I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5295 
To consolidate activities of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality 
into the National Institutes of Health as the National Institute for 
Research on Safety and Quality, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 4, 2019 
Mr. MEADOWS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To consolidate activities of the Agency for Healthcare Re-
search and Quality into the National Institutes of Health 
as the National Institute for Research on Safety and 
Quality, 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 ‘‘National Institute for 
Research on Safety and Quality Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. CONSOLIDATING ACTIVITIES OF AGENCY FOR 
HEALTHCARE RESEARCH AND QUALITY INTO 
NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH ON 
SAFETY AND QUALITY. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF INSTITUTE.— 
(1) INCLUSION WITHIN NIH.—Section 401(b) of 
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 281(b)) is 
amended— 
(A) by redesignating paragraph (25) as 
paragraph (26); and 
(B) by inserting after paragraph (24) the 
following: 
‘‘(25) National Institute for Research on Safety 
and Quality.’’. 
(2) INCREASE OF CAP ON NUMBER OF INSTI-
TUTES.—Section 401(d)(1) of the Public Health 
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 281(d)(1)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘27’’ and inserting ‘‘28’’. 
(3) ESTABLISHMENT.—Part C of title IV of the 
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 285 et seq.) 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘Subpart 21—National Institute for Research on 
Safety and Quality 
‘‘SEC. 464aa–1. PURPOSE OF INSTITUTE. 
‘‘The general purpose of the National Institute for 
Research on Safety and Quality (hereafter in this subpart 
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referred to as the ‘Institute’) is to enhance the quality, 
appropriateness, and effectiveness of health services, and 
access to such services, through the establishment of a 
broad base of scientific research and through the pro-
motion of improvements in clinical and health system 
practices, including the prevention of diseases and other 
health conditions. 
‘‘SEC. 464aa–2. PROMOTING HEALTH CARE QUALITY IM-
PROVEMENT. 
‘‘The Director of the Institute shall promote health 
care quality improvement by conducting and supporting— 
‘‘(1) research that develops and presents sci-
entific evidence regarding all aspects of health care, 
including— 
‘‘(A) the development and assessment of 
methods for enhancing patient participation in 
their own care and for facilitating shared pa-
tient-physician decision making; 
‘‘(B) the outcomes, effectiveness, and cost- 
effectiveness of health care practices, including 
preventive measures and long-term care; 
‘‘(C) existing and innovative technologies; 
‘‘(D) the costs and utilization of, and ac-
cess to health care; 
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‘‘(E) the ways in which health care services 
are organized, delivered, and financed and the 
interaction and impact of these factors on the 
quality of patient care; 
‘‘(F) methods for measuring quality and 
strategies for improving quality; and 
‘‘(G) ways in which patients, consumers, 
purchasers, and practitioners acquire new infor-
mation about best practices and health benefits, 
the determinants and impact of their use of this 
information; 
‘‘(2) the synthesis and dissemination of avail-
able scientific evidence for use by patients, con-
sumers, practitioners, providers, purchasers, policy 
makers, and educators; and 
‘‘(3) initiatives to advance private and public ef-
forts to improve health care quality. 
‘‘SEC. 464aa–3. REQUIREMENTS WITH RESPECT TO RURAL 
AND INNER-CITY AREAS AND PRIORITY POP-
ULATIONS. 
‘‘(a) RESEARCH, EVALUATIONS, AND DEMONSTRA-
TION PROJECTS.—In carrying out this subpart, the Direc-
tor of the Institute shall conduct and support research and 
evaluations, and support demonstration projects, with re-
spect to— 
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‘‘(1) the delivery of health care in inner-city 
areas, and in rural areas (including frontier areas); 
and 
‘‘(2) health care for priority populations, which 
shall include— 
‘‘(A) low-income groups; 
‘‘(B) minority groups; 
‘‘(C) women; 
‘‘(D) children; 
‘‘(E) the elderly; and 
‘‘(F) individuals with special health care 
needs, including individuals with disabilities and 
individuals who need chronic care or end-of-life 
health care. 
‘‘(b) PROCESS
TO
ENSURE
APPROPRIATE
RE-
SEARCH.—The Director of the Institute shall establish a 
process to ensure that the requirements of subsection (a) 
are reflected in the overall portfolio of research conducted 
and supported by the Director of National Institutes of 
Health.’’. 
(b) TRANSFER OF AUTHORITY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later October 1, 2020, 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
begin to transfer to the National Institute for Re-
search on Safety and Quality the authorities (includ-
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ing all budget authorities, available appropriations, 
and personnel), duties, obligations, and related legal 
and administrative functions prescribed by law or 
otherwise granted to the Agency for Healthcare Re-
search and Quality under title IX of the Public 
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 299 et seq.). The 
Secretary shall complete such transfer not later than 
October 1, 2021. 
(2) CONFORMING REPEAL.—Effective on Octo-
ber 1, 2021, title IX of the Public Health Service 
Act (42 U.S.C. 299 et seq.) is repealed. 
(3) REFERENCES.—Any reference to the Agen-
cy for Healthcare Research and Quality in any law, 
rule, regulation, certificate, directive, instruction, or 
other official paper in force on the date of enactment 
of this Act shall be considered to refer and apply to 
the National Institute for Research on Safety and 
Quality. 
(4) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Of 
the amount authorized to be appropriated under 
subparagraph (F) of section 402A(a)(1) of the Pub-
lic Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 282(a)(1)) for fis-
cal year 2020, the Secretary may use $256,000,000 
to carry out this subsection. 
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(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall take effect on October 1, 2019. 
Æ 
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