(6) South Asian communities in the United 
States have four times the risk of heart disease than 
the general population and have a much greater 
chance of having a heart attack before age 50, ac-
cording to the Stanford South Asian Translational 
Heart Initiative. 
(7) In addition, diabetes is one of the most seri-
ous driving forces for heart disease; South Asians in 
the United States have among the highest rates of 
type 2 diabetes in the Nation. 
(8) A Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South 
Asians Living in America (MASALA) multi-ethnic 
study showed a 26-percent prevalence of diabetes 
among South Asians, compared to 6 percent among 
Whites, 18 percent among African-Americans, 17 
percent among Latinos, and 13 percent among Chi-
nese-Americans. 
(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 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:34 Aug 11, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3592.IH
H3592
mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with BILLS
United States can serve as a model for the general 
population. 
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; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:34 Aug 11, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3592.IH
H3592
mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with BILLS
‘‘(2) to develop culturally appropriate materials 
on topics such as nutrition education, optimal diet 
plans, and programs for regular exercise; 
‘‘(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 2017, 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 
2018 through 2022.’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:34 Aug 11, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3592.IH
H3592
mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with BILLS
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: 
‘‘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 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:34 Aug 11, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3592.IH
H3592
mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with BILLS
to be appropriated $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2018 through 2022.’’. 
SEC. 5. HEART HEALTH INITIATIVE BY NATIONAL INSTI-
TUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE. 
Subsection (d) of section 1672 of the Food, Agri-
culture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 
5925(d)) is amended by adding at the end the following 
new paragraph: 
‘‘(11) SOUTH
ASIAN
HEART
HEALTH
INITIA-
TIVE.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Research and exten-
sion grants may be made under this section for 
purposes of developing and disseminating 
science-based tools and strategies to promote 
heart healthy nutrition among South Asian 
communities in the United States. 
‘‘(B) 
AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIA-
TIONS.—In addition to amounts made available 
pursuant to subsection (h), there is authorized 
to be appropriated $1,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2018 through 2022 for purposes of car-
rying out this paragraph.’’. 
SEC. 6. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
It is the sense of Congress that medical schools in 
the United States that are accredited by the Liaison Com-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:34 Aug 11, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3592.IH
H3592
mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with BILLS
mittee on Medical Education should include as part of 
their nutrition curriculum a focus on South Asian diet and 
ways to achieve optimal nutrition in South Asian commu-
nities. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:34 Aug 11, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H3592.IH
H3592
mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with BILLS