[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2506 Introduced in Senate (IS)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2506

 To require Federal agencies to support health impact assessments and 
 take other actions to improve health and the environmental quality of 
                  communities, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 4, 2006

   Mr. Obama (for himself, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. Clinton, and Mr. Kerry) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
          Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To require Federal agencies to support health impact assessments and 
 take other actions to improve health and the environmental quality of 
                  communities, 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 ``Healthy Places Act of 2006''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
            (2) Built environment.--The term ``built environment'' 
        means an environment consisting of all buildings, spaces, and 
        products that are created or modified by people, including--
                    (A) homes, schools, workplaces, parks and 
                recreation areas, greenways, business areas, and 
                transportation systems;
                    (B) electric transmission lines;
                    (C) waste disposal sites; and
                    (D) land-use planning and policies that impact 
                urban, rural, and suburban communities.
            (3) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
        the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
            (4) Environmental health.--The term ``environmental 
        health'' means the health and well-being of a population as 
        affected by--
                    (A) the direct pathological effects of chemicals, 
                radiation, and some biological agents; and
                    (B) the effects (often indirect) of the broad 
                physical, psychological, social, and aesthetic 
                environment.
            (5) Health impact assessment.--The term ``health impact 
        assessment'' means any combination of procedures, methods, 
        tools, and means used under section 4 to analyze the actual or 
        potential effects of a policy, program, or project on the 
        health of a population (including the distribution of those 
        effects within the population).
            (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Health and Human Services.

SEC. 3. INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Institute.--The term ``Institute'' means the Institute 
        of Medicine of the National Academies of Science.
            (2) IWG.--The term ``IWG'' means the interagency working 
        group established under subsection (b).
    (b) Establishment.--The Secretary, in coordination with the 
Administrator, shall establish an interagency working group to discuss 
environmental health concerns, particularly concerns disproportionately 
affecting disadvantaged populations.
    (c) Membership.--The IWG shall be composed of a representative from 
each Federal agency (as appointed by the head of the agency) that has 
jurisdiction over, or is affected by, environmental policies and 
projects, including--
            (1) the Council on Environmental Quality;
            (2) the Department of Agriculture;
            (3) the Department of Commerce;
            (4) the Department of Defense;
            (5) the Department of Education;
            (6) the Department of Energy;
            (7) the Department of Health and Human Services;
            (8) the Department of Housing and Urban Development;
            (9) the Department of the Interior;
            (10) the Department of Justice;
            (11) the Department of Labor;
            (12) the Department of State;
            (13) the Department of Transportation;
            (14) the Environmental Protection Agency; and
            (15) such other Federal agencies as the Administrator and 
        the Secretary jointly determine to be appropriate.
    (d) Duties.--The IWG shall--
            (1) facilitate communication and partnership on 
        environmental health-related projects and policies--
                    (A) to generate a better understanding of the 
                interactions between policy areas; and
                    (B) to raise awareness of the relevance of health 
                across policy areas to ensure that the potential 
                positive and negative health consequences of decisions 
                are not overlooked;
            (2) serve as a centralized mechanism to coordinate a 
        national effort--
                    (A) to discuss and evaluate evidence and knowledge 
                on the relationship between the general environment and 
                the health of the population of the United States;
                    (B) to determine the range of effective, feasible, 
                and comprehensive actions to improve environmental 
                health; and
                    (C) to examine and better address the influence of 
                social and environmental determinants of health;
            (3) survey Federal agencies to determine which policies are 
        effective in encouraging, and how best to facilitate outreach 
        without duplicating, efforts relating to environmental health 
        promotion;
            (4) establish specific goals within and across Federal 
        agencies for environmental health promotion, including 
        determinations of accountability for reaching those goals;
            (5) develop a strategy for allocating responsibilities and 
        ensuring participation in environmental health promotions, 
        particularly in the case of competing agency priorities;
            (6) coordinate plans to communicate research results 
        relating to environmental health to enable reporting and 
        outreach activities to produce more useful and timely 
        information;
            (7) establish an interdisciplinary committee to continue 
        research efforts to further understand the relationship between 
        the built environment and health factors (including air 
        quality, physical activity levels, housing quality, access to 
        primary health care practitioners and health care facilities, 
        injury risk, and availability of nutritional, fresh food) that 
        coordinates the expertise of the public health, urban planning, 
        and transportation communities;
            (8) develop an appropriate research agenda for Federal 
        agencies--
                    (A) to support--
                            (i) longitudinal studies;
                            (ii) rapid-response capability to evaluate 
                        natural conditions and occurrences; and
                            (iii) extensions of national databases; and
                    (B) to review evaluation and economic data relating 
                to the impact of Federal interventions on the 
                prevention of environmental health concerns;
            (9) initiate environmental health impact demonstration 
        projects to develop integrated place-based models for 
        addressing community quality-of-life issues;
            (10) provide a description of evidence-based best 
        practices, model programs, effective guidelines, and other 
        strategies for promoting environmental health;
            (11) make recommendations to improve Federal efforts 
        relating to environmental health promotion and to ensure 
        Federal efforts are consistent with available standards and 
        evidence and other programs in existence as of the date of 
        enactment of this Act;
            (12) monitor Federal progress in meeting specific 
        environmental health promotion goals;
            (13) assist in ensuring, to the maximum extent practicable, 
        integration of the impact of environmental policies, programs, 
        and activities on the areas under Federal jurisdiction;
            (14) assist in the implementation of the recommendations 
        from the reports of the Institute of Medicine entitled ``Does 
        the Built Environment Influence Physical Activity? Examining 
        the Evidence'' and dated January 11, 2005, and ``Rebuilding the 
        Unity of Health and the Environment: A New Vision of 
        Environmental Health for the 21st Century'' and dated January 
        22, 2001, including recommendations for--
                    (A) the expansion of national public health and 
                travel surveys to provide more detailed information 
                about the connection between the built environment and 
                health, including expansion of such surveys as--
                            (i) the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance 
                        System, the National Health and Nutrition 
                        Examination Survey, and the National Health 
                        Interview Survey conducted by the Centers for 
                        Disease Control and Prevention;
                            (ii) the American Community survey 
                        conducted by the Census Bureau;
                            (iii) the American Time Use Survey 
                        conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics;
                            (iv) the Youth Risk Behavior Survey 
                        conducted by the Centers for Disease Control 
                        and Prevention; and
                            (v) the National Longitudinal Cohort Survey 
                        of American Children (the National Children's 
                        Study) conducted by the National Institute of 
                        Child Health and Human Development;
                    (B) collaboration with national initiatives to 
                learn from natural experiments such as observations 
                from changes in the built environment and the 
                consequent effects on health;
                    (C) development of a program of research with a 
                defined mission and recommended budget, concentrating 
                on multiyear projects and enhanced data collection;
                    (D) development of interdisciplinary education 
                programs--
                            (i) to train professionals in conducting 
                        recommended research; and
                            (ii) to prepare practitioners with 
                        appropriate skills at the intersection of 
                        physical activity, public health, 
                        transportation, and urban planning;
            (15) not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of 
        this Act, submit to Congress a report that describes the extent 
        to which recommendations from the Institute of Medicine reports 
        described in paragraph (14) were executed; and
            (16) assist the Director with the development of guidance 
        for the assessment of the potential health effects of land use, 
        housing, and transportation policy and plans.
    (e) Meetings.--
            (1) In general.--The IWG shall meet at least 3 times each 
        year.
            (2) Annual conference.--The Secretary, acting through the 
        Director and in collaboration with the Administrator, shall 
        sponsor an annual conference on environmental health and health 
        disparities to enhance coordination, build partnerships, and 
        share best practices in environmental health data collection, 
        analysis, and reporting.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section.

SEC. 4. HEALTH IMPACT ASSESSMENTS.

    (a) Definition of Eligible Entity.--In this section, the term 
``eligible entity'' means any unit of State or local government the 
jurisdiction of which includes individuals or populations the health of 
which are or will be affected by an activity or a proposed activity.
    (b) Establishment.--The Secretary, acting through the Director and 
in collaboration with the Administrator, shall--
            (1) establish a program at the National Center of 
        Environmental Health at the Centers for Disease Control and 
        Prevention focused on advancing the field of health impact 
        assessment, including--
                    (A) collecting and disseminating best practices;
                    (B) administering capacity building grants, in 
                accordance with subsection (d);
                    (C) providing technical assistance;
                    (D) providing training;
                    (E) conducting evaluations; and
                    (F) awarding competitive extramural research 
                grants;
            (2) in accordance with subsection (f), develop guidance to 
        conduct health impact assessments; and
            (3) establish a grant program to allow eligible entities to 
        conduct health impact assessments.
    (c) Guidance.--The Director, in collaboration with the IWG, shall--
            (1) develop guidance for the assessment of the potential 
        health effects of land use, housing, and transportation policy 
        and plans, including--
                    (A) background on international efforts to bridge 
                urban planning and public health institutions and 
                disciplines, including a review of health impact 
                assessment best practices internationally;
                    (B) evidence-based causal pathways that link urban 
                planning, transportation, and housing policy and 
                objectives to human health objectives;
                    (C) data resources and quantitative and qualitative 
                forecasting methods to evaluate both the status of 
                health determinants and health effects; and
                    (D) best practices for inclusive public involvement 
                in planning decision-making;
            (2) not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
        this Act, promulgate the guidance; and
            (3) present the guidance to the public at the annual 
        conference described in section 3(e)(2).
    (d) Grant Program.--The Secretary, acting through the Director and 
in collaboration with the Administrator, shall establish a program 
under which the Secretary shall provide funding and technical 
assistance to eligible entities to prepare health impact assessments--
            (1) to ensure that appropriate health factors are taken 
        into consideration as early as practicable during any planning, 
        review, or decision-making process; and
            (2) to evaluate the effect on the health of individuals and 
        populations, and on social and economic development, of 
        decisions made outside of the health sector that result in 
        modifications of a physical or social environment.
    (e) Applications.--
            (1) In general.--To receive a grant under this section, an 
        eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an application in 
        accordance with this subsection, in such time, in such manner, 
        and containing such additional information as the Secretary may 
        require.
            (2) Inclusion.--
                    (A) In general.--An application under this 
                subsection shall include an assessment by the eligible 
                entity of the probability that an applicable activity 
                or proposed activity will have at least 1 significant, 
                adverse health effect on an individual or population in 
                the jurisdiction of the eligible entity, based on the 
                criteria described in subparagraph (B).
                    (B) Criteria.--The criteria referred to in 
                subparagraph (A) include, with respect to the 
                applicable activity or proposed activity--
                            (i) any substantial adverse effect on--
                                    (I) existing air quality, ground or 
                                surface water quality or quantity, or 
                                traffic or noise levels;
                                    (II) a significant habitat area;
                                    (III) physical activity;
                                    (IV) injury;
                                    (V) mental health;
                                    (VI) social capital;
                                    (VII) accessibility;
                                    (VIII) the character or quality of 
                                an important historical, archeological, 
                                architectural, or aesthetic resource 
                                (including neighborhood character) of 
                                the community of the eligible entity; 
                                or
                                    (IX) any other natural resource;
                            (ii) any increase in--
                                    (I) solid waste production; or
                                    (II) problems relating to erosion, 
                                flooding, leaching, or drainage;
                            (iii) any requirement that a large quantity 
                        of vegetation or fauna be removed or destroyed;
                            (iv) any conflict with the plans or goals 
                        of the community of the eligible entity;
                            (v) any major change in the quantity or 
                        type of energy used by the community of the 
                        eligible entity;
                            (vi) any hazard presented to human health;
                            (vii) any substantial change in the use, or 
                        intensity of use, of land in the jurisdiction 
                        of the eligible entity, including agricultural, 
                        open space, and recreational uses;
                            (viii) the probability that the activity or 
                        proposed activity will result in an increase in 
                        tourism in the jurisdiction of the eligible 
                        entity;
                            (ix) any substantial, adverse aggregate 
                        impact on environmental health resulting from--
                                    (I) changes caused by the activity 
                                or proposed activity to 2 or more 
                                elements of the environment; or
                                    (II) 2 or more related actions 
                                carried out under the activity or 
                                proposed activity; and
                            (x) any other significant change of 
                        concern, as determined by the eligible entity.
                    (C) Factors for consideration.--In making an 
                assessment under subparagraph (A), an eligible entity 
                may take into consideration any reasonable, direct, 
                indirect, or cumulative effect relating to the 
                applicable activity or proposed activity, including the 
                effect of any action that is--
                            (i) included in the long-range plan 
                        relating to the activity or proposed activity;
                            (ii) likely to be carried out in 
                        coordination with the activity or proposed 
                        activity;
                            (iii) dependent on the occurrence of the 
                        activity or proposed activity; or
                            (iv) likely to have a disproportionate 
                        impact on disadvantaged populations.
    (f) Use of Funds.--
            (1) In general.--An eligible entity shall use assistance 
        received under this section to prepare and submit to the 
        Secretary a health impact assessment in accordance with this 
        subsection.
            (2) Purposes.--The purposes of a health impact assessment 
        are--
                    (A) to facilitate the involvement of State and 
                local health officials in community planning and land 
                use decisions to identify any potential health concern 
                relating to an activity or proposed activity;
                    (B) to provide for an investigation of any health-
                related issue addressed in an environmental impact 
                statement or policy appraisal relating to an activity 
                or a proposed activity;
                    (C) to describe and compare alternatives (including 
                no-action alternatives) to an activity or a proposed 
                activity to provide clarification with respect to the 
                costs and benefits of the activity or proposed 
                activity; and
                    (D) to contribute to the findings of an 
                environmental impact statement with respect to the 
                terms and conditions of implementing an activity or a 
                proposed activity, as necessary.
            (3) Requirements.--A health impact assessment prepared 
        under this subsection shall--
                    (A) describe the relevance of the applicable 
                activity or proposed activity (including the policy of 
                the activity) with respect to health issues;
                    (B) assess each health impact of the applicable 
                activity or proposed activity;
                    (C) provide recommendations of the eligible entity 
                with respect to--
                            (i) the mitigation of any adverse impact on 
                        health of the applicable activity or proposed 
                        activity; or
                            (ii) the encouragement of any positive 
                        impact of the applicable activity or proposed 
                        activity;
                    (D) provide for monitoring of the impacts on health 
                of the applicable activity or proposed activity, as the 
                eligible entity determines to be appropriate; and
                    (E) include a list of each comment received with 
                respect to the health impact assessment under 
                subsection (e).
            (4) Methodology.--In preparing a health impact assessment 
        under this subsection, an eligible entity--
                    (A) shall follow guidelines developed by the 
                Director, in collaboration with the IWG, that--
                            (i) are consistent with subsection (c);
                            (ii) will be established not later than 1 
                        year after the date of enactment of this Act; 
                        and
                            (iii) will be made publicly available at 
                        the annual conference described in section 
                        3(e)(2); and
                    (B) may establish a balance, as the eligible entity 
                determines to be appropriate, between the use of--
                            (i) rigorous methods requiring special 
                        skills or increased use of resources; and
                            (ii) expedient, cost-effective measures.
    (g) Public Participation.--
            (1) In general.--Before preparing and submitting to the 
        Secretary a final health impact assessment, an eligible entity 
        shall request and take into consideration public and agency 
        comments, in accordance with this subsection.
            (2) Requirement.--Not later than 30 days after the date on 
        which a draft health impact assessment is completed, an 
        eligible entity shall submit the draft health impact assessment 
        to each Federal agency, and each State and local organization, 
        that--
                    (A) has jurisdiction with respect to the activity 
                or proposed activity to which the health impact 
                assessment applies;
                    (B) has special knowledge with respect to an 
                environmental or health impact of the activity or 
                proposed activity; or
                    (C) is authorized to develop or enforce any 
                environmental standard relating to the activity or 
                proposed activity.
            (3) Comments requested.--
                    (A) Request by eligible entity.--An eligible entity 
                may request comments with respect to a health impact 
                assessment from--
                            (i) affected Indian tribes;
                            (ii) interested or affected individuals or 
                        organizations; and
                            (iii) any other State or local agency, as 
                        the eligible entity determines to be 
                        appropriate.
                    (B) Request by others.--Any interested or affected 
                agency, organization, or individual may--
                            (i) request an opportunity to comment on a 
                        health impact assessment; and
                            (ii) submit to the appropriate eligible 
                        entity comments with respect to the health 
                        impact assessment by not later than--
                                    (I) for a Federal, State, or local 
                                government agency or organization, the 
                                date on which a final health impact 
                                assessment is prepared; and
                                    (II) for any other individual or 
                                organization, the date described in 
                                subclause (I) or another date, as the 
                                eligible entity may determine.
            (4) Response to comments.--A final health impact assessment 
        shall describe the response of the eligible entity to comments 
        received within a 90-day period under this subsection, 
        including--
                    (A) a description of any means by which the 
                eligible entity, as a result of such a comment--
                            (i) modified an alternative recommended 
                        with respect to the applicable activity or 
                        proposed activity;
                            (ii) developed and evaluated any 
                        alternative not previously considered by the 
                        eligible entity;
                            (iii) supplemented, improved, or modified 
                        an analysis of the eligible entity; or
                            (iv) made any factual correction to the 
                        health impact assessment; and
                    (B) for any comment with respect to which the 
                eligible entity took no action, an explanation of the 
                reasons why no action was taken and, if appropriate, a 
                description of the circumstances under which the 
                eligible entity would take such an action.
    (h) Health Impact Assessment Database.--The Secretary, acting 
through the Director and in collaboration with the Administrator, shall 
establish and maintain a health impact assessment database, including--
            (1) a catalog of health impact assessments received under 
        this section;
            (2) an inventory of tools used by eligible entities to 
        prepare draft and final health impact assessments; and
            (3) guidance for eligible entities with respect to the 
        selection of appropriate tools described in paragraph (2).
    (i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as are necessary.

SEC. 5. GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
        the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, acting in 
        collaboration with the Administrator and the Director of the 
        National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
            (2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a 
        State or local community that--
                    (A) bears a disproportionate burden of exposure to 
                environmental health hazards;
                    (B) has established a coalition--
                            (i) with not less than 1 community-based 
                        organization; and
                            (ii) with not less than 1--
                                    (I) public health entity;
                                    (II) health care provider 
                                organization; or
                                    (III) academic institution;
                    (C) ensures planned activities and funding streams 
                are coordinated to improve community health; and
                    (D) submits an application in accordance with 
                subsection (c).
    (b) Establishment.--The Director shall establish a grant program 
under which eligible entities shall receive grants to conduct 
environmental health improvement activities.
    (c) Application.--To receive a grant under this section, an 
eligible entity shall submit an application to the Director at such 
time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the 
Director may require.
    (d) Cooperative Agreements.--An eligible entity may use a grant 
under this section--
            (1) to promote environmental health; and
            (2) to address environmental health disparities.
    (e) Amount of Cooperative Agreement.--
            (1) In general.--The Director shall award grants to 
        eligible entities at the 2 different funding levels described 
        in this subsection.
            (2) Level 1 cooperative agreements.--
                    (A) In general.--An eligible entity awarded a grant 
                under this paragraph shall use the funds to identify 
                environmental health problems and solutions by--
                            (i) establishing a planning and 
                        prioritizing council in accordance with 
                        subparagraph (B); and
                            (ii) conducting an environmental health 
                        assessment in accordance with subparagraph (C).
                    (B) Planning and prioritizing council.--
                            (i) In general.--A prioritizing and 
                        planning council established under subparagraph 
                        (A)(i) (referred to in this paragraph as a 
                        ``PPC'') shall assist the environmental health 
                        assessment process and environmental health 
                        promotion activities of the eligible entity.
                            (ii) Membership.--Membership of a PPC shall 
                        consist of representatives from various 
                        organizations within public health, planning, 
                        development, and environmental services and 
                        shall include stakeholders from vulnerable 
                        groups such as children, the elderly, disabled, 
                        and minority ethnic groups that are often not 
                        actively involved in democratic or decision-
                        making processes.
                            (iii) Duties.--A PPC shall--
                                    (I) identify key stakeholders and 
                                engage and coordinate potential 
                                partners in the planning process;
                                    (II) establish a formal advisory 
                                group to plan for the establishment of 
                                services;
                                    (III) conduct an in-depth review of 
                                the nature and extent of the need for 
                                an environmental health assessment, 
                                including a local epidemiological 
                                profile, an evaluation of the service 
                                provider capacity of the community, and 
                                a profile of any target populations; 
                                and
                                    (IV) define the components of care 
                                and form essential programmatic 
                                linkages with related providers in the 
                                community.
                    (C) Environmental health assessment.--
                            (i) In general.--A PPC shall carry out an 
                        environmental health assessment to identify 
                        environmental health concerns.
                            (ii) Assessment process.--The PPC shall--
                                    (I) define the goals of the 
                                assessment;
                                    (II) generate the environmental 
                                health issue list;
                                    (III) analyze issues with a systems 
                                framework;
                                    (IV) develop appropriate community 
                                environmental health indicators;
                                    (V) rank the environmental health 
                                issues;
                                    (VI) set priorities for action;
                                    (VII) develop an action plan;
                                    (VIII) implement the plan; and
                                    (IX) evaluate progress and planning 
                                for the future.
                    (D) Evaluation.--Each eligible entity that receives 
                a grant under this paragraph shall evaluate, report, 
                and disseminate program findings and outcomes.
                    (E) Technical assistance.--The Director may provide 
                such technical and other non-financial assistance to 
                eligible entities as the Director determines to be 
                necessary.
            (3) Level 2 cooperative agreements.--
                    (A) Eligibility.--
                            (i) In general.--The Director shall award 
                        grants under this paragraph to eligible 
                        entities that have already--
                                    (I) established broad-based 
                                collaborative partnerships; and
                                    (II) completed environmental 
                                assessments.
                            (ii) No level 1 requirement.--To be 
                        eligible to receive a grant under this 
                        paragraph, an eligible entity is not required 
                        to have successfully completed a Level 1 
                        Cooperative Agreement (as described in 
                        paragraph (2).
                    (B) Use of grant funds.--An eligible entity awarded 
                a grant under this paragraph shall use the funds to 
                further activities to carry out environmental health 
                improvement activities, including--
                            (i) addressing community environmental 
                        health priorities in accordance with paragraph 
                        (2)(C)(ii), including--
                                    (I) air quality;
                                    (II) water quality;
                                    (III) solid waste;
                                    (IV) land use;
                                    (V) housing;
                                    (VI) food safety;
                                    (VII) crime;
                                    (VIII) injuries; and
                                    (IX) healthcare services;
                            (ii) building partnerships between 
                        planning, public health, and other sectors, to 
                        address how the built environment impacts food 
                        availability and access and physical activity 
                        to promote healthy behaviors and lifestyles and 
                        reduce obesity and related co-morbidities;
                            (iii) establishing programs to address--
                                    (I) how environmental and social 
                                conditions of work and living choices 
                                influence physical activity and dietary 
                                intake; or
                                    (II) how those conditions influence 
                                the concerns and needs of people who 
                                have impaired mobility and use 
                                assistance devices, including 
                                wheelchairs and lower limb prostheses; 
                                and
                            (iv) convening intervention programs that 
                        examine the role of the social environment in 
                        connection with the physical and chemical 
                        environment in--
                                    (I) determining access to 
                                nutritional food; and
                                    (II) improving physical activity to 
                                reduce morbidity and increase quality 
                                of life.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section--
            (1) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; and
            (2) such sums as are necessary for the period of fiscal 
        years 2008 through 2011.

SEC. 6. ADDITIONAL RESEARCH ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE BUILT 
              ENVIRONMENT AND THE HEALTH OF COMMUNITY RESIDENTS.

    (a) Definition of Eligible Institution.--In this section, the term 
``eligible institution'' means a public or private nonprofit 
institution that submits to the Secretary and the Administrator an 
application for a grant under the grant program authorized under 
subsection (b)(2) at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
agreements, assurances, and information as the Secretary and 
Administrator may require.
    (b) Research Grant Program.--
            (1) Definition of health.--In this section, the term 
        ``health'' includes--
                    (A) levels of physical activity;
                    (B) consumption of nutritional foods;
                    (C) rates of crime;
                    (D) air, water, and soil quality;
                    (E) risk of injury;
                    (F) accessibility to healthcare services; and
                    (G) other indicators as determined appropriate by 
                the Secretary.
            (2) Grants.--The Secretary, in collaboration with the 
        Administrator, shall provide grants to eligible institutions to 
        conduct and coordinate research on the built environment and 
        its influence on individual and population-based health.
            (3) Research.--The Secretary shall support research that--
                    (A) investigates and defines the causal links 
                between all aspects of the built environment and the 
                health of residents;
                    (B) examines--
                            (i) the extent of the impact of the built 
                        environment (including the various 
                        characteristics of the built environment) on 
                        the health of residents;
                            (ii) the variance in the health of 
                        residents by--
                                    (I) location (such as inner cities, 
                                inner suburbs, and outer suburbs); and
                                    (II) population subgroup (such as 
                                children, the elderly, the 
                                disadvantaged); or
                            (iii) the importance of the built 
                        environment to the total health of residents, 
                        which is the primary variable of interest from 
                        a public health perspective;
                    (C) is used to develop--
                            (i) measures to address health and the 
                        connection of health to the built environment; 
                        and
                            (ii) efforts to link the measures to travel 
                        and health databases;
                    (D) distinguishes carefully between personal 
                attitudes and choices and external influences on 
                observed behavior to determine how much an observed 
                association between the built environment and the 
                health of residents, versus the lifestyle preferences 
                of the people that choose to live in the neighborhood, 
                reflects the physical characteristics of the 
                neighborhood; and
                    (E)(i) identifies or develops effective 
                intervention strategies to promote better health among 
                residents with a focus on behavioral interventions and 
                enhancements of the built environment that promote 
                increased use by residents; and
                    (ii) in developing the intervention strategies 
                under clause (i), ensures that the intervention 
                strategies will reach out to high-risk populations, 
                including low-income urban and rural communities.
            (4) Priority.--In providing assistance under the grant 
        program authorized under paragraph (2), the Secretary and the 
        Administrator shall give priority to research that 
        incorporates--
                    (A) interdisciplinary approaches; or
                    (B) the expertise of the public health, physical 
                activity, urban planning, and transportation research 
                communities in the United States and abroad.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section.
                                 <all>