Research on Aging Act
PL 93-296 (S.775), enacted 05/31/1974

184 
PUBLIC LAW 93-296-MAY 31, 1974 
[88 STAT. 
law administered by the Veterans' Administration may be made 
directly to the beneficiary or to a relative or some other person for 
the use and benefit of the beneficiary, regardless of any legal disability 
on the part of the beneficiary. Where, in the opinion of the Adminis-
trator, any fiduciary receiving funds on behalf of a Veterans' Admin-
istration beneficiary is acting in such a number of cases as to make 
it impracticable to conserve properly the estates or to supervise the 
persons of the beneficiaries, the Administrator may refuse to make 
future payments in such cases as he may deem proper." 
(b) Subsection (c) of section 3202 of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended by deleting the phrase "guardian, curator, conservator, 
or other person legally vested with the care of the claimant or his 
estate", following the word "any" and inserting "fiduciary or other 
person for the purpose of payment of benefits payable under laws 
administered by the Veterans' Administration" and by deleting the 
word "estates" and inserting the word "benefits". 
(c) Subsection (e) of section 3202 of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended by deleting the phrase "guardian, curator, conservator, 
or person legally vested with the care of the beneficiary or his estate," 
following the words "hands of a", and inserting in lieu thereof the 
words "fiduciary appointed by a State court or the Veterans' Admin-
istration" and by deleting the phrase "guardian, curator, conservator, 
or person legally vested with the care of the beneficiary or his estate", 
following the word "such", and inserting in lieu thereof the word 
"fiduciary". 
^^P^^^- 
(d) Subsections (f) and (g) of section 3202 of title 38, United 
States Code, are hereby repealed. 
SEC. 302. Subsection (a)(4) of section 1701 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
"(4) The term 'guardian' includes a fiduciary legally appointed 
by a court of competent jurisdiction, or any other person who has been 
appointed by the Administrator under section 3202 of this title to 
receive payment of benefits for the use and benefit of the eligible 
38 use 3202. 
person.". 
TITLE IV—EFFECTIVE DATES 
no^te,"i^7oi^ioie. 
^EC. 401. The provlsious of this Act shall become effective on May 1, 
3202' note. 
' 
1974, except that title I I I shall become effective on the first day of the 
second calendar month following enactment. 
Approved May 31, 1974. 
Public Law 93-296 
M
a
y 31, 1974 
AN ACT 
LS. 775] 
rp(j amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for the establishment of a 
National Institute on Aging. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
Research on 
United States of America in Conqress assembled, 
Agmg Act o
f 
SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the "Research on Aging Act 
42 use 289k-2 
of 1974". 
"°42"usc 289k-2 
SEC. 2. Tlic Cougross fiuds and dcclarps that— 
note. 
(1) the study of the aging process, the one biological condi-
tion coipmon to all, has not received research support commen-
surate with its effects on the lives of every individual; 
(2) in addition to the physical infirmities resulting from 
advanced age, the economic, social, and psychological factors asso-
ciated with aging operate to exclude millions of older Americans 
88 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 93-296-MAY 31, 1974 
185 
from the full life and the place in our society to which their 
years of service and experience entitle them; 
(3) recent research efforts point the way toward alleviation of 
the problems of old age by extending the healthy middle years of 
life; 
(4) there is no American institution that has undertaken com-
prehensive systematic and intensive studies of the biomedical and 
behavioral aspects of aging and the related training of necessary 
personnel ; 
(5) the establishment of a National Institute on Aging within 
the National Institutes of Health will meet the need for such an 
institution. 
SEC. 3. Title IV of the Public Health Service Act is amended by 
Ante, p. 135. 
adding at the end thereof the following new part: 
"PART H—NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON ACXING 
42 use 289k-2. 
"ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING 
"SEC. 461. The Secretary shall establish in the Service an institute 
to be known as the National Institute on Aging (hereinafter in this 
part referred to as the 'Institute') for the conduct and support of 
biomedical, social, and behavioral research and training related to the 
aging process and the diseases and other special problems and needs 
of the aged. 
" N A T I O N A L 
ADVISORY 
C O U N C I L 
O N AGING 
"SEC. 462. (a) The Secretary shall establish a National Advisory 
42^usc^2^Tk"3' 
Council on Aging to advise, consult with, and make recommendations 
to him on programs relating to the aged which are administered by 
him and on those matters which relate to the Institute. 
"(b) The provisions relating to the composition, terms of office of 
members, and reappointment of members of advisory councils under 
section 432(a) shall be applicable to the Advisory Council established 
"
^
^ use 289b. 
under this section, except that (1) the Secretary may include on such 
Advisory Council such additional ex officio members as he deems neces-
sary, and (2) the Secretary shall appoint to the Council leading medi-
cal or scientific authorities skilled in aspects of the biological and the 
behavioral sciences related to aging. 
"(c) Upon appointment of such Advisory Council, it shall assume 
all, or such part as the Secretary may specify, of the duties, functions, 
and powers of the National Advisory Health Council relating to pro-
grams for the aged with which the Advisory Council established under 
this part is concerned and such portion as the Secretary may specify 
of the duties, functions, and power's of any other advisory council 
established under this Act relating to programs for the aged. 
"FUNCTIONS 
"SEC. 463. (a) The Secretary (1) shall, through the Institute, carry 
42 use 289k-4. 
out the purposes of section 301 with respect to research investigations, 
42 use 241. 
experiments, demonstrations, and studies related to the aging process 
and the diseases and other special problems and needs of the aged, 
except that the Secretary shall determine the area in w^hich and the 
extent to which he will carry out such activities in furtherance of the 
186 
PUBLIC LAW 93-296-MAY 31, 1974 
[88 STAT. 
42 u s e 241. 
Traineeships 
and fellowships, 
establishment. 
Expense allow-
Personnel, 
training. 
Scientific 
studies. 
Public informa-
tion and educa-
tion programs. 
42 u s e 289k-5. 
Plan, trans-
mittal to eongress 
and President. 
purposes of section 301 through the Institute or another institute estab-
lished by or under other provisions of this Act, or both of them, when 
both such institutes have functions with respect to the same subject 
matter, and (2) shall be responsible for coordinating such activities so 
as to avoid unproductive and unnecessary overlap and duplication of 
such functions. The Secretary may also provide training and instruc-
tion and establish traineeships and fellowships, in the Institute and 
elsewhere, in matters relating to study and investigation of the aging 
process and the diseases and other special problems and needs of the 
aged. The Secretary may provide trainees and fellows participating 
in such training and instruction or in such traineeships and fellow-
ships with such stipends and allowances (including travel and subsis-
tence expenses and dependency allowances) as he deems necessary, 
and, in addition, provide for such training, instruction, traineeships, 
fellowships through grants to public or other nonprofit institutions. 
In carrying out his health manpower training responsibilities under 
this Act or any other Act, the Secretary shall take appropriate steps 
to insure the education and training of adequate numbers of allied 
health, nursing, and paramedical personnel in the field of health care 
for the aged. 
"(b) The Secretary shall, through the Institute, conduct scientific 
studies to measure the impact on the biological, medical, and psycho-
logical aspects of aging of all programs and activities assisted or 
conducted by the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. 
"(c) The Secretary, through the Institute, shall carry out public 
information and education programs designed to disseminate as widely 
as possible the findings of Institute-sponsored and other relevant aging 
research and studies and other information about the process of aging 
which may assist elderly and near-elderly persons in dealing withj and 
all Americans in understanding, the problems and processes associated 
with growing older. 
"RESEARCH PROGRAM 
"SEC. 464. (a) The Secretary, in consultation with the Institute and 
the National Advisory Council on Aging and such other appropriate 
advisory bodies as he may establish, shall within one year after the 
effective date of this section develop a plan for a research program 
on aging designed to coordinate and promote research into the biologi-
cal, medical, psychological, social, educational, and economic aspects 
of aging. Such program shall be carried out, as to research involving 
the functions of the Institute, primarily through the Institute, and as 
to other research shall be carried out through any other institute estab-
lished by or under other provisions of this Act or through any appro-
priate agency or other organizational unit within the Department of 
Health, Education, and Welfare. 
" (b) Upon its completion, the plan for a research program on aging, 
required by subsection (a) of this section, shall be transmitted to the 
Congress and to the President and shall set forth the staffing and 
funding requirements to carry out such program." 
Approved May 31, 1974.