through the projects;
(2) determining the extent to which the projects
have had an effect on the manner in which individ-
uals served by the projects prevent and manage
asthma, allergies, and related respiratory problems;
and
(3) evaluating the effectiveness of materials
used in providing information and education.
(e) INCLUSION IN PROJECT OF LOCAL COMMUNITY-
BASED ORGANIZATION.—A condition for the receipt of a
grant under subsection (a) is that—
(1) the applicant for the grant be a community-
based organization that provides services in the low-
income community in which the project under such
subsection is to be carried out; or
(2) the applicant for the grant demonstrate to
the Secretary that one or more representatives from
such an organization will play a substantial role in
carrying out the project.
(f) APPLICATION FOR GRANT.—The Secretary may
make a grant under subsection (a) only if an application
for the grant is submitted to the Secretary and the appli-
cation is in such form, is made in such manner, and con-
tains such agreements, assurances, and information as the
Secretary determines to be necessary to carry out this sec-
tion.
(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the
purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized
to be appropriated $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2002, and
such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years
2003 through 2006.
SEC. 4. NATIONAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN TO PROVIDE ASTHMA-
RELATED INFORMATION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and
Human Services (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Sec-
retary’’) may make awards of contracts to provide for a
national media campaign to provide to the public and
health care providers information on asthma, allergies,
and related respiratory problems, with priority given to the
occurrence of such conditions in children. Funds for the
campaign will be spent from the appropriated sum of
$5,000,000.
(b) CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary shall
ensure that the national media campaign under subsection
(a) is carried out in accordance with the following:
(1) The campaign provides information regard-
ing the prevention and management of asthma, al-
lergies, and related respiratory problems.
(2) With respect to a community in which the
campaign is carried out—
(A) the campaign provides information re-
garding the availability in the community of
programs that provide screenings, referrals, and
treatment regarding such conditions and train-
ing in managing the conditions; and
(B) the campaign is carried out in the lan-
guage and cultural context that is most appro-
priate for the individuals for whom the cam-
paign is intended.
The campaign message, while tailored to the affected pop-
ulation, should have universal appeal and application to
populations with different demographic backgrounds.
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the
purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized
to be appropriated $600,000 for fiscal year 2002, and
such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years
2003 through 2006.
SEC. 5. TAX CREDIT FOR DONATIONS OF PEST CONTROL
SERVICES AND HEATING, VENTILATION, AND
AIR CONDITIONING SERVICES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subpart D of part IV of sub-
chapter A of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 (relating to business related credits) is amended by
adding at the end the following new section:
‘‘SEC. 45G. CREDIT FOR DONATIONS OF PEST CONTROL
SERVICES AND HEATING, VENTILATION, AND
AIR CONDITIONING SERVICES.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of section 38, in
the case of a taxpayer engaged in the trade or business
of providing pest control services or heating, ventilation,
and air conditioning services, the donation credit deter-
mined under this section for the taxable year is an amount
equal to the aggregate cost (including wages) paid or in-
curred by the taxpayer during the taxable year in pro-
viding qualified pest control services and qualified heating,
ventilation, and air conditioning services.
‘‘(b) PROVIDER MUST BE LICENSED.—No amount
shall be taken into account for purposes of subsection (a)
by a taxpayer unless the taxpayer is licensed and certified
in the type of service provided.
‘‘(c) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The terms ‘qualified pest
control services’ and ‘qualified heating, ventilation,
and air conditioning services’ means pest control
services or heating, ventilation, and air conditioning
services (as the case may be) provided without
charge in—
‘‘(A) any public housing (as defined in sec-
tion 3(b) of the United States Housing Act of
1937), or
‘‘(B) any multifamily residential rental
property if it is reasonably expected that at
least 75 percent of the occupants of the dwell-
ing units have incomes below 200 percent of the
official poverty line,
but only if such services are part of a good faith ef-
fort (including follow-up treatments) to locate the
source(s) of pest or indoor air quality problems
known to trigger symptoms of asthma or allergies,
remedy the problem, and provide maintenance serv-
ices that will keep indoor air climates free of pest
and indoor air allergens and if such services are
verified in such manner as the Secretary shall pre-
scribe.
‘‘(2) PEST CONTROL SERVICES.—For purposes
of paragraph (1), the term ‘pest control services’
means services—
‘‘(A) to eliminate cockroaches, dust mites,
animal dander, and mold, and
‘‘(B) to eliminate mice, rats, vermin, and
other rodents.
‘‘(3) HEATING, VENTILATION, AND AIR CONDI-
TIONING SERVICES.—The term ‘heating, ventilation,
and air conditioning services’ shall include source re-
mediation of poor indoor air quality.’’.
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—
(1) Section 38(b) of such Code is amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘plus’’ at the end of para-
graph (14),
(B) by striking the period at the end of
paragraph (15), and inserting a comma and
‘‘plus’’, and
(C) by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
‘‘(16) in the case of a taxpayer engaged in the
trade or business of providing pest control or climate
control services (as defined in section 45G(b)(2)),
the donation credit determined under section 45G.’’.
(2) Subsection (d) of section 39 of such Code
(relating to carryback and carryforward of unused
credits) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new paragraph:
‘‘(11) NO CARRYBACK OF SECTION 45G CREDIT
BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2002.—No portion of the un-
used business credit for any taxable year which is
attributable to the credit determined under section
45G may be carried back to a taxable year beginning
before January 1, 2002.’’.
(3) The table of sections for subpart D of part
IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 of such Code is
amended by adding at the end the following new
item:
‘‘Sec. 45G. Credit for donations of pest control services and heat-
ing, ventilation, and air conditioning services.’’.
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by
this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after
December 31, 2001.
SEC. 6. GRANT PROGRAM REGARDING AWARENESS OF TAX
CREDIT FOR DONATIONS OF PEST CONTROL
AND CLIMATE CONTROL SERVICES.
The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall,
directly or through grants or contracts, carry out a pro-
gram to disseminate information about the pest and ven-
tilation initiative under section 45G of the Internal Rev-
enue Code of 1986.
SEC. 7. RESEARCH ON RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AIR POL-
LUTANTS AND ASTHMA-RELATED PROBLEMS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and
Human Services (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Sec-
retary’’), in consultation with the Administrator of the En-
vironmental Protection Agency, shall (directly or through
grants and contracts) provide for the conduct of research
for the purpose of determining whether and to what extent
there is a causal relationship between air pollutants and
the occurrence of asthma, allergies, and related res-
piratory problems.