I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3131 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for research and improve-
ment of cardiovascular health among the South Asian population of 
the United States, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 5, 2019 
Ms. JAYAPAL (for herself, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, Mr. FITZPATRICK, 
Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. KHANNA, Ms. GABBARD, Mr. SMITH 
of Washington, Ms. MENG, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mrs. WATSON 
COLEMAN, Mr. FOSTER, Mr. BERA, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Ms. JACKSON LEE, 
Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI, and Ms. SCHAKOWSKY) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for 
research and improvement of cardiovascular health 
among the South Asian population of the United States, 
and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘South Asian Heart 
Health Awareness and Research Act of 2019’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:50 Jun 12, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3131.IH
H3131
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The South Asian diaspora population in the 
United States is primarily from India, Pakistan, 
Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Fiji, 
Maldives, East Africa, the West Indies, and the Car-
ibbean. 
(2) Heart disease refers to several types of 
heart conditions; the most common form is coronary 
artery disease, which affects blood flow to the heart. 
(3) Heart disease is the leading cause of death 
for both men and women—one in every 4 deaths 
each year, according to the Centers for Disease Con-
trol and Prevention. 
(4) Risk factors for heart disease include diabe-
tes, high blood pressure, smoking, and abnormal 
cholesterol levels. 
(5) Though the traditional South Asian diet 
consists of lentils, vegetables, grains, and spices, 
there is higher consumption of suboptimal nutri-
tional elements including refined carbohydrates, 
trans fats, and sugar that have been associated with 
higher risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular dis-
ease. 
(6) South Asians in the United States have four 
times the risk of heart disease than the general pop-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:50 Jun 12, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3131.IH
H3131
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
ulation and have a much greater chance of having 
a heart attack before age 50, according to the Stan-
ford South Asian Translational Heart Initiative. 
(7) In addition, diabetes is one of the strongest 
risk factors for heart disease; South Asian Ameri-
cans have among the highest rates of type 2 diabetes 
in the Nation. 
(8) A Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South 
Asians Living in America (MASALA) showed a 26- 
percent prevalence of diabetes among South Asians, 
compared to 6 percent among Whites, 18 percent 
among 
African-Americans, 
percent 
among 
Latinos, and 13 percent among Chinese-Americans 
in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. 
(9) Early intervention and treatment through 
awareness campaigns, nutritional education, and in-
struction on physical activity can greatly reduce the 
burden of diabetes, risk of heart disease, decreased 
quality of life, and untimely death. 
(10) Successful efforts to prevent and combat 
heart disease in the South Asian population of the 
United States can serve as a model for the general 
population. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:50 Jun 12, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3131.IH
H3131
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
SEC. 3. SOUTH ASIAN HEART HEALTH PROMOTION GRANTS 
BY CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND 
PREVENTION. 
Title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
241 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following 
new section: 
‘‘SEC. 317U. SOUTH ASIAN HEART HEALTH PROMOTION 
GRANTS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through 
the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
vention, shall make grants to States for the purpose of 
promoting awareness of the increasing prevalence of heart 
disease, including its relationship to type 2 diabetes, in 
South Asian communities in the United States. 
‘‘(b) USE OF FUNDS.—A State that receives a grant 
under paragraph (1) shall use such grant funds— 
‘‘(1) to establish an Internet clearinghouse to 
catalog existing evidence-based heart health research 
and treatment options for South Asian communities 
to prevent, treat, or reverse heart disease and diabe-
tes; 
‘‘(2) to develop culturally appropriate materials 
on topics such as nutrition education, optimal diet 
plans, and programs for regular exercise; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:50 Jun 12, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3131.IH
H3131
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
‘‘(3) to support heart health promotion activi-
ties of community organizations that work with or 
serve South Asian communities; or 
‘‘(4) to support conferences or workshops on re-
search practices, methodology, and design to include 
more members of South Asian communities in sci-
entific studies. 
‘‘(c) ANNUAL REPORT
TO CONGRESS.—Not later 
than 180 days after the date of the enactment of the 
South Asian Heart Health Awareness and Research Act 
of 2019, and annually thereafter, the Director shall sub-
mit to Congress a report on outreach efforts and data re-
lating to heart disease in South Asian communities in the 
United States. 
‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—For 
purposes of carrying out this section, there is authorized 
to be appropriated $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2020 through 2024.’’. 
SEC. 4. HEART HEALTH RESEARCH BY NATIONAL INSTI-
TUTES OF HEALTH AND NATIONAL HEART, 
LUNG, AND BLOOD INSTITUTE. 
Part B of title IV of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 284 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following new section: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:50 Jun 12, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3131.IH
H3131
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
‘‘SEC. 409K. HEART HEALTH RESEARCH. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—For the purpose of conducting 
research and related activities with respect to cardio-
vascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and other heart health- 
related ailments among South Asian communities in the 
United States, the Director of the National Institutes of 
Health, in coordination with the Director of the National 
Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute— 
‘‘(1) may conduct or support, through funding 
opportunity announcements, grants, or cooperative 
agreements, basic, clinical, and translational re-
search; and 
‘‘(2) may award grants and cooperative agree-
ments to public or nonprofit private entities (includ-
ing State health departments, political subdivisions 
of States, universities, and other medical or edu-
cation entities). 
‘‘(b) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—For 
purposes of carrying out this section, there is authorized 
to be appropriated $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2020 through 2024.’’. 
SEC. 5. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
It is the sense of Congress that medical schools in 
the United States that are accredited by the Liaison Com-
mittee on Medical Education should include as part of 
their nutrition curriculum a focus on cultural differences 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:50 Jun 12, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3131.IH
H3131
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
in diets and ways to achieve optimal nutrition in commu-
nities that experience substantial heart disease. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:50 Jun 12, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H3131.IH
H3131
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS