A bill to expand the research and prevention activities of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with respect to inflammatory bowel disease.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Inflammatory Bowel Disease Research 
Enhancement Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are serious 
        inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
            (2) Crohn's disease may occur in any section of the 
        gastrointestinal tract but is predominately found in the lower 
        part of the small intestine and the large intestine. Ulcerative 
        colitis is characterized by inflammation and ulceration of the 
        innermost lining of the colon. Complete removal of the colon in 
        patients with ulcerative colitis can potentially alleviate and 
        cure symptoms.
            (3) Because Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis behave 
        similarly, they are collectively known as inflammatory bowel 
        disease. Both diseases present a variety of symptoms, including 
        severe diarrhea, abdominal pain with cramps, fever, and rectal 
        bleeding. There is no known cause of inflammatory bowel 
        disease, or medical cure.
            (4) It is estimated that up to 1,400,000 people in the 
        United States suffer from inflammatory bowel disease, 30 
        percent of whom are diagnosed during their childhood years.
            (5) Children with inflammatory bowel disease miss school 
        activities because of bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain, and 
        many adults who had onset of inflammatory bowel disease as 
        children had delayed puberty and impaired growth and have never 
        reached their full genetic growth potential.
            (6) Inflammatory bowel disease patients are at high risk 
        for developing colorectal cancer.

SEC. 3. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DIABETES AND DIGESTIVE AND KIDNEY 
              DISEASES; INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE RESEARCH EXPANSION.

    Subpart 3 of part C of title IV of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 285c et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 434B. INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE.

    ``(a) In General.--The Director of the Institute shall expand, 
intensify, and coordinate the activities of the Institute with respect 
to research on inflammatory bowel disease. Such research may be focused 
on, but not limited to, the following areas:
            ``(1) Genetic research on susceptibility for inflammatory 
        bowel disease, including the interaction of genetic and 
        environmental factors in the development of the disease.
            ``(2) Research targeted to increase knowledge about the 
        causes and complications of inflammatory bowel disease in 
        children.
            ``(3) Animal model research on inflammatory bowel disease, 
        including genetics in animals.
            ``(4) Clinical inflammatory bowel disease research, 
        including clinical studies and treatment trials.
            ``(5) Expansion of the Institute's Inflammatory Bowel 
        Disease Centers program with a focus on pediatric research.
            ``(6) The training of qualified health professionals in 
        biomedical research focused on inflammatory bowel disease, 
        including pediatric investigators.
            ``(7) Other research priorities identified by the 
        scientific agendas `Challenges in Inflammatory Bowel Disease 
        Research' (Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America) and 
        `Chronic Inflammatory Bowel Disease' (North American Society 
        for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition).
    ``(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out subsection 
(a), there are authorized to be appropriated $80,000,000 for fiscal 
year 2008, $90,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, and $100,000,000 for 
fiscal year 2010.''.

SEC. 4. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION; EXPANSION OF 
              INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE EPIDEMIOLOGY PROGRAM.

    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:

``SEC. 310A. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION; EXPANSION OF 
              INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE EPIDEMIOLOGY PROGRAM.

    ``(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention shall expand the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Epidemiology 
Program within the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and 
Health Promotion to include additional studies focused on--
            ``(1) the incidence and prevalence of pediatric 
        inflammatory bowel disease in the United States;
            ``(2) genetic and environmental factors associated with 
        pediatric inflammatory bowel disease;
            ``(3) age, race or ethnicity, gender, and family history of 
        individuals diagnosed with pediatric inflammatory bowel 
        disease; and
            ``(4) treatment approaches and outcomes in pediatric 
        inflammatory bowel disease.
    ``(b) Consultation.--The Director shall carry out subsection (a) in 
consultation with a national voluntary patient organization with 
experience serving the population of individuals with pediatric 
inflammatory bowel disease and organizations representing physicians 
and other health professionals specializing in the treatment of such 
populations.
    ``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for fiscal year 
2008, and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2009 
and 2010.''.

Summary: Inflammatory Bowel Disease Research Enhancement Act - Requires the Director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to expand, intensify, and coordinate the Institute's research activities on inflammatory bowel disease, with a focus on: (1) genetic research on susceptibility for inflammatory bowel disease; (2) research targeted to increase knowledge about the causes and complications of inflammatory bowel disease in children; (3) animal model research; (4) clinical research; (5) expansion of the Institute's Inflammatory Bowel Disease Centers program with a focus on pediatric research; (6) training of qualified health professionals in biomedical research focused on inflammatory bowel disease; and (7) other research priorities identified in specified scientific agendas.

Requires the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to expand the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Epidemiology Program to include additional studies focused on: (1) the incidence and prevalence of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease in the United States; (2) genetic and environmental factors associated with the disease; (3) age, race or ethnicity, gender, and family history of individuals diagnosed with the disease; and (4) treatment approaches and outcomes.