[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2477 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2477
To establish a National Commission on Fibrotic Diseases.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 12, 2019
Mrs. Gillibrand introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a National Commission on Fibrotic Diseases.
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 ``National Commission on Scleroderma
and Fibrotic Diseases Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL COMMISSION ON FIBROTIC DISEASES RESEARCH.
(a) Establishment.--There is hereby established, within the
National Institutes of Health (referred to in this section as ``NIH''),
a National Commission on Fibrotic Diseases (referred to in this section
as the ``Commission'') to evaluate and make recommendations regarding
improvements to the coordination and advancement of NIH-supported
research activities related to fibrosis and fibrotic diseases, which
may include scleroderma as a prototypical condition that can cause
fibrosis in various organs.
(b) Membership.--
(1) In general.--The Commission shall be composed of the
following voting members:
(A) The Director of NIH, or the designee of such
director.
(B) The Directors of the following Institutes, or
the designees of such directors:
(i) National Institute of Arthritis and
Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.
(ii) National Heart, Lung, and Blood
Institute.
(iii) National Institute of Diabetes and
Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
(iv) National Human Genome Research
Institute.
(v) Any other national research institutes
or national centers with an active fibrotic
disease research portfolio.
(vi) Twelve additional voting members
appointed under paragraph (2).
(2) Additional members.--The Commission shall include
additional voting members, as may be appointed by the Director
of NIH, with expertise in the prevention, care, and
epidemiology of any of the diseases and complications described
in subsection (a), including one or more such members from each
of the following categories:
(A) Leading scientists or physicians with research
expertise in the conditions described in subsection
(a).
(B) Patient and advocates with a perspective on the
conditions described in subsection (a).
(3) Chairperson.--The members of the Commission shall
select a chairperson from the members appointed under paragraph
(2).
(4) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at least 3 times a
year, with the first meeting occurring not later than April 1,
2021.
(5) Vacancies.--A vacancy on the Commission shall be filled
in the same manner as the original appointment.
(c) Responsibilities.--The duties of the Commission are the
following:
(1) To study the incidence, duration, and mortality rates
of fibrotic diseases as described in subsection (a).
(2) To evaluate facilities and resources for the diagnosis,
prevention, and treatment of fibrotic diseases described in
subsection (a).
(3) To develop a long-range plan for the use and
organization of national resources to effectively advance
research and effectively deal with fibrotic diseases as
described in subsection (a), including--
(A) a comprehensive research plan, which
prioritizes fibrosis opportunities that have cross-
cutting value and require coordination across multiple
national research institutes and national centers;
(B) topic-specific research recommendations for
each organ or system as impacted by fibrotic diseases
described in subsection (a); and
(C) an overview of common themes and specific steps
for implementation.
(4) To make recommendations, as appropriate, to the
Director of NIH and Congress with respect to the study,
evaluation, and long-range plan described in the preceding
paragraphs of this subsection.
(d) Operating Plan.--Not later than 90 days after its first
meeting, the Commission shall submit to the Director of NIH and the
Congress an operating plan for carrying out the duties of the
Commission as described in subsection (c). Such operating plan may
include--
(1) a list of specific activities that the Commission plans
to conduct for purposes of carrying out the duties described in
each of the paragraphs in subsection (c);
(2) a plan for completing the activities;
(3) a list of members of the Commission and other
individuals who are not members of the Commission who will need
to be involved to conduct such activities;
(4) an explanation of involvement and coordination of
national research institutes and national centers needed to
conduct such activities;
(5) a budget for conducting such activities; and
(6) other information that the Commission determines
appropriate.
(e) Final Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the
Commission's first meeting, the Commission shall submit to the Director
of NIH and Congress a final report containing all of the findings and
recommendation required by subsection (c).
(f) Sunset.--The Commission shall terminate 60 days after
submitting its final report, but not later than September 30, 2023.
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