[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1554 Received in Senate (RDS)]
109th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 1554
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
December 9 (legislative day, December 8), 2006
Received
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To enhance and further research into paralysis and to improve
rehabilitation and the quality of life for persons living with
paralysis and other physical disabilities, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Christopher and Dana Reeve Quality
of Life for Persons with Paralysis Act''.
SEC. 2. PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PERSONS WITH PARALYSIS
AND OTHER PHYSICAL DISABILITIES.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services (in
this Act referred to as the ``Secretary''), acting through the Director
of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, may study the unique
health challenges associated with paralysis and other physical
disabilities and carry out projects and interventions to improve the
quality of life and long-term health status of persons with paralysis
and other physical disabilities. The Secretary may carry out such
projects directly and through awards of grants or contracts.
(b) Certain Activities.--Activities under subsection (a) may
include--
(1) the development of a national paralysis and physical
disability quality-of-life action plan, to promote health and
wellness in order to enhance full participation, independent
living, self-sufficiency, and equality of opportunity in
partnership with voluntary health agencies focused on paralysis
and other physical disabilities, to be carried out in
coordination with the State-based Comprehensive Paralysis and
Other Physical Disability Quality of Life Program of the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;
(2) support for programs to disseminate information
involving care and rehabilitation options and quality-of-life
grant programs supportive of community-based programs and
support systems for persons with paralysis and other physical
disabilities;
(3) in collaboration with other centers and national
voluntary health agencies, the establishment of a hospital-
based registry, and the conduct of relevant population-based
research, on motor disability (including paralysis); and
(4) the development of comprehensive, unique, and
innovative programs, services, and demonstrations within
existing State-based disability and health programs of the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which are designed
to support and advance quality-of-life programs for persons
living with paralysis and other physical disabilities focusing
on--
(A) caregiver education;
(B) physical activity;
(C) education and awareness programs for health
care providers;
(D) prevention of secondary complications;
(E) home- and community-based interventions;
(F) coordination of services and removal of
barriers that prevent full participation and
integration into the community; and
(G) recognition of the unique needs of underserved
populations.
(c) Grants.--In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary may
award grants in accordance with the following:
(1) To State and local health and disability agencies for
the purpose of--
(A) establishing paralysis registries for the
support of relevant population-based research;
(B) developing comprehensive paralysis and other
physical disability action plans and activities focused
on the items listed in subsection (b)(4);
(C) assisting State-based programs in establishing
and implementing partnerships and collaborations that
maximize the input and support of people with paralysis
and other physical disabilities and their constituent
organizations;
(D) coordinating paralysis and physical disability
activities with existing State-based disability and
health programs;
(E) providing education and training opportunities
and programs for health professionals and allied
caregivers; and
(F) developing, testing, evaluating, and
replicating effective intervention programs to maintain
or improve health and quality of life.
(2) To nonprofit private health and disability
organizations for the purpose of--
(A) disseminating information to the public;
(B) improving access to services for persons living
with paralysis and other physical disabilities and
their caregivers;
(C) testing model intervention programs to improve
health and quality of life; and
(D) coordinating existing services with State-based
disability and health programs.
(d) Coordination of Activities.--The Secretary shall ensure that
activities under this section are coordinated as appropriate with other
activities of the Public Health Service.
(e) Report to Congress.--Not later than December 1, 2007, the
Secretary shall submit to the Congress a report describing the results
of the study under subsection (a) and, as applicable, the national plan
developed under subsection (b)(1).
(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated in the
aggregate $25,000,000 for the fiscal years 2007 through 2010.
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of the Congress that--
(1) as science and research have advanced, so too has the
need to increase strategic planning across the National
Institutes of Health to identify research that is important to
the advancement of biomedical science; and
(2) research involving collaboration among the national
research institutes and national centers of the National
Institutes of Health is crucial for advancing research on
paralysis and thereby improving rehabilitation and the quality
of life for persons living with paralysis and other physical
disabilities.
Passed the House of Representatives December 9 (legislative
day, December 8), 2006.
Attest:
KAREN L. HAAS,
Clerk.