zli12321/Bills huggingface dataset:
Collaborative Academic Research Efforts for Tourette Syndrome Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to expand, intensify, and coordinate NIH programs and activities regarding Tourette syndrome. Requires the Director to develop a system to collect data on Tourette syndrome, including epidemiological information regarding its incidence and prevalence in the United States, primary data, and data on the availability of medical and social services for individuals with Tourette syndrome and their families. Requires the Director to award grants and contracts to public or nonprofit private entities to pay costs of planning, establishing, improving, and providing basic operating support for between four and six centers of excellence in different regions of the United States to conduct basic and clinical research on Tourette syndrome. Requires the Secretary to designate a portion of the amounts made available to carry out NIH programs and activities for a fiscal year to carry out programs and activities with respect to Tourette syndrome.

Date: 2011-12-20
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Health
Repeals provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Internal Revenue Code, and rescinds all unobligated funds, that provide for the establishment and funding of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to identify priorities for, and establish, update, and carry out, a national comparative outcomes research project agenda, as well as that provide for the dissemination of the research findings published by the Institute and other government-funded research that are relevant to comparative clinical effectiveness research. Rescinds all remaining unobligated balances available to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality for purposes of comparative effectiveness research. Requires the total amount rescinded by this Act to be deposited in the Treasury to pay down the national debt.

Date: 2012-01-25
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Health
Neuromyelitis Optica Consortium Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that there is a need to: (1) establish and coordinate a multicenter research effort to comprehensively study the causes of neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and identify potential biomarkers; and (2) encourage a collaborative effort among academic medical centers with epidemiological study groups to investigate environmental, nutritional, and genetic factors with respect to, and the pathological and epidemiological characteristics of, NMO. Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in coordination with the Director of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, to establish, administer, and coordinate a National Neuromyelitis Optica Consortium to: (1) provide five-year grants to eligible consortia to conduct research regarding the causes of, and the risk factors and biomarkers associated with, NMO; (2) assemble a panel of experts to provide guidance and recommendations for the development of a common study design, standard methods for collecting a minimum data set from study participants, specific analytical methods for examining data, provisions for consensus review of enrolled cases, and an integrated data collection network; and (3) designate a central laboratory to collect, analyze, and aggregate data with respect to funded research and to make such data and analysis available to researchers. Requires a consortium (a partnership of two or more universities, health care organizations, or government agencies, or any combination of such entities, serving a designated catchment area), to be eligible for a grant, to demonstrate that: (1) it has the capability to enroll as research participants a minimum of 25 individuals with a diagnosis of NMO from the consortium's designated catchment area, and (2) such area does not overlap with the designated catchment area of another consortium already receiving a grant under this Act.

Date: 2012-03-05
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Health
Armed Forces Breast Cancer Research Act of 2012 - Directs the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs to jointly conduct a study on the incidence of breast cancer among members of the Armed Forces and veterans and report study results to Congress.

Date: 2012-04-26
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Melanoma Research Act of 2012 - Establishes the Skin Cancer Research Fund, into which amounts received from taxes on indoor tanning services shall be deposited and from which amounts shall be available exclusively for National Institutes of Health (NIH) research relating to skin cancer.

Date: 2012-05-10
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Health
Veterans Medical and Prosthetic Research Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2012 - Makes supplemental appropriations to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for FY2012 for medical and prosthetic research within the Veterans Health Administration. Rescinds an identical amount from unobligated funds for the Department of Defense Base Closure Account 2005 under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012.

Date: 2012-06-29
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Cure for AIDS Act of 2012 - Directs the Secretary of Defense (DOD), through the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program, to establish and support an accelerated research program dedicated to discovering a cure for HIV/AIDS. Instructs the Secretary to collaborate with the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and other appropriate federal agencies. Requires the Secretary to: (1) ensure that such research is highly targeted, (2) coordinate with at least one eligible nonprofit entity, and (3) ensure that the responsibilities of the non-profit entity include partnering with the Secretary in establishing research priorities.

Date: 2012-07-25
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Health
Trial and Experimental Studies Transparency Act of 2012 or TEST Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to expand the clinical trials that must be reported to the clinical trial registry data bank to include: (1) any interventional study of a drug, device, or biological product conducted outside of the United States the results of which are submitted to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) as support for approval of an application; and (2) postmarket surveillance of a class II or class III device that involves data collection from human subjects. Defines "interventional study" to mean a study in human beings in which individuals are assigned by an investigator, based on a protocol, to receive specific interventions to evaluate their effects on biomedical health-related outcomes. Requires submission to the data bank of supporting documents, including protocol documents and consent documents used to enroll subjects into the trial. Requires the responsible party for a clinical trial to submit clinical trial information to the data bank before the first patient is enrolled in the trial. Requires the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to post the information submitted to the data bank within 30 days after the submission is determined to meet the quality criteria established by the Director. Revises time frames for the reporting of results data to the clinical trial registry. Requires the Director and the Commissioner of Food and Drugs (FDA) to report on the number of clinical trials with information submitted to the registry and steps taken to enforce compliance with such reporting requirements.

Date: 2012-08-02
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Health
Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Research and Education Act of 2011 [sic] - Requires the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to expand, intensify, and coordinate programs for the conduct and support of research on triple-negative breast cancer (breast cancers whose cells are negative for estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and the HER2 protein on their sources). Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to develop and disseminate to the public information regarding triple-negative breast cancer, including information on: (1) the incidence and prevalence of such breast cancer among women, (2) the elevated risk for minority women, and (3) the availability of a range of treatment options. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), to develop and disseminate information on triple-negative breast cancer to health care providers.

Date: 2012-09-14
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Health
Family Asthma Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to collaborate with state and local health departments to: (1) conduct activities regarding asthma, including deterring the harmful consequences of uncontrolled asthma, and disseminating health education and information regarding prevention of asthma episodes and strategies for managing asthma; and (2) develop state plans incorporating public health responses to reduce the burden of asthma, particularly regarding disproportionately affected populations. Revises and expands requirements for asthma surveillance activities. Requires the Director to coordinate data collection activities to maximize the comparability of results. Requires the Secretary to submit an assessment of current activities related to asthma prevention, management and surveillance along with recommendations for the future direction of asthma activities.

Date: 2012-11-27
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Health
Human Cloning Prohibition Act of 2012 - Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit any public or private person or entity, in or affecting interstate commerce, from: (1) performing or attempting to perform human cloning; (2) participating in an attempt to perform human cloning; or (3) shipping, receiving, or importing the product of human cloning for any purpose. Sets forth criminal and civil penalties for violations.Provides that nothing in this Act shall restrict areas of scientific research not specifically prohibited by this Act, including research in the use of nuclear transfer or other cloning techniques to produce molecules, DNA, cells other than human embryos, tissues, organs, plants, or animals other than humans.

Date: 2012-11-30
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Health
National Office for Social Work Research Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to establish the Office of Social Work Research in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct, support, and disseminate targeted research concerning social work methods and outcomes related to problems of significant social concern. Requires the Office to: (1) promote research and training to inform social work practices, and (2) provide policymakers with research to better understand complex social issues and make informed funding decisions about service effectiveness and cost efficiency. Sets forth duties of the Director of the Office, which shall include: (1) recommending an agenda for conducting and supporting social work research through the national research institutes and centers; (2) promoting coordination and cooperation among such institutes and centers; (3) promoting the sufficient allocation of NIH resources for such research; and (4) promoting and encouraging the establishment of a centralized clearinghouse for social work research to provide understandable information about this research to the public, social service professionals, medical professionals, patients, and families. Requires the Director to serve as the principal adviser to the Director of NIH and to provide advice to other relevant agencies. Authorizes the Director of the Office to enter into cooperative agreements with, and make grants to, public or private nonprofit entities to pay all or part of the cost of planning, establishing, or strengthening, and providing basic operating support for centers of excellence for clinical and psychosocial research, training in, and demonstration of social work research.

Date: 2011-01-25
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Health
Ethical Stem Cell Research Tax Credit Act of 2011- Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit for 30% of qualified stem cell research expenses paid or incurred in a taxable year. Defines "qualified stem cell research expenses" as expenses for carrying out basic and applied research to develop techniques for the isolation, derivation, production, testing, and human clinical use of stem cells that may result in improved understanding of or treatments for diseases and other adverse health conditions. Prohibits a tax credit for any research expenses that may involve: (1) the creation of a human embryo for research purposes; (2) the destruction of or discarding of, or risk of injury to, a human embryo; or (3) the use of any stem cell for prohibited purposes.

Date: 2011-01-25
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Taxation
Scleroderma Research and Awareness Act - Requires the Director of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases to expand, intensify, and coordinate the Institute's activities with respect to scleroderma, with particular emphasis on: (1) research focused on the etiology of scleroderma and the development of new treatment options, (2) clinical research to evaluate new treatment options, (3) basic research on the relationship between scleroderma and secondary conditions, (4) establishment of scleroderma patient registries, and (5) support for training of new clinicians and investigators with expertise in scleroderma. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to carry out an educational campaign to increase public awareness of scleroderma.

Date: 2011-03-17
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Health
Citrus Disease Research and Development Trust Fund Act of 2011 - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to establish the Citrus Disease Research and Development Trust Fund, consisting of revenues from duties paid on imported citrus or citrus products, to support scientific research, technical assistance, and development activities to combat both domestic and invasive citrus diseases and pests harming the United States. Establishes the Citrus Disease Research and Development Board. Makes Fund amounts available to the Board to develop a coordinated program of research and product development relating to: (1) scientific research of both domestic and invasive diseases and pests afflicting the citrus industry; and (2) support for the dissemination and commercialization of relevant information, techniques, and technologies discovered through Fund research or other research projects intended to solve problems caused by citrus production diseases and invasive pests. Requires the President to notify certain congressional committees before entering into a trade agreement that could result in a decrease in the amount of: (1) duties paid on imported citrus or citrus products; and (2) funds transferred into the Fund.

Date: 2011-05-05
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Foreign trade and international finance
Medicare IVIG Access Act - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a demonstration project under title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to evaluate the benefits of providing payment for items and services needed for the administration, within the homes of Medicare beneficiaries, of intravenous immune globin (IVIG) for the treatment of primary immune deficiency diseases. Amends SSA title XVIII to treat as durable medical equipment (DME) any disposable drug delivery systems, including elastomeric infusion pumps, for the treatment of colorectal cancer.

Date: 2011-05-12
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Health
Medical Innovation Prize Fund Act - Prohibits any person from having the right to exclusively manufacture, distribute, sell, or use in interstate commerce a drug, a biological product, or a drug or biological product manufacturing process, including the exclusive right to rely on health registration data or the 30-month stay-of-effectiveness period for Orange Book patents, notwithstanding provisions of U.S. patent law and other relevant statutes. Establishes remuneration in lieu of such market exclusivity. Establishes: (1) the Fund for Medical Innovation Prizes; and (2) a Board of Trustees for such Fund, which shall award prize payments for medical innovation and establish independent expert advisory committees. Directs the Board to award prize payments for medical innovation relating to a drug, a biological product, or a new manufacturing process for a drug or biological product to: (1) the first person to receive market clearance with respect to the drug or biological product; (2) the holder of the patent with respect to a manufacturing process; or (3) in the case of open source contributions, the persons or communities that openly shared knowledge, data, materials, and technology on a royalty-free and nondiscriminatory basis. Requires the Board to establish and periodically modify minimum levels of funding for such awards for priority research and development, including global neglected diseases, orphan diseases, and global infectious diseases and other global public health priorities. Allows the Board of Trustees to authorize multiple nonprofit intermediaries to reward projects for interim research and development of products or for open source dividend prizes Sets forth transitional rules. Requires the Comptroller General to conduct annual audits to determine the Board's effectiveness in bringing to market new drugs, vaccines, biological products, and manufacturing processes in a cost-effective manner and in addressing society's global medical needs. Establishes an annual fee for health insurers to fund this Act.

Date: 2011-05-26
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Health
Citrus Disease Research and Development Trust Fund Act of 2011 - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to establish the Citrus Disease Research and Development Trust Fund, consisting of revenues from duties paid on imported citrus or citrus products, to support scientific research, technical assistance, and development activities to combat both domestic and invasive citrus diseases and pests harming the United States. Establishes the Citrus Disease Research and Development Trust Fund Advisory Board. Makes Fund amounts available to the Secretary of Agriculture to develop a coordinated program of research and product development relating to: (1) scientific research of both domestic and invasive diseases and pests afflicting the citrus industry; and (2) support for the dissemination and commercialization of relevant information, techniques, and technologies discovered through Fund research or other research projects intended to solve problems caused by citrus production diseases and invasive pests. Requires the President to notify certain congressional committees before entering into a trade agreement that could result in a decrease in the amount of: (1) duties paid on imported citrus or citrus products, and (2) funds transferred into the Fund.

Date: 2011-06-29
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Foreign trade and international finance
Pulmonary Fibrosis Research Enhancement Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to: (1) establish the National Pulmonary Fibrosis Advisory Board, (2) develop a system to collect data on pulmonary fibrosis and other interstitial lung diseases, and (3) establish the National PF Registry. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), in developing the Registry, to: (1) expand and coordinate existing data and surveillance systems, surveys, registries, and other federal public health and environmental infrastructure; and (2) provide for research access to pulmonary fibrosis data. Directs the Secretary to ensure that epidemiological and other types of information are made available to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Requires the Director of CDC to prepare the National Pulmonary Fibrosis Education and Awareness Plan, which shall: (1) focus on strategies to increase public education and awareness of pulmonary fibrosis, (2) address the need for new physician education strategies to improve diagnosis and treatment standards, and (3) assess and monitor the costs of pulmonary fibrosis and its burden on patients and families. Encourages the Director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to expand, intensify, and coordinate Institute pulmonary fibrosis research activities.

Date: 2011-07-12
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Health
Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Prevention, Education, and Research Act of 2011 - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish the Tick-Borne Diseases Advisory Committee. Requires the Committee to advise the Secretary and the Assistant Secretary for Health regarding the manner in which such officials can: (1) ensure interagency coordination and communication and minimize overlap regarding efforts to address tick-borne diseases; (2) identify opportunities to coordinate efforts with other federal agencies and private organizations addressing such diseases; (3) ensure interagency coordination and communication with constituency groups; (4) ensure that a broad spectrum of scientific viewpoints are represented in public heath policy decisions and that information disseminated to the public and physicians is balanced; and (5) advise relevant federal agencies on priorities related to Lyme and other tick-borne diseases. Directs the Committee to regularly review published public and private treatment guidelines and evaluate such guidelines for effective representation of a wide variety of views. Requires the Secretary, acting as appropriate through various federal officials, to provide for the coordination of all federal programs and activities related to Lyme and other tick-borne diseases and the conduct or support of specified activities, including: (1) developing sensitive and accurate diagnostic tools and tests, (2) improving the efficient utilization of diagnostic testing currently available; (3) surveillance and reporting of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases; (4) providing and promoting access to a clearinghouse of information on such diseases; (5) increasing public education related to such diseases; (6) creating a physician education program to educate health professionals on the latest research and diversity of treatment options for Lyme disease; (7) establishing epidemiological research objectives; and (8) determining the effectiveness of different treatment modalities.

Date: 2011-07-18
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Health
Trisomy 21 Research Centers of Excellence of 2011- Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), acting through the Director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, to expand and intensify NIH programs with respect to research and related activities concerning Down syndrome. Requires the Director of NIH to publish a research plan on Down syndrome and update it every five years or as appropriate. Requires the Director of NIH to award grants and contracts to public or nonprofit private entities to pay all or part of the cost of planning, establishing, improving, and providing basic operating support for centers of excellence regarding translational research on Down syndrome. Sets forth requirements for such centers, which shall include: (1) contributing to a comprehensive research portfolio for Down syndrome, (2) having a primary focus on Down syndrome, (3) providing an optimal venue and infrastructure for patient-oriented research, and (4) conducting basic, clinical, and translational research on Down syndrome in specified areas. Authorizes the Director of NIH to establish a Down Syndrome Consortium to facilitate the exchange of information and to make the research effort on Down syndrome more efficient and effective.

Date: 2011-11-10
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Health
Trisomy 21 Research Resource Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), acting through the Director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, to expand and intensify NIH programs with respect to research and related activities concerning Down syndrome. Requires the Director of NIH to publish a research plan on Down syndrome and update it every five years or as appropriate. Authorizes the Director of NIH to: (1) conduct basic, clinical, and translational research on Down syndrome; (2) award a grant or contract for a registry of individuals with Down syndrome; (3) establish a database including the names, contact information, and each medical condition of individuals with Down syndrome; and (4) expand one or more tissue banks maintained or supported by NIH to identify any tissue harvested from a tissue donor with Down syndrome. Requires consent before including an individual's information in the registry, the database, or the tissue bank. Authorizes the Director of NIH to provide for the participation of NIH agencies in a consortium to facilitate the exchange of information and to make the research effort on Down syndrome more efficient and effective by ensuring consistent communication, minimizing duplication of effort, and integrating the varied perspectives of partner agencies, organizations, and individuals. Authorizes the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to: (1) award grants and cooperative agreements for the collection, analysis, and reporting of data on Down syndrome; and (2) carry out epidemiological activities regarding Down syndrome.

Date: 2011-11-10
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Health
Collaborative Academic Research Efforts for Tourette Syndrome Act of 2012 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to expand, intensify, and coordinate NIH programs and activities regarding Tourette syndrome. Requires the Director to develop a system to collect data on Tourette syndrome, including epidemiological information regarding its incidence and prevalence in the United States, primary data, and data on the availability of medical and social services for individuals with Tourette syndrome and their families. Requires the Director to award grants and contracts to public or nonprofit private entities to pay costs of planning, establishing, improving, and providing basic operating support for between four and six centers of excellence in different regions of the United States to conduct basic and clinical research on Tourette syndrome. Requires the Secretary to designate a portion of the amounts made available to carry out NIH programs and activities for a fiscal year to carry out programs and activities with respect to Tourette syndrome.

Date: 2012-04-19
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Health
National Pediatric Research Network Act of 2012 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in carrying out the Pediatric Research Initiative, to act through the Director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and in collaboration with other appropriate national research institutes and national centers that carry out activities involving pediatric research to provide for the establishment of a National Pediatric Research Network. Authorizes the Director of the Institute to award cooperative agreements and grants to public or private nonprofit entities for: (1) planning, establishing, or strengthening pediatric research consortia; and (2) providing basic operating support for such consortia, including for pediatric research needs and training. Authorizes the Director to make awards for not more than 20 pediatric research consortia. Requires the Director to provide for the coordination of activities among the consortia and to require the periodic preparation and submission of reports on their activities. Requires the Director of NIH to ensure that an appropriate number of such awards are awarded to consortia that agree to: (1) focus primarily on pediatric rare diseases or conditions; (2) conduct or coordinate multi-site clinical trials of therapies for, or approaches to, the prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of pediatric rare diseases or conditions; and (3) disseminate trial findings. Requires the Director of NIH to establish a data coordinating center to: (1) distribute such findings; (2) provide assistance in the design and conduct of collaborative research projects and the management, analysis, and storage of data associated with such projects; (3) organize and conduct multi-site monitoring activities; (4) provide assistance to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the establishment of patient registries; and (5) report regularly on consortia research.

Date: 2012-07-31
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Health
Recalcitrant Cancer Research Act of 2012 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to develop a scientific framework for research on recalcitrant cancers (cancer with a 5-year relative survival rate below 50%), which includes: (1) a review of the status of research, such as a summary of findings, identification of promising scientific advances, a description of the availability of qualified scientific researchers, and the identification of resources available to facilitate research; (2) identification of research questions that have not been adequately addressed; and (3) recommendations for actions to advance research and for appropriate benchmarks to measure progress on achieving such actions. Requires the Director to develop the framework within 18 months and review and update it every 5 years. Requires the Director to identify within 6 months 2 or more recalcitrant cancers that have a 5-year relative survival rate of less than 20%, and are estimated to cause the death of at least 30,000 individuals in the United States per year. Authorizes the Director to identify additional such cancers and to consider additional metrics of progress (such as incidence and mortality rates) against such cancer. Requires the Director to convene a working group for each identified cancer to provide expertise on, and assist in developing, a scientific framework under this Act. Requires the Director to consider each relevant scientific framework developed under this Act when making recommendations for exception funding for grant applications.

Date: 2012-09-19
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Health
Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Research and Education Act of 2013 - Requires the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to expand, intensify, and coordinate programs for the conduct and support of research on triple-negative breast cancer (breast cancers whose cells are negative for estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and the HER2 protein on their sources).

Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to develop and disseminate to the public information regarding triple-negative breast cancer, including information on: (1) the incidence and prevalence of such breast cancer among women, (2) the elevated risk for minority women, and (3) the availability of a range of treatment options.

Requires the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), to develop and disseminate information on triple-negative breast cancer to health care providers.

Date: 2013-01-03
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Health
Medical Checklist Act of 2013 - Requires the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, acting through the Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety, to conduct a study on the development and efficacy of medical checklists, including: (1) the testing of different models of medical checklists, (2) an examination of checklist development and use in other industries, and (3) a measurement of the effects of the use of medical checklists on patient safety and health outcomes. Requires dissemination of the results of such study to patient safety organizations. Defines "medical checklist" as a predetermined, evidence-based, well-defined set of steps that should be completed during a designated medical clinical encounter or medical procedure.

Requires the Health IT Policy Committee to develop policy recommendations regarding: (1) the extent to which the use of medical checklists should be incorporated into health information technology systems, and (2) measures to determine the effectiveness of such use.

Requires the Secretary to enter into an agreement with the Institute of Medicine and the National Academy of Engineering to conduct a study on medical checklists that includes: (1) a review of available medical checklists and similar quality improvement techniques, (2) an identification of areas of research needed to improve medical checklists, (3) an analysis of organizational impediments to the adoption and use of medical checklists, and (4) a determination of whether the availability of an increased number of medical checklists would improve patient safety and health outcomes.

Date: 2013-01-03
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Health
Collaborative Academic Research Efforts for Tourette Syndrome Act of 2013 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to expand, intensify, and coordinate NIH programs and activities regarding Tourette syndrome.

Requires the Director to develop a system to collect data on Tourette syndrome, including epidemiological information regarding its incidence and prevalence in the United States, primary data, and data on the availability of medical and social services for individuals with Tourette syndrome and their families.

 Requires the Director to award grants and contracts to public or nonprofit private entities to pay costs of planning, establishing, improving, and providing basic operating support for between four and six centers of excellence in different regions of the United States to conduct basic and clinical research on Tourette syndrome.

Requires the Director to designate a portion of the amounts made available to carry out NIH programs and activities for a fiscal year to carry out programs and activities with respect to Tourette syndrome.

Date: 2013-01-03
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Health
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

National Pediatric Research Network Act of 2013 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in carrying out the Pediatric Research Initiative, to act through the Director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to provide for the establishment of a National Pediatric Research Network.

Authorizes the Director of the Institute to award funding to public or private nonprofit entities for: (1) planning, establishing, or strengthening pediatric research consortia; and (2) providing basic operating support for such consortia, including to meet unmet needs for pediatric research through basic, clinical, behavioral, or translational research and the training of researchers in pediatric research techniques. Authorizes the Director of NIH to make awards for not more than 20 pediatric research consortia, which must be formed from a collaboration of cooperating institutions, coordinated by a lead institution, agree to disseminate scientific findings, and meet requirements prescribed by the Director of NIH. Allows such support to be for a period of five years, with additional extensions at the discretion of the Director of NIH.

Requires the Director of NIH to provide for the coordination of activities among the consortia and to require the periodic preparation and submission of reports on their activities. Requires each pediatric research consortium receiving an award to assist the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the establishment or expansion of patient registries and other surveillance systems as appropriate and upon request by the CDC.

Requires the Director of NIH to ensure that an appropriate number of such awards are awarded to consortia that agree to: (1) focus primarily on pediatric rare diseases or conditions; and (2) conduct or coordinate multi-site clinical trials of therapies for, or approaches to, the prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of pediatric rare diseases or conditions.

Requires the Director of NIH to establish a data coordinating center to: (1) distribute such findings; (2) provide assistance in the design and conduct of collaborative research projects and the management, analysis, and storage of data associated with such projects; and (3) organize and conduct multi-site monitoring activities.

Requires the Director of NIH to: (1) require the data coordinating center to provide regular reports to the Director of NIH and the Commissioner of Food and Drugs (FDA) on research conducted by consortia, including information on enrollment in clinical trials and the allocation of resources with respect to such research; and (2) incorporate such information into NIH's biennial reports.

Date: 2013-01-14
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Health
Neuromyelitis Optica Consortium Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to establish, administer, and coordinate a National Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO) Consortium to: (1) award grants of not fewer than five years duration to conduct research with respect to the causes of, and the risk factors and biomarkers associated with, NMO (a neurological disease leading to blindness and paralysis); (2) assemble a panel of experts to provide ongoing guidance and the recommendations on research design and protocols, and (3) designate a central laboratory to collect, analyze, and aggregate data with respect to such research and to make such data and analysis available to researchers.

Establishes eligibility requirements for a consortium (a partnership of two or more universities, health care organizations, or government agencies, or any combination of such entities), including that: (1) it has the capability to enroll a minimum of 25 individuals with a diagnosis of NMO as research participants from the designated catchment area (geographical area), and (2) that the catchment area does not overlap with any other consortium receiving a grant under this Act.

Date: 2013-02-13
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Health
Functional Gastrointestinal and Motility Disorders Research Enhancement Act of 2013 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to expand, intensify, and coordinate NIH activities with respect to functional gastrointestinal and motility disorders (FGIMDs), including by: (1) expanding basic and clinical research into FGIMDs by implementing the research recommendations of the National Commission on Digestive Diseases, (2) providing support for the establishment of centers of excellence on FGIMDs, (3) directing the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to provide the necessary funding for the continued expansion and advancement of the FGIMDs research portfolio through intramural and extramural research, and (4) directing such Institute and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to expand research into FGIMDs that impact children.

Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to engage in public awareness and education activities to increase understanding and recognition of FGIMDs.

Date: 2013-02-26
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Health
Citrus Disease Research and Development Trust Fund Act of 2013 - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to establish the Citrus Disease Research and Development Trust Fund, consisting of revenues from duties paid on imported citrus or citrus products, to support scientific research, technical assistance, and development activities to combat both domestic and invasive citrus diseases and pests harming the United States.

 Establishes the Citrus Disease Research and Development Trust Fund Advisory Board.

Makes Fund amounts available to the Secretary of Agriculture to develop a coordinated program of research and product development relating to: (1) scientific research of both domestic and invasive diseases and pests afflicting the citrus industry; and (2) support for the dissemination and commercialization of relevant information, techniques, and technologies discovered through Fund research or other research projects intended to solve problems caused by citrus production diseases and invasive pests.

Requires the President to notify certain congressional committees before entering into a trade agreement that could result in a decrease in the amount of: (1) duties paid on imported citrus or citrus products, and (2) funds transferred into the Fund.

Prescribes a formula for required estimated tax payments otherwise due in each of the quarters of 2018 from corporations with assets of at least $1 billion.

Amends the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) to extend certain customs users fees for the processing of merchandise entered into the United States between October 23, 2021, and November 6, 2021, and other specified customs users fees for merchandise entered between October 30, 2021, and November 13, 2021.

Date: 2013-02-27
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Foreign trade and international finance
Traumatic Brain Injury Reauthorization Act of 2014 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to report to Congress on recommendations (made pursuant to an earlier report) concerning improvements in the collection and dissemination of compatible epidemiological studies on the incidence and prevalence of traumatic brain injury in individuals who were formerly in the military, identifying recommendations that have been adopted and describing activities planned to address those that were not adopted.

 Authorizes appropriations through FY2019 for: (1) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) projects to reduce the incidence of traumatic brain injury, and (2) traumatic brain injury surveillance systems or registries.

 Authorizes appropriations through FY2019 for the programs of grants to: (1) states and American Indian consortia for projects to improve access to rehabilitation and other services regarding traumatic brain injury, and (2) protection and advocacy systems for the purpose of enabling such systems to provide services to individuals with traumatic brain injury. Removes the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration as agent for the Secretary in administering these programs. Vests responsibility for administering the programs solely in the Secretary.

Requires the Secretary to report to Congress not later than one year after enactment of this Act on the services and activities of the protection and advocacy systems.

Date: 2013-03-12
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Health
Taxpayers' Cancer Research Funding Act of 2013 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow taxpayers to designate on their tax returns a $5 contribution to the Breast and Prostate Cancer Research Fund ($10 for joint returns).

Establishes in the Treasury the Breast and Prostate Cancer Research Fund to award grants for breast or prostate cancer research.

Date: 2013-03-20
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Taxation
Scleroderma Research and Awareness Act of 2013 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to expand, intensify, and coordinate NIH activities relating to scleroderma, with particular emphasis on: (1) research focused on the etiology of scleroderma and the development of new treatment options; (2) clinical research to evaluate new treatments options; and (3) basic research on the relationship between scleroderma and secondary conditions, such as pulmonary hypertension, gastroparesis, Raynaud's phenomenon, and Sjogren's Syndrome.

Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to carry out an educational campaign to increase public awareness of scleroderma. Permits print, video, and web-based materials distributed through this campaign to include: (1) basic information on scleroderma and its symptoms; and (2) information on the incidence and prevalence of scleroderma, diseases and conditions affiliated with scleroderma, or the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of scleroderma.

Date: 2013-04-09
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Health
Health Outcomes, Planning, and Education for Alzheimer's Act - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide for comprehensive Alzheimer's disease diagnosis and services.

Date: 2013-04-11
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Health
Directs the United States Postal Service (USPS) to issue and sell an Alzheimer's Disease Research Semipostal Stamp.

Requires proceeds from the sale of the stamp to be transferred to the National Institutes of Health.

Requires the stamp to be made available to the public for six years.

Date: 2013-04-11
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Making Investments Now for Dementia Act of 2013 - Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to issue bonds to aid in the funding of Alzheimer's research.

Authorizes appropriations to the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for such research.

Expresses the sense of Congress that any funds collected pursuant to this Act are in addition to yearly appropriated funds and are not to be used to supplement current funding.

Date: 2013-04-18
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Health
Distracted Driving Prevention Act of 2013 - Requires the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to withhold a certain percentage of a state's apportionment of certain federal-aid highway funds for FY2016-FY2018, and each succeeding fiscal year, if the state has not enacted or is not enforcing a law that: (1) prohibits a driver from using a hand-held personal wireless communications device (such as a cell phone or smart phone) to text or call while driving; (2) allows the use of a hands-free device by a driver (other than a driver who is less than 18 years old) to call; (3) makes violation of the law a primary offense; (4) requires distracted driving issues to be tested as part of the state's driver's license examination; and (5) establishes certain minimum fines and increased civil and criminal penalties.

Excludes from the meaning of personal wireless communications device a global navigation satellite system receiver used for positioning, emergency notification, or navigation (GPS).

Declares that laws meet the requirements of this Act without regard to whether it provides exceptions for driver: (1) use of a cell phone in emergency situations, and (2) use of a cell phone to activate its hands-free capabilities.

Requires the Secretary to establish a research program to study distracted driving by passenger and commercial vehicle drivers.

Directs the the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to report to Congress on existing and developing wireless communications technology that may be used to reduce problems associated with distracted driving.

Date: 2013-04-23
Topic: Health (R&D)
Subject: Transportation and public works