[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3433 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3433

To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Director of the 
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to make grants for 
      the development and operation of research centers regarding 
  environmental factors that may be related to the etiology of breast 
                                cancer.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 17, 1999

  Mrs. Lowey introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                         Committee on Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Director of the 
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to make grants for 
      the development and operation of research centers regarding 
  environmental factors that may be related to the etiology of breast 
                                cancer.

    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 ``Breast Cancer and Environmental 
Research Act of 1999''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds as follows:
            (1) Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer 
        deaths among American women.
            (2) In 1999, 175,000 women will be diagnosed with breast 
        cancer, and more than 43,000 are expected to die from this 
        disease.
            (3) A large proportion of breast cancer cases cannot be 
        attributed to known risk factors. Three of four cases of breast 
        cancer arise in women with no known risk factors.
            (4) The National Action Plan on Breast Cancer, a public 
        private partnership, has recognized the importance of expanding 
        the scope and breadth of biomedical, epidemiological, and 
        behavioral research activities related to the etiology of 
        breast cancer and the role of the environment.
            (5) Environmental factors, such as exposure to ionizing 
        radiation, have been shown to cause cancer by reacting with a 
        gene's DNA and causing a mutation.
            (6) Physical activity, including diet and the role of 
        exercise, have emerged as factors in the understanding in the 
        development of cancers, including breast cancer.
            (7) The role of viruses, low-level radiation, chemicals, 
        electromagnetic fields and light-at-night and gene-environment 
        interactions may also provide clues to understanding the 
        etiology of breast cancer.
            (8) To date, there has been only a limited research 
        investment to expand the scope or coordinate efforts across 
        disciplines or work with the community to study the role of the 
        environment in the development of breast cancer.
            (9) In order to take full advantage of the tremendous 
        potential for avenues of prevention, the Federal investment in 
        the role of the environment and the development of breast 
        cancer should be expanded.

SEC. 3. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES; AWARDS FOR 
              DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATION OF RESEARCH CENTERS REGARDING 
              ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS RELATED TO BREAST CANCER.

    Subpart 12 of part C of title IV of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 285l et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following 
section:

 ``research centers regarding environmental factors related to breast 
                                 cancer

    ``Sec. 463B. (a) In General.--The Director of the Institute, after 
consultation with the advisory council for the Institute, shall make 
grants to public or nonprofit private entities for the development and 
operation of not more than eight centers for the purpose of conducting 
multidisciplinary research on environmental factors that may be related 
to the etiology of breast cancer. Each such center shall be known as a 
Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Center of Excellence.
    ``(b) Research, Training, and Information and Education.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each center under subsection (a) shall, 
        with respect to the purpose described in such subsection--
                    ``(A) conduct basic and clinical research;
                    ``(B) develop protocols for training physicians, 
                scientists, nurses, and other health and allied health 
                professionals;
                    ``(C) conduct training programs for such 
                individuals;
                    ``(D) develop model continuing education programs 
                for such professionals; and
                    ``(E) disseminate information to such professionals 
                and the public.
            ``(2) Stipends for training of health professionals.--A 
        center under subsection (a) may use funds under such subsection 
        to provide stipends for health and allied health professionals 
        enrolled in programs described in subparagraph (C) of paragraph 
        (1).
    ``(c) Collaboration With Community.--Each center under subsection 
(a) shall establish and maintain ongoing collaborations with community 
organizations in the geographic area served by the center, including 
those that represent women with breast cancer.
    ``(d) Coordination of Centers; Reports.--The Director of the 
Institute shall, as appropriate, provide for the coordination of 
information among centers under subsection (a) and ensure regular 
communication between such centers, and may require the periodic 
preparation of reports on the activities of the centers and the 
submission of the reports to the Director.
    ``(e) Required Consortium.--Each center under subsection (a) shall 
be formed from a consortium of cooperating institutions, meeting such 
requirements as may be prescribed by the Director of the Institute.
    ``(f) Duration of Support.--Support of a center under subsection 
(a) may be for a period not exceeding 5 years. Such period may be 
extended for one or more additional periods not exceeding 5 years if 
the operations of such center have been reviewed by an appropriate 
technical and scientific peer review group established by the Director 
of the Institute and if such group has recommended to the Director that 
such period should be extended.
    ``(g) Geographic Distribution of Centers.--The Director of the 
Institute shall, to the extent practicable, provide for an equitable 
geographical distribution of centers under this section.
    ``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying 
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $30,000,000 
for each of the fiscal years 2000 through 2005. Such authorization is 
in addition to any other authorization of appropriations that is 
available for such purpose.''.
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