107TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 1784
AN ACT
To establish an Office on Women’s Health within
the Department of Health and Human Services,
and for other purposes.
107TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 1784
AN ACT
To establish an Office on Women’s Health within the Depart-
ment of Health and Human Services, and for other pur-
poses.
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 ‘‘Women’s Health Office
Act of 2002’’.
SEC. 2. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES OFFICE ON WOM-
EN’S HEALTH.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Part A of title II of the Pub-
lic Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 202 et seq.) is amended
by adding at the end the following:
‘‘HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES OFFICE ON WOMEN’S
HEALTH
‘‘SEC. 229. (a) ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE.—The
Secretary shall establish through the last date for which
appropriations are authorized under subsection (e), within
the Office of the Secretary, an Office on Women’s Health
(referred to in this section as the ‘Office’). The Office shall
be headed by a Deputy Assistant Secretary for Women’s
Health.
‘‘(b) DUTIES.—The Secretary, acting through the Of-
fice, with respect to the health concerns of women, shall—
‘‘(1) establish short-range and long-range goals
and objectives within the Department of Health and
Human Services and, as relevant and appropriate,
coordinate with other appropriate offices on activi-
ties within the Department that relate to disease
prevention, health promotion, service delivery, re-
search, and public and health care professional edu-
cation, for issues of particular concern to women;
‘‘(2) provide expert advice and consultation to
the Secretary concerning scientific, legal, ethical,
and policy issues relating to women’s health;
‘‘(3) monitor the Department of Health and
Human Services’ offices, agencies, and regional ac-
tivities regarding women’s health and stimulate ac-
tivities and facilitate coordination of such depart-
mental and agency offices on women’s health;
‘‘(4) establish a Department of Health and
Human Services Coordinating Committee on Wom-
en’s Health, which shall be chaired by the Deputy
Assistant Secretary for Women’s Health and com-
posed of senior level representatives from each of the
agencies and offices of the Department of Health
and Human Services;
‘‘(5) establish a National Women’s Health In-
formation Center to—
‘‘(A) facilitate the exchange of information
regarding matters relating to health informa-
tion, health promotion, preventive health serv-
ices, research advances, and education in the
appropriate use of health care;
‘‘(B) facilitate access to such information;
‘‘(C) assist in the analysis of issues and
problems relating to the matters described in
this paragraph; and
‘‘(D) provide technical assistance with re-
spect to the exchange of information (including
facilitating the development of materials for
such technical assistance);
‘‘(6) coordinate efforts to promote women’s
health programs and policies with the private sector;
and
‘‘(7) through publications and any other means
appropriate, provide for the exchange of information
between the Office and recipients of grants, con-
tracts, and agreements under subsection (c), and be-
tween the Office and health professionals and the
general public.
‘‘(c) GRANTS
AND CONTRACTS REGARDING DU-
TIES.—
‘‘(1) AUTHORITY.—In carrying out subsection
(b), the Secretary may make grants to, and enter
into cooperative agreements, contracts, and inter-
agency agreements with, public and private entities,
agencies, and organizations.
‘‘(2) EVALUATION AND DISSEMINATION.—The
Secretary shall directly or through contracts with
public and private entities, agencies, and organiza-
tions, provide for evaluations of projects carried out
with financial assistance provided under paragraph
(1) and for the dissemination of information devel-
oped as a result of such projects.
‘‘(d) REPORTS.—Not later than January 31, 2003,
and January 31 of each second year thereafter, the Sec-
retary shall prepare and submit to the appropriate com-
mittees of Congress a report describing the activities car-
ried out under this section during the period for which
the report is being prepared.
‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the
purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized
to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for
each of the fiscal years 2003 through 2007.’’.
(b) TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS.—There are trans-
ferred to the Office on Women’s Health (established under
section 229 of the Public Health Service Act, as added
by this section), all functions exercised by the Office on
Women’s Health of the Public Health Service prior to the
date of enactment of this section, including all personnel
and compensation authority, all delegation and assign-
ment authority, and all remaining appropriations. All or-
ders, determinations, rules, regulations, permits, agree-
ments, grants, contracts, certificates, licenses, registra-
tions, privileges, and other administrative actions that—
(1) have been issued, made, granted, or allowed
to become effective by the President, any Federal
agency or official thereof, or by a court of competent
jurisdiction, in the performance of functions trans-
ferred under this subsection; and
(2) are in effect at the time this section takes
effect, or were final before the date of enactment of
this section and are to become effective on or after
such date;
shall continue in effect according to their terms until
modified, terminated, superseded, set aside, or revoked in
accordance with law by the President, the Secretary, or
other authorized official, a court of competent jurisdiction,
or by operation of law.
SEC. 3. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVEN-
TION OFFICE OF WOMEN’S HEALTH.
Part A of title III of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 241 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end
the following:
‘‘CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION
OFFICE OF WOMEN’S HEALTH
‘‘SEC. 310A. (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary
shall establish through the last date for which appropria-
tions are authorized under subsection (f), within the Office
of the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, an office to be known as the Office of Wom-
en’s Health (referred to in this section as the ‘Office’).
The Office shall be headed by a director who shall be ap-
pointed by the Director of such Centers.
‘‘(b) PURPOSE.—The Director of the Office shall—
‘‘(1) report to the Director of the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention on the current level
of the Centers’ activity regarding women’s health
conditions across, where appropriate, age, biological,
and sociocultural contexts, in all aspects of the Cen-
ters’ work, including prevention programs, public
and professional education, services, and treatment;
‘‘(2) establish short-range and long-range goals
and objectives within the Centers for women’s health
and, as relevant and appropriate, coordinate with
other appropriate offices on activities within the
Centers that relate to prevention, research, edu-
cation and training, service delivery, and policy de-
velopment, for issues of particular concern to
women;
‘‘(3) identify projects in women’s health that
should be conducted or supported by the Centers;
‘‘(4) consult with health professionals, non-
governmental organizations, consumer organizations,
‘‘(B) identifying needs regarding the co-
ordination of activities, including intramural
and extramural multidisciplinary activities; and
‘‘(C) making recommendations to the Di-
rector of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention concerning findings made under
subparagraphs (A) and (B).
‘‘(d) REPORTS.—Not later than January 31, 2003,
and January 31 of each second year thereafter, the Direc-
tor of the Office shall prepare and submit to the appro-
priate committees of Congress a report describing the ac-
tivities carried out under this section during the period
for which the report is being prepared.
‘‘(e) DEFINITION.—As used in this section, the term
‘women’s health conditions’, with respect to women of all
age, ethnic, and racial groups, means diseases, disorders,
and conditions—
‘‘(1) unique to, significantly more serious for,
or significantly more prevalent in women; and
‘‘(2) for which the factors of medical risk or
type of medical intervention are different for women.
‘‘(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the
purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized
to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for
each of the fiscal years 2003 through 2007.’’.
SEC. 4. AGENCY FOR HEALTHCARE RESEARCH AND QUAL-
ITY 
ACTIVITIES 
REGARDING 
WOMEN’S
HEALTH.
Part C of title IX of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 299c et seq.) is amended—
(1) by redesignating sections 927 and 928 as
sections 928 and 929, respectively;
(2) by inserting after section 926 the following:
‘‘SEC. 927. ACTIVITIES REGARDING WOMEN’S HEALTH.
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Director shall designate
an official of the Office of Priority Populations to carry
out, through the last date for which appropriations are
authorized under section 928(e), the responsibilities de-
scribed in this section for such official.
‘‘(b) PURPOSE.—The official designated under sub-
section (a) shall—
‘‘(1) report to the Director on the current
Agency level of activity regarding women’s health,
across, where appropriate, age, biological, and
sociocultural contexts, in all aspects of Agency work,
including the development of evidence reports and
clinical practice protocols and the conduct of re-
search into patient outcomes, delivery of health care
services, quality of care, and access to health care;
‘‘(2) establish short-range and long-range goals
and objectives within the Agency for research impor-
tant to women’s health and, as relevant and appro-
priate, coordinate with other appropriate offices on
activities within the Agency that relate to health
services and medical effectiveness research, for
issues of particular concern to women;
‘‘(3) identify projects in women’s health that
should be conducted or supported by the Agency;
‘‘(4) consult with health professionals, non-
governmental organizations, consumer organizations,
women’s health professionals, and other individuals
and groups, as appropriate, on Agency policy with
regard to women; and
‘‘(5) serve as a member of the Department of
Health and Human Services Coordinating Com-
mittee on Women’s Health (established under sec-
tion 229(b)(4)).
‘‘(c) COORDINATING COMMITTEE.—
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—In carrying out sub-
section (b), the official designated under subsection
(a) shall establish a committee to be known as the
Coordinating Committee on Research on Women’s
Health (referred to in this subsection as the ‘Coordi-
nating Committee’).
‘‘(2) COMPOSITION.—The Coordinating Com-
mittee shall be composed of the official designated
under subsection (a) and the directors of the centers
and offices of the Agency.
‘‘(3) CHAIRPERSON.—The official designated
under subsection (a) shall serve as the Chairperson
of the Coordinating Committee.
‘‘(4) DUTIES.—With respect to research on
women’s health, the Coordinating Committee shall
assist the official designated under subsection (a)
in—
‘‘(A) identifying the need for such re-
search, and making an estimate each fiscal year
of the funds needed to adequately support the
research;
‘‘(B) identifying needs regarding the co-
ordination of research activities, including in-
tramural and extramural multidisciplinary ac-
tivities; and
‘‘(C) making recommendations to the Di-
rector of the Agency concerning findings made
under subparagraphs (A) and (B).
‘‘(d) REPORTS.—Not later than January 31, 2003,
and January 31 of each second year thereafter, the official
designated under subsection (a) shall prepare and submit
to the appropriate committees of Congress a report de-
scribing the activities carried out under this section during
the period for which the report is being prepared.’’; and
(3) by adding at the end of section 928 (as re-
designated by paragraph (1)) the following:
‘‘(e) WOMEN’S HEALTH.—For the purpose of car-
rying out section 927 regarding women’s health, there are
authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be nec-
essary for each of the fiscal years 2003 through 2007.’’.
SEC. 5. HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES ADMINISTRA-
TION OFFICE OF WOMEN’S HEALTH.
Title VII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 901
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
‘‘OFFICE OF WOMEN’S HEALTH
‘‘SEC. 713. (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary
shall establish through the last date for which appropria-
tions are authorized under subsection (f), within the Office
of the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services
Administration, an office to be known as the Office of
Women’s Health. The Office shall be headed by a director
who shall be appointed by the Administrator.
‘‘(b) PURPOSE.—The Director of the Office shall—
‘‘(1) report to the Administrator on the current
Administration level of activity regarding women’s
health across, where appropriate, age, biological, and
sociocultural contexts;
‘‘(2) establish short-range and long-range goals
and objectives within the Health Resources and
Services Administration for women’s health and, as
relevant and appropriate, coordinate with other ap-
propriate offices on activities within the Administra-
tion that relate to health care provider training,
health service delivery, research, and demonstration
projects, for issues of particular concern to women;
‘‘(3) identify projects in women’s health that
should be conducted or supported by the bureaus of
the Administration;
‘‘(4) consult with health professionals, non-
governmental organizations, consumer organizations,
women’s health professionals, and other individuals
and groups, as appropriate, on Administration policy
with regard to women; and
‘‘(5) serve as a member of the Department of
Health and Human Services Coordinating Com-
mittee on Women’s Health (established under sec-
tion 229(b)(4) of the Public Health Service Act).
‘‘(c) COORDINATING COMMITTEE.—
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—In carrying out sub-
section (b), the Director of the Office shall establish
a committee to be known as the Coordinating Com-