118 HR 6483 IH: Grant Reform And NIH Transparency Act of 2023 U.S. House of Representatives 2023-11-28 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I118th CONGRESS1st SessionH. R. 6483IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESNovember 28, 2023Mr. Huizenga introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and CommerceA BILLTo amend the Public Health Service Act to require greater transparency and accountability within the grant-making process of the National Institutes of Health.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Grant Reform And NIH Transparency Act of 2023 or the GRANT Act of 2023.

2.

NIH database of denials

Section 402 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 282) is amended by adding at the end the following:(p)

Database of denials

(1)

In general

The Secretary, acting through the Director of NIH, shall establish and maintain a database of each research proposal that is denied a grant or other award by the National Institutes of Health.(2)

Updates

The Secretary shall update the contents of the database under paragraph (1) not less than quarterly.(3)

Contents

The database under paragraph (1) shall include, with respect to each denial described in such paragraph, an explanation of the basis for such denial.(4)

Timing

(A)

Establishment of database

The Secretary shall establish the database under paragraph (1) not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this subsection.(B)

Covered denials

The database under paragraph (1) shall include all denials described in such paragraph occurring on or after the date of enactment of this subsection..

3.

Access by independent, outside researchers to information on NIH’s internal operations for making awards

Section 402 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 282), as amended, is further amended by adding at the end the following:(q)

Access to NIH data by independent, outside researcher

(1)

Sharing

The Secretary, acting through the Director of NIH, shall share with researchers, on request, information concerning the internal operations of the National Institutes of Health in making awards.(2)

Relation to other law

The obligation imposed by paragraph (1) to share information applies notwithstanding any other law, including sections 552(b), 552a, and 552b of title 5, United States Code.(3)

Information to be shared

Except as provided in paragraph (4), the information required to be shared by paragraph (1) includes the following: (A)Individual scores and written comments on funded and unfunded proposals made by study section members and program staff of the National Institutes of Health (including the Center for Scientific Review and any national research institute, national center, advisory council or board, or other office or agency of the National Institutes of Health) in carrying out applicable provisions of law, including sections 405(b)(2)(B)(ii), 405(b)(3)(B)(iii), 492, and 492A.(B)The full text of funded proposals, unfunded proposals, progress reports, and final reports for research awards, including such awards consisting of a grant, a cooperative agreement, a contract, training, technical assistance, or other transaction authority.(C)The information in the database under subsection (p).(D)Information on the performance of employees and agents of the National Institutes of Health in conducting research.(E)The degree to which the National Institutes of Health funds awards below the payline and the rationale for doing so.(F)Any other information regarding making awards that is maintained by the Office of Portfolio Analysis, the Center for Scientific Review, or the Office of Evaluation, Performance, and Reporting.(G)Any other information in the possession of the National Institutes of Health that is requested in accordance with paragraph (1), including any such—(i)evaluation of performance; or(ii)funding or peer-review model.(4)

Redaction

Before sharing information pursuant to paragraph (1) regarding an award, the Secretary shall redact the names of—(A)the individuals serving as peer reviewers for purposes of the research involved; and(B)in the case of a grant or other award that was denied (as described in subsection (p)(1)) the individuals or other persons applying for the award.(5)

Covered information

(A)

Maintenance of information

The Secretary shall maintain into perpetuity information that is—(i)described in paragraph (1); and(ii)in the possession of the National Institutes of Health on or after the date of enactment of this subsection.(B)

Earlier information

The Secretary shall make a reasonable effort to reconstruct information that—(i)is requested pursuant to paragraph (1); and(ii)was in the possession of the National Institutes of Health before the date of enactment of this subsection but has not been maintained in whole or in part..