In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Health Equity and Accountability 
through Research Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR MINORITY HEALTH AND HEALTH DISPARITIES.

    (a) Redesignation.--
            (1) In general.--Title IV of the Public Health Service Act 
        (42 U.S.C. 281 et seq.) is amended--
                    (A) in section 401(b)(24), by striking ``National 
                Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities'' and 
                inserting ``National Institute for Minority Health and 
                Health Disparities''; and
                    (B) in subpart 6 of part E--
                            (i) in the subpart heading, by striking 
                        ``Center'' and inserting ``Institute'';
                            (ii) in the headings of sections 485E and 
                        485H, by striking ``center'' and inserting 
                        ``institute''; and
                            (iii) by striking (other than in section 
                        485E(i)(1)) the term ``Center'' each place it 
                        appears and inserting ``Institute''.
            (2) References.--Any reference in any law, map, regulation, 
        document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
        National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities shall 
        be deemed to be a reference to the National Institute for 
        Minority Health and Health Disparities.
    (b) Duties; Authorities; Funding.--Section 485E of the Public 
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 287c-31) is amended--
            (1) by amending subsection (e) to read as follows:
    ``(e) Duties of the Director.--
            ``(1) Interagency coordination of minority health and 
        health disparity activities.--With respect to minority health 
        and health disparities, the Director of the Institute shall 
        plan, coordinate, and evaluate research and other activities 
        conducted or supported by the institutes and centers of the 
        National Institutes of Health. In carrying out the preceding 
        sentence, the Director of the Institute shall evaluate the 
        minority health and health disparity activities of each of such 
        institutes and centers and shall provide for the periodic 
        reevaluation of such activities. Such institutes and centers 
        shall be responsible for providing information to the 
        Institute, including data on clinical trials funded or 
        conducted by these institutes and centers.
            ``(2) Consultations.--The Director of the Institute shall 
        carry out this subpart (including developing and revising the 
        plan and budget required by subsection (f) in consultation with 
        the heads of the institutes and centers of the National 
        Institutes of Health, the advisory councils of such institutes 
        and centers, and the advisory council established pursuant to 
        subsection (j).
            ``(3) Coordination of activities.--The Director of the 
        Institute--
                    ``(A) shall act as the primary Federal official 
                with responsibility for coordinating all research and 
                activities conducted or supported by the National 
                Institutes of Health on minority or other health 
                disparities;
                    ``(B) shall represent the health disparities 
                research program of the National Institutes of Health, 
                including the minority health and other health 
                disparities research program, at all relevant executive 
                branch task forces, committees, and planning 
                activities; and
                    ``(C) shall maintain communications with all 
                relevant agencies of the Public Health Service, 
                including the Indian Health Service, and various other 
                departments and agencies of the Federal Government to 
                ensure the timely transmission of information 
                concerning advances in minority health disparities 
                research and other health disparities research among 
                these various agencies for dissemination to affected 
                communities and health care providers.'';
            (2) by amending subsection (f) to read as follows:
    ``(f) Strategic Plan.--
            ``(1) In general.--Subject to the provisions of this 
        section and other applicable law, the Director of the 
        Institute, in consultation with the Director of NIH, the 
        Directors of the other institutes and centers of the National 
        Institutes of Health, and the advisory council established 
        pursuant to subsection (j), shall--
                    ``(A) annually review and revise a strategic plan 
                (referred to in this section as `the plan') and budget 
                for the conduct and support of all minority health 
                disparity research and other health disparity research 
                activities of the institutes and centers of the 
                National Institutes of Health that include time-based 
                targeted objectives with measurable outcomes and assure 
                that the annual review and revision of the plan uses an 
                established trans-National Institutes of Health process 
                subject to timely review, approval, and dissemination;
                    ``(B) ensure that the plan and budget establish 
                priorities among the health disparities research 
                activities that such agencies are authorized to carry 
                out;
                    ``(C) ensure that the plan and budget establish 
                objectives regarding such activities, describe the 
                means for achieving the objectives, and designate the 
                date by which the objectives are expected to be 
                achieved;
                    ``(D) ensure that all amounts appropriated for such 
                activities are expended in accordance with the plan and 
                budget;
                    ``(E) annually submit to Congress a report on the 
                progress made with respect to the plan; and
                    ``(F) create and implement a plan for the systemic 
                review of research activities supported by the National 
                Institutes of Health that are within the mission of 
                both the Institute and other institutes and centers of 
                the National Institutes of Health, including by 
                establishing mechanisms for--
                            ``(i) tracking minority health and health 
                        disparity research conducted within the 
                        institutes and centers assessing the 
                        appropriateness of this research with regard to 
                        the overall goals and objectives of the plan;
                            ``(ii) the early identification of 
                        applications and proposals for grants, 
                        contracts, and cooperative agreements 
                        supporting extramural training, research, and 
                        development, that are submitted to the 
                        institutes and centers that are within the 
                        mission of the Institute;
                            ``(iii) providing the Institute with the 
                        written descriptions and scientific peer review 
                        results of such applications and proposals;
                            ``(iv) enabling the institutes and centers 
                        to consult with the Director of the Institute 
                        prior to final approval of such applications 
                        and proposals; and
                            ``(v) reporting to the Director of the 
                        Institute all such applications and proposals 
                        that are approved for funding by the institutes 
                        and centers.
            ``(2) Certain components of plan and budget.--With respect 
        to health disparities research activities of the agencies of 
        the National Institutes of Health, the Director of the 
        Institute shall ensure that the plan and budget under paragraph 
        (1) provide for--
                    ``(A) basic research and applied research, 
                including research and development with respect to 
                products;
                    ``(B) research that is conducted by the agencies;
                    ``(C) research that is supported by the agencies;
                    ``(D) proposals developed pursuant to solicitations 
                by the agencies and for proposals developed 
                independently of such solicitations; and
                    ``(E) behavioral research and social sciences 
                research, which may include cultural and linguistic 
                research in each of the agencies.
            ``(3) Minority health disparities research.--The plan and 
        budget under paragraph (1) shall include a separate statement 
        of the plan and budget for minority health disparities 
        research.'';
            (3) by amending subsection (h) to read as follows:
    ``(h) Research Endowments.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Director of the Institute shall 
        carry out a program to facilitate minority health and health 
        disparities research and other health disparities research by 
        providing research endowments at--
                    ``(A) centers of excellence under section 736; and
                    ``(B) centers of excellence under section 485F.
            ``(2) Eligibility.--The Director of the Institute shall 
        provide for a research endowment under paragraph (1) only if 
        the institution involved meets the following conditions:
                    ``(A) The institution does not have an endowment 
                that is worth in excess of an amount equal to 50 
                percent of the national average of endowment funds at 
                institutions that conduct similar biomedical research 
                or training of health professionals.
                    ``(B) The application of the institution under 
                paragraph (1) regarding a research endowment has been 
                recommended pursuant to technical and scientific peer 
                review and has been approved by the advisory council 
                established pursuant to subsection (j).
                    ``(C) The institution at any time was deemed to be 
                eligible to receive a grant under section 736 and at 
                any time received a research endowment under paragraph 
                (1).''; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(k) Funding.--
            ``(1) Full funding budget.--
                    ``(A) In general.--With respect to a fiscal year, 
                the Director of the Institute shall prepare and submit 
                directly to the President, for review and transmittal 
                to Congress, a budget estimate for carrying out the 
                plan for the fiscal year, after reasonable opportunity 
                for comment (but without change) by the Secretary, the 
                Director of the National Institutes of Health, the 
                directors of the other institutes and centers of the 
                National Institutes of Health, and the advisory council 
                established pursuant to subsection (j). The budget 
                estimate shall include an estimate of the number and 
                type of personnel needs for the Institute.
                    ``(B) Amounts necessary.--The budget estimate 
                submitted under subparagraph (A) shall estimate the 
                amounts necessary for the institutes and centers of the 
                National Institutes of Health to carry out all minority 
                health and health disparities activities determined by 
                the Director of the Institute to be appropriate, 
                without regard to the probability that such amounts 
                will be appropriated.
            ``(2) Alternate budgets.--
                    ``(A) In general.--With respect to a fiscal year, 
                the Director of the Institute shall prepare and submit 
                to the Secretary and the Director of the National 
                Institutes of Health the budget estimates described in 
                subparagraph (B) for carrying out the plan for the 
                fiscal year. The Secretary and such Director shall 
                consider each of such estimates in making 
                recommendations to the President regarding a budget for 
                the plan for such year.
                    ``(B) Description.--With respect to the fiscal year 
                involved, the budget estimates referred to in 
                subparagraph (A) for the plan are as follows:
                            ``(i) The budget estimate submitted under 
                        paragraph (1).
                            ``(ii) A budget estimate developed on the 
                        assumption that the amounts appropriated will 
                        be sufficient only for--
                                    ``(I) continuing the conduct by the 
                                institutes and centers of the National 
                                Institutes of Health of existing 
                                minority health and health disparity 
                                activities (if approved for 
                                continuation), and continuing the 
                                support of such activities by the 
                                institutes and centers in the case of 
                                projects or programs for which the 
                                institutes or centers have made a 
                                commitment of continued support; and
                                    ``(II) carrying out activities that 
                                are in addition to activities specified 
                                in subclause (I), only for which the 
                                Director determines there is the most 
                                substantial need.
                            ``(iii) Such other budget estimates as the 
                        Director of the Institute determines to be 
                        appropriate.
    ``(l) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated $1,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2010 and such sums as may 
be necessary for each of fiscal years 2011 through 2014, to carry out 
this section.''.
Health Equity and Accountability through Research Act of 2009 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to rename the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities as the National Institute for Minority Health and Health Disparities. Revises and expands the duties of the Director of such Institute relating to coordination of research activities conducted by the National Institute of Health (NIH) and review of a strategic plan and budget for minority health disparity research.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Helping Those Who Serve Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Increasing numbers of members of the Armed Forces 
        serving in Afghanistan and Iraq are suffering from the 
        significant injuries of the current conflict: post traumatic 
        stress disorder and traumatic brain injury (hereafter in this 
        Act referred to as ``PTSD'' and ``TBI'', respectively) .
            (2) A recent report by the RAND Corporation estimated that 
        of the 1.64 million individuals who have been deployed to 
        Afghanistan and Iraq, approximately 300,000 individuals 
        currently suffer from PTSD or major depression and that 320,000 
        report having a probable TBI during deployment.
            (3) The need for mental health services is likely to 
        increase because deployment lengths have increased in the last 
        year, the number of troops who have served in multiple 
        deployments is increasing, and the breaks between deployments 
        have been infrequent.
            (4) Several experts have noted the difficulties faced by 
        members of the Armed Forces in getting screened, diagnosed, and 
        treated for PTSD and TBI. The RAND report found that, of those 
        who met diagnostic criteria for PTSD or major depression, only 
        53 percent had seen a physician or mental health provider to 
        seek help for a mental health problem in the past 12 months.
            (5) Stigma remains a critical barrier to members of the 
        Armed Forces who may be in need of psychological care, 
        especially fears that seeking mental health care will lower the 
        confidence of others in their abilities, threaten career 
        advancement and security clearances, and possibly cause removal 
        from their unit.
            (6) Stigma may be greatest among those individuals with the 
        greatest need for mental health services.
            (7) To combat stigma, the Mental Health Task Force of the 
        Department of Defense and others have noted the need for the 
        Department to reexamine its policies, including those policies 
        related to command notification or self-disclosure of 
        psychological health issues that contribute to fears that 
        seeking mental health care will negatively affect career 
        opportunities or advancement.
            (8) The Mental Health Task Force stated that this 
        ``widespread perception that seeking psychological health 
        services is costly to an individual's career . . . must be 
        challenged through thoughtful refinements in command 
        notification policies, including redefining the balance between 
        the need to encourage those in need to seek help and the need 
        for commanders to know in order to maintain force readiness''.
            (9) Congress recognizes that much change is under way to 
        implement numerous recommendations to address concerns that 
        soldiers in need of mental health services for PTSD and other 
        conditions are not receiving, including efforts led by the 
        Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
            (10) However, without addressing stigma at all levels, 
        including structurally, these laudable efforts may not 
        accomplish their goals.
            (11) In its July 2007 report, the Mental Health Task Force 
        called for ending overly conservative policies that have the 
        unintentional consequence of fueling erroneous beliefs that 
        seeking psychological health care invariably results in 
        permanent damage to one's military career. For example, the 
        Task Force called for allowing, in the case of alcohol use by a 
        member of the Armed Forces, for the member to receive 
        appropriate and non-prejudicial education and preventive 
        services, without a requirement for command notification, when, 
        in a clinician's judgment, the alcohol use does not warrant a 
        diagnosis of substance abuse or dependency or does not require 
        entry into a formal treatment program.
            (12) In May, responding to some of these concerns, 
        Secretary of Defense Robert Gates reportedly approved a change 
        in the Department's security clearance process to help remove 
        the stigma associated with seeking mental health care. Under 
        the change, members of the Armed Forces and employees of the 
        Department of Defense who have received mental health care will 
        no longer have to acknowledge that when they fill out standard 
        security clearance forms, unless the treatment was court-
        ordered or involved violence.
            (13) Congress encourages the Department to explore further 
        changes to notification and other policies to further reduce 
        stigma among members of the Armed Forces, especially as it 
        relates to career opportunities.

SEC. 3. MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ACCESS DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.

    (a) Demonstration Project Required.--The Secretary of Defense shall 
conduct a demonstration project designed to develop and test options 
for the following:
            (1) Increasing access of members of the Armed Forces 
        returning from deployment abroad, and family members of such 
        members, to accessible, safe, and confidential mental health 
        counseling.
            (2) Reducing stigma and perceived career repercussions 
        associated with such members seeking such services.
            (3) Making high quality mental health services more user 
        friendly and accessible for members of the Armed Forces and 
        their family members, including making services available 
        outside standard working hours.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the demonstration project is to 
provide high-quality treatment, using (to the extent practicable) 
evidence-based treatment, for a broad range of mental health 
conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, 
with the goal of early intervention to promote effective coping and 
resilience.
    (c) Duration of Project.--The demonstration project authorized by 
this section shall be implemented for a period of three years beginning 
not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 4. SPECIAL WORKING GROUP ON CONFIDENTIALITY.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Defense, acting through the 
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, shall establish a 
Special Working Group, which shall be composed of mental health 
professionals from each of the Armed Forces, officials from the Surgeon 
General Offices at each Armed Force, members of the Armed Forces who 
have been deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom or 
Operation Iraqi Freedom, and other members as determined appropriated 
by the Assistant Secretary.
    (b) Appointment.--The Secretary shall make every effort to appoint 
members of the working group not later than 60 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act.
    (c) Purpose.--The Special Working Group shall develop guidelines 
and make recommendations about regulations to ensure that 
confidentiality is protected to the maximum extent possible for members 
of the Armed Forces participating in the demonstration project.
    (d) Specific Duties.--In addition to such other duties as the 
Secretary may assign to the Working Group, the duties of the Working 
Group shall include the following:
            (1) Review of requirements for documentation of health care 
        visits.--The review of current policies, questionnaires, and 
        other relevant documents that require official documentation of 
        health care visits by a member of the Armed Forces seeking 
        mental health services, including when access to such services 
        must be documented in the personnel record of a member.
            (2) Criteria for changes to command notification.--The 
        development of guidelines and criteria for the demonstration 
        project to address any needed changes to military command 
        notification requirements to ensure that a visit to an off-base 
        treatment site by a member of the Armed Forces for mental 
        health services is not recorded on any military medical or 
        other record of the member, except in accordance with 
        guidelines developed under paragraph (3).
            (3) Guidelines for breach of confidentiality.--The 
        development of guidelines for the demonstration project to 
        address the circumstances under which the confidentiality 
        protections afforded to a member of the Armed Forces 
        participating in the demonstration project may be breached and 
        notification to military commanders and documentation in 
        personnel records may be made. Such guidelines shall provide, 
        in general, that confidentiality may be broken only if a mental 
        health professional determines that the member is a threat to 
        the member or to another person.
            (4) Criteria to limit access to treatment records.--The 
        development of criteria for the demonstration project for 
        limiting access to the treatment records of members of the 
        Armed Forces treated at the demonstration locations, including 
        when to allow, if appropriate, appropriate access and 
        notification to military commanders consistent with guidelines 
        developed under paragraph (3).
            (5) Criteria for fitness for duty.--The development of 
        criteria for determining fitness for duty and deployment for a 
        member of the Armed Forces that does not depend solely on the 
        number of visits to mental health providers by the member.
            (6) Guidelines for payment.--The development of guidelines 
        for ensuring that demonstration sites under the demonstration 
        project receive payment from the Department of Defense for 
        treating members of the Armed Forces notwithstanding any 
        requirements of the Department that prohibit such payments 
        without certain commander notification or personnel 
        documentation requirements.
            (7) Changes related to disclosure of services received 
        under project.--The provision of changes as necessary to ensure 
        that those receiving care at demonstration locations are not 
        required to reveal any services they receive at these locations 
        on any military form or questionnaire, except to comply with 
        any guidelines developed under paragraph (3).
            (8) Standards to assess effectiveness of project.--The 
        development of evaluation standards and criteria to use to 
        assess the effectiveness of the demonstration project in 
        increasing access to care, decreasing stigma, and improving 
        high quality mental health care provided to members of the 
        Armed Forces. As appropriate, the evaluation should be 
        structured to include both pre- and post-demonstration 
        assessments of changes in--
                    (A) access and utilization of care;
                    (B) costs of care;
                    (C) outcomes of care;
                    (D) member satisfaction with access to and quality 
                of care; and
                    (E) impact on the ability of military commanders to 
                determine member fitness for duty and deployability.
    (e) Submission of Plan and Deadline.--
            (1) Plan.--The Special Working Group shall submit to the 
        Secretary of Defense a plan with details on the implementation 
        and evaluation of the demonstration project. After approval of 
        the plan by the Secretary, the Special Working Group shall 
        submit to Congress the plan.
            (2) Deadline.--All duties of the Special Working group, 
        including submission of the plan under paragraph (1), shall be 
        completed before selection of any site of the demonstration 
        project under section 3 but in no case shall the date of 
        completion of such duties be later than one year after the date 
        of the enactment of this Act.
    (f) Application of Guidelines and Recommendations.--The guidelines 
and other recommendations, including changes and standards, developed 
by the Special Working Group under this section shall be applicable 
only to the demonstration project unless the Secretary of Defense 
determines otherwise.

SEC. 5. ADVISORY GROUP FOR OVERSIGHT OF DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Defense shall establish an 
advisory group of qualified individuals to oversee implementation of 
the demonstration project.
    (b) Duties.--The advisory group shall--
            (1) ensure that the demonstration project adheres to the 
        guidelines developed by the Special Working Group under section 
        4;
            (2) ensure that plans for implementing the demonstration at 
        selected sites are developed and include--
                    (A) outreach strategies to ensure that participants 
                in the project are informed about the availability of 
                the programs being provided under the project; and
                    (B) a plan for training and certifying mental 
                health providers as well as the development of 
                strategies and settings, including settings that are 
                not located at military treatment facilities, where 
                care can be offered;
            (3) ensure that the demonstration project has detailed 
        evaluation plans, using the criteria and standards developed by 
        the Special Working Group; and
            (4) ensure that independent evaluations of the 
        demonstration project are conducted in accordance with the 
        guidelines developed by the Special Working Group, and that the 
        results of those evaluations are provided to the Secretary of 
        Defense.

SEC. 6. REPORTS ON DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.

    (a) Reports Required.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense shall submit to 
        the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of 
        Representatives two reports on the demonstration project.
            (2) First report.--The first report shall examine and 
        assess the plan developed by the Special Working Group under 
        section 4(e)(1) for implementation and evaluation of the 
        demonstration project.
            (3) Second report.--The second report shall include the 
        following:
                    (A) The results of the demonstration project, 
                evaluated in accordance with the guidelines and other 
                criteria, changes, and standards developed by the 
                Special Working Group.
                    (B) Recommendations on whether any of the policy 
                changes tested in the demonstration project should be 
                adopted throughout the Department of Defense.
                    (C) A plan to ensure that each member of the Armed 
                Forces participating in the demonstration project 
                continues to have access to mental health services and 
                providers after the conclusion of the demonstration 
                project.
    (b) Deadlines.--The first report under this section shall be 
submitted not later than one year after the date the demonstration 
project begins to be implemented. The second report shall be submitted 
at the completion of the demonstration project.

SEC. 7. STUDY AND REPORT ON RETENTION OF MILITARY MENTAL HEALTH 
              PROFESSIONALS.

    (a) Study.--The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the 
Surgeon General of each branch of the Armed Forces, shall conduct a 
study to determine the reasons for attrition among military mental 
health professionals and to make recommendations to increase 
recruitment and retention of military mental health professionals, such 
as through scholarships, loan forgiveness, or updates in current 
recruiting bonuses.
    (b) Report.--Not later than six months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to 
Congress a report on the study conducted and recommendations made under 
subsection (a), including--
            (1) the estimated cost of implementing each such 
        recommendation;
            (2) with respect to each branch of the Armed Forces, an 
        estimate of the existing number of military mental health 
        professionals and the estimated number of such professionals 
        required to meet demand, including for future years, for mental 
        health services; and
            (3) any recommendations for legislative changes necessary 
        to implement the recommendations made under such study.
    (c) Military Mental Health Professional Defined.--For purposes of 
this section, the term ``military mental health professional'' means a 
mental health professional who provides mental health services to 
members of the Armed Forces, whether such professional is a member of 
the Armed Forces, an employee of the Department of Defense, or a 
contractor of the Department of Defense.
Helping Those Who Serve Act - Directs the Secretary of Defense to conduct a demonstration project (project) designed to: (1) increase access of members of the Armed Forces (members) returning from deployment abroad, and their families, to accessible, safe, and confidential mental health counseling; (2) reduce the stigma and career repercussions associated with seeking such services; and (3) make high-quality mental health services more user-friendly to such members and their families.

Requires the Secretary to: (1) establish a Special Working Group to develop guidelines and recommendations to ensure the protection of confidentiality for members participating in the project; (2) establish an advisory group to oversee project implementation; (3) submit project reports to the congressional defense committees; and (4) conduct a study of reasons for attrition among military mental health professionals, and make recommendations to increase the recruitment and retention of such individuals.

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) Dr. Dorothy Irene Height was born on March 24, 1912, to 
        James Edward Height and Fannie (Borroughs) Height in Richmond, 
        Virginia, and was raised in Rankin, Pennsylvania;
            (2) Dr. Height is recognized as one of the preeminent 
        social and civil rights activists of her time, particularly in 
        the struggle for equality, social justice, and human rights for 
        all peoples;
            (3) beginning as a civil rights advocate in the 1930s, she 
        soon gained prominence through her tireless efforts to promote 
        interracial schooling, to register and educate voters, and to 
        increase the visibility and status of women in our society;
            (4) Dr. Height has labored to provide hope for inner-city 
        children and their families, and she is responsible for many of 
        the advances made by women and African Americans over the 
        course of the last century;
            (5) her public career spans over 65 years;
            (6) Dr. Height was a valued consultant on human and civil 
        rights issues to First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and she 
        encouraged President Eisenhower to desegregate the Nation's 
        schools and President Johnson to appoint African-American women 
        to subCabinet posts;
            (7) Dr. Height has been President of the National Council 
        of Negro Women (NCNW) since 1957, a position to which she was 
        appointed upon the retirement of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, one 
        of the most influential African-American women in United States 
        history;
            (8) the National Council of Negro Women is currently the 
        umbrella organization for 250 local groups and 38 national 
        groups engaged in economic development and women's issues;
            (9) under Dr. Height's leadership, the National Council of 
        Negro Women implemented a number of new and innovative programs 
        and initiatives, including--
                    (A) Operation Woman Power, a project to expand 
                business ownership by women and to provide funds for 
                vocational training;
                    (B) leadership training for African-American women 
                in the rural South;
                    (C) the Black Family Reunion, a nationwide annual 
                gathering to encourage, renew, and celebrate the 
                concept of not only the Black family, but of all 
                families;
                    (D) the Women's Center for Education and Career 
                Advancement, established to empower minority women in 
                nontraditional careers; and
                    (E) the Bethune Museum and Archives, a museum 
                devoted to the history of African-American women;
            (10) Dr. Height has been at the forefront of AIDS 
        education, both nationally and internationally, and under her 
        direction, the National Council of Negro Women established 
        offices in West Africa and South Africa and worked to improve 
        the conditions of women in the developing world;
            (11) Dr. Height has been central in the success of 2 other 
        influential women's organizations, specifically--
                    (A) as president and executive board member of 
                Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Dr. Height left the 
                sorority more efficient and globally focused with a 
                centralized headquarters; and
                    (B) her work with the Young Women's Christian 
                Association (YWCA) led to its integration and more 
                active participation in the civil rights movement;
            (12) Dr. Height was the only female member of the ``Big 
        Six'' civil rights leaders, which included Whitney Young, A. 
        Phillip Randolph, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 
        James Farmer, and Roy Wilkins, while strategies were developed 
        for the civil rights movement;
            (13) Dr. Height is the recipient of many awards and 
        accolades for her efforts on behalf of women's rights, 
        including--
                    (A) the Spingarn Award, the highest honor bestowed 
                by the National Association for the Advancement of 
                Colored People (NAACP) for civil rights contributions;
                    (B) the Presidential Medal of Freedom, awarded by 
                President Clinton;
                    (C) the John F. Kennedy Memorial Award, from the 
                National Council of Jewish Women;
                    (D) the Ministerial Interfaith Association Award, 
                for her contributions to interfaith, interracial, and 
                ecumenical movements for over 30 years;
                    (E) the Lovejoy Award, the highest recognition by 
                the Grand Lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order 
                of Elks of the World, for outstanding contributions to 
                human relations;
                    (F) the Ladies Home Journal Woman of the Year 
                Award, in recognition for her work for human rights;
                    (G) the William L. Dawson Award, presented by the 
                Congressional Black Caucus for decades of public 
                service to people of color and particularly women;
                    (H) the Citizens Medal Award for distinguished 
                service, presented by President Reagan; and
                    (I) the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Freedom Medal, 
                awarded by the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt 
                Institute; and
            (14) Dr. Dorothy Height has established a lasting legacy of 
        public service that has been an invaluable contribution to the 
        progress of the Nation.

SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

    (a) Presentation Authorized.--The President is authorized to 
present, on behalf of Congress, to Dr. Dorothy Irene Height, a gold 
medal of appropriate design in recognition of her many contributions to 
the Nation.
    (b) Design and Striking.--For purpose of the presentation referred 
to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (in this Act 
referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall strike a gold medal with 
suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the 
Secretary.

SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

    Under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, the 
Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal 
struck under section 2 at a price sufficient to cover the costs of the 
medals, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and 
overhead expenses.

SEC. 4. STATUS AS NATIONAL MEDALS.

    The medals struck under this Act are national medals for purposes 
of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund an amount 
not to exceed $30,000 to pay for the cost of the medal authorized under 
section 2.
    (b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of duplicate 
bronze medals under section 3 shall be deposited in the United States 
Mint Public Enterprise Fund.

Authorizes the President to present to Dr. Dorothy Height (President of the National Council of Negro Women) a congressional gold medal in recognition of her many contributions to the Nation.