I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 6731 
To support endemic fungal disease research, incentivize fungal vaccine devel-
opment, discover new antifungal therapies and diagnostics, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 12, 2023 
Mr. SCHWEIKERT (for himself, Mr. MCCARTHY, Mr. VALADAO, Mr. LAMALFA, 
Mr. STANTON, and Mr. CISCOMANI) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To support endemic fungal disease research, incentivize 
fungal vaccine development, discover new antifungal 
therapies and diagnostics, 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. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Finding Orphan-disease Remedies With Antifungal Re-
search and Development Act of 2023’’ or the ‘‘FOR-
WARD Act of 2023’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
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Sec. 1. Short title. 
Sec. 2. Continuing support for research on endemic fungal diseases. 
Sec. 3. Endemic fungal disease working group. 
Sec. 4. Expanding tropical disease product priority review voucher program to 
encourage prevention and treatment of coccidioidomycosis. 
Sec. 5. Combating antimicrobial resistance biopharmaceutical accelerator pro-
gram. 
SEC. 2. CONTINUING SUPPORT FOR RESEARCH ON EN-
DEMIC FUNGAL DISEASES. 
The Public Health Service Act is amended by insert-
ing after section 447D of such Act (42 U.S.C. 285f–5) 
the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 447E. ENDEMIC FUNGAL DISEASES. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Institute 
shall— 
‘‘(1) continue to conduct or support basic, 
translational, and clinical research related to fungal 
diseases found in the United States, including coc-
cidioidomycosis (commonly known as and referred to 
in this section as ‘Valley Fever’); and 
‘‘(2) subject to the availability of appropria-
tions, make grants to, or enter into contracts with, 
public or nonprofit private entities to conduct such 
research. 
‘‘(b) REPORTS.—The Director of the Institute shall 
ensure that each triennial report under section 403 in-
cludes information on actions undertaken by the National 
Institutes of Health to carry out subsection (a) with re-
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spect to such fungal diseases, including coccidioidomy-
cosis. 
‘‘(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—In ad-
dition to other amounts available for the purposes of car-
rying out this section, there is authorized to be appro-
priated to carry out this section $20,000,000 for each of 
fiscal years 2024 through 2028 for such purpose.’’. 
SEC. 3. ENDEMIC FUNGAL DISEASE WORKING GROUP. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Sec-
retary’’) shall establish a working group, to be known as 
the Endemic Fungal Disease Working Group (referred to 
in this section as the ‘‘Working Group’’), comprised of 
representatives of appropriate Federal agencies and other 
non-Federal entities— 
(1) to provide expertise and to review all efforts 
within the Department of Health and Human Serv-
ices related to fungal disease in the United States; 
(2) to help ensure interagency coordination and 
minimize overlap with respect to such disease; and 
(3) to examine research priorities with respect 
to such disease. 
(b) DUTIES.—The Working Group shall— 
(1) make recommendations to the Secretary, in-
cluding an updated strategy related to development 
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of therapeutics and vaccines for endemic fungal dis-
eases, that shall— 
(A) take into account ongoing fungal dis-
ease research, including for animals, that may 
be adapted for human use; 
(B) identify gaps in endemic fungal disease 
research, 
including 
basic, 
clinical, 
and 
translational research related to the patho-
genesis, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of 
such diseases; and 
(C) include recommendations for congres-
sional action to spur additional research and 
product development for fungal diseases; and 
(2) in implementing this subsection, solicit 
input from States, Tribes, localities, and nongovern-
mental entities, including organizations representing 
patients, health care providers, researchers, and in-
dustry regarding scientific advances, research ques-
tions, and surveillance activities. 
(c) MEMBERSHIP.—The members of the Working 
Group shall represent a diversity of scientific disciplines 
and shall be composed of the following members: 
(1) FEDERAL MEMBERS.—Seven Federal mem-
bers, consisting of one or more representatives of 
each of the following: 
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(A) The Office of the Assistant Secretary 
for Health, who shall serve as Chair. 
(B) The Food and Drug Administration. 
(C) The Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention. 
(D) The National Institutes of Health, who 
shall serve as Vice Chair. 
(E) Such other agencies and offices of the 
Department of Health and Human Services as 
the Secretary determines appropriate. 
(2) NON-FEDERAL
PUBLIC
MEMBERS.—Seven 
non-Federal public members, consisting of represent-
atives of the following categories: 
(A) Physicians, veterinarians, and other 
medical providers with experience in diagnosing 
and treating endemic fungal disease. 
(B) Scientists or researchers with expertise 
in endemic fungal disease. 
(C) Patients who have been diagnosed with 
an endemic fungal disease and family members 
or caregivers of such patients, as applicable. 
(D) Nonprofit organizations that advocate 
for patients with respect to endemic fungal dis-
ease. 
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