End Neglected Tropical Diseases Act

Bill: 113-hr-4847
Sponsor: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4]
Introduced: 2014-06-11 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Africa
Argentina
Asia
Brazil
Child health
China
Congressional oversight
Department of Health and Human Services
Drug therapy
Foreign aid and international relief
HIV/AIDS
Health programs administration and funding
Health promotion and preventive care
India
Indonesia
Infectious and parasitic diseases
International organizations and cooperation
Latin America
Medical research
Mexico
Middle East
Multilateral development programs
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Research administration and funding
Research and development
Saudi Arabia
South Africa
South Korea
United Nations
Women's health
World health

Summary:
action_date: 2014-06-11
text: 
End Neglected Tropical Diseases Act - Defines &quot;neglected tropical diseases&quot; (NTDs), for purposes of this Act, as infections caused by pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and helminths that disproportionately impact individuals living in extreme poverty, especially in developing countries.
 
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Neglected Tropical Diseases Program of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) should be modified with respect to rapid impact package treatments, school-based NTD programs, and new approaches to reach the goals of eliminating NTDs set forth by the World Health Organization. Sets forth measures to expand the USAID program, including by establishment of a research and development program.
 
Adds to the duties of the of the Coordinator of United States Government Activities to Combat HIV/AIDS Globally the coordination with HIV/AIDS activities of those relating to combatting NTDs, particularly in countries and regions that are highly endemic for female genital schistosomiasis. 
 
Urges the Secretary of State to: (1) engage the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in discussions of whether to expand the authority of the Fund for the control and elimination of NTDs; and (2) engage G-20 countries to significantly increase their role in the that effort, particularly Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, the Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa.
 
Requires the President to direct the U.S. representatives to the United Nations and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development to urge actions on NTDs, including deworming programs.
 
Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to continue to promote the need for NTD programs and activities through interagency groups and international forums and report to Congress on NTDs in the United States.
 
Authorizes HHS to enter into cooperative agreements to support one or more centers of excellence for NTD research.
 
Requires the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to establish a panel to evaluate issues relating to worm infections, including potential solutions such as deworming medicines.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-06-13
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2014-06-11
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2014-06-11
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2014-06-11
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2014-06-11
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2014-06-11
text: Introduced in House