I
105TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4170
To amend title IV of the Public Health Service Act to establish a National
Center for Bioengineering Research.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 25, 1998
Mr. GUTKNECHT (for himself and Ms. ESHOO) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Commerce
A BILL
To amend title IV of the Public Health Service Act to
establish a National Center for Bioengineering Research.
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 Center for
Bioengineering Research Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Bioengineering is an interdisciplinary field
that applies physical, chemical, and mathematical
sciences and engineering principles to the study of
biology, medicine, behavior, and health. It advances
knowledge from the molecular to the organ systems
level, and develops new and novel biologics, mate-
rials, processes, implants, devices, and informatics
approaches for the prevention, diagnosis, and treat-
ment of disease, for patient rehabilitation, and for
improving health.
(2) Efforts to reduce Federal budget deficits re-
quire that resources be managed in ways to maxi-
mize productivity.
(3) As part of the NIH Revitalization Act of
1993, Congress asked for a report on the state of
bioengineering research at the National Institutes of
Health.
(4) In 1994, as requested by the Congress, an
External Consultants Committee submitted a report
to the Director of the National Institutes of Health
on support for bioengineering research.
(5) In 1995, the Director of the National Insti-
tutes of Health submitted a report to Congress on
Support for Bioengineering Research, that included
recommendations for greater coordination of bio-
engineering research.
(6) In 1996, an amendment to the National In-
stitutes of Health Revitalization Act of 1996 di-
rected the Secretary of Health and Human Services,
acting through the Director of the National Insti-
tutes of Health, to ‘‘prepare and submit to the Com-
mittee on Labor and Human Resources of the Sen-
ate and the Committee on Commerce of the House
of Representatives, a report containing specific plans
and timeframes on how the Director will implement
the findings and recommendations of the Report to
Congress entitled Support for Bioengineering Re-
search submitted to Congress in August 1995 in
compliance with Public Law 103–43, the National
Institutes of Health (NIH) Revitalization Act of
1993, Section 1912’’. This legislation passed the
Senate but was not acted upon by the House.
(7) In the spring of 1997, the National Insti-
tutes of Health established the Bioengineering Con-
sortium, with representation from each of the insti-
tutes, to advance bioengineering and its mission
within the National Institutes of Health.
(8) Legislation is needed to support and further
the efforts already begun by the National Institutes
of Health in order to maximize the health benefits
for the American people.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL CENTER FOR BIO-
ENGINEERING RESEARCH.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subpart 2 of 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:
‘‘SEC. 425A. NATIONAL CENTER FOR BIOENGINEERING RE-
SEARCH.
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Director of the Na-
tional Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute shall establish,
within the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, a
National Center for Bioengineering Research (in this sec-
tion referred to as the ‘Center’). The Center shall be head-
ed by a director, who shall be appointed by the Director
of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
‘‘(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Center is to—
‘‘(1) promote basic research in bioengineering;
and
‘‘(2) establish an office to enhance the state of
and improve coordination of bioengineering research
conducted within the National Institutes of Health
and throughout the Federal Government.
‘‘(c) DUTIES.—The Center shall—
‘‘(1) enhance bioengineering research at the
National Institutes of Health by—
‘‘(A) increasing the proportion of National
Institutes of Health funds that are devoted to
basic rather than applied bioengineering re-
search;
‘‘(B) improving the review of bioengineer-
ing grant applications; and
‘‘(C) increasing intramural research in bio-
engineering;
‘‘(2) convene a conference of bioengineering ex-
perts representing relevant Federal agencies, aca-
demia, and private sector entities to make rec-
ommendations to the Director of the Center regard-
ing—
‘‘(A) setting the agenda of the Center; and
‘‘(B) identifying promising research direc-
tions and emerging needs and opportunities in
bioengineering research;
‘‘(3) promote joint funding of collaborative bio-
engineering research projects conducted by the na-
tional research institutes and other agencies of the
National Institutes of Health or conducted by any
such institute and another Federal entity;
‘‘(4) 
enhance 
communication 
among 
bio-
engineering investigators within Federal agencies
and with private sector entities;
‘‘(5) educate members of Congress and the pub-
lic on the critical importance of bioengineering in en-
hancing the diagnosis and treatment of disease and
strengthening the economy;
‘‘(6) annually convene a group of bioengineering
experts from Federal agencies and private sector en-
tities to advise the Director of the Center; and
‘‘(7) prepare and submit to Congress, through
the Director of the National Institutes of Health, an
annual report.
‘‘(d) LIMITATION.—The Center may not use amounts
provided under this section to award grants.
‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—
‘‘(1) FOR THE CENTER.—There is authorized to
be appropriated $750,000 for each fiscal year for
the general operation of the Center.
‘‘(2) FOR GENERAL BIOENGINEERING ACTIVI-
TIES.—There is authorized to be appropriated
$20,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1998
through 2007, to be allocated at the discretion of the
Director of NIH among the bioengineering activities
being carried out by the national research institutes
and other agencies of the National Institutes of
Health.’’.
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 401(b)(2)
of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 281(b)(2))
is amended by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(F) The National Center for Bioengineering
Research.’’.
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