[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4701 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4701

   To provide for scientific frameworks with respect to vector-borne 
                               diseases.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 21, 2014

 Mr. Gibson (for himself, Mr. Courtney, Mr. Peterson, Mr. Smith of New 
  Jersey, Mr. Wolf, and Mr. Barletta) introduced the following bill; 
       which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To provide for scientific frameworks with respect to vector-borne 
                               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 ``Vector-Borne Disease Research 
Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014''.

SEC. 2. SCIENTIFIC FRAMEWORK FOR VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES.

    Subpart 6 of part C of title IV of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 285f et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 447D. SCIENTIFIC FRAMEWORK FOR VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES.

    ``(a) Development of Scientific Framework for Vector-Borne 
Diseases.--
            ``(1) In general.--For each vector-borne disease identified 
        under subsection (b), the Directors shall develop a scientific 
        framework for the conduct or support of research on such 
        vector-borne disease.
            ``(2) Contents.--The scientific framework with respect to a 
        vector-borne disease shall include the following:
                    ``(A) Current status.--
                            ``(i) Comprehensive review of the 
                        literature.--A summary of findings from the 
                        current literature in the areas of--
                                    ``(I) the prevention, diagnosis, 
                                and treatment of acute and chronic 
                                vector-borne disease;
                                    ``(II) the fundamental 
                                environmental and biologic process that 
                                regulate acute and chronic vector-borne 
                                disease; and
                                    ``(III) the epidemiology of acute 
                                and chronic vector-borne disease.
                            ``(ii) Number of incidences 
                        internationally.--An assessment of the 
                        incidence of acute and chronic vector-borne 
                        disease reported internationally.
                            ``(iii) Scientific advances.--The 
                        identification of relevant and diverse emerging 
                        scientific areas, and promising scientific 
                        advances, in basic, translational, and clinical 
                        science relating to the areas described in 
                        subclauses (I) and (II) of clause (i).
                            ``(iv) Researchers.--A description of the 
                        availability of individuals who--
                                    ``(I) conduct scientific research 
                                in the areas described in clause (i); 
                                and
                                    ``(II) represent a diversity of 
                                scientific perspectives relevant to 
                                such areas.
                            ``(v) Coordinated research initiatives.--
                        The identification of the types of initiatives 
                        and partnerships for the coordination of 
                        intramural and extramural research of the 
                        National Institutes of Health and the Centers 
                        for Disease Control and Prevention in the areas 
                        described in clause (i) with research of the 
                        relevant national research institutes, Federal 
                        agencies, and non-Federal public and private 
                        entities in such areas.
                            ``(vi) Research resources.--The 
                        identification of public and private resources, 
                        such as patient registries, that are available 
                        to facilitate research relating to each of the 
                        areas described in clause (i).
                    ``(B) Identification of research questions.--The 
                identification of research questions relating to basic, 
                translational, and clinical science in the areas 
                described in subclauses (I) and (II) of subparagraph 
                (A)(i) that have not been adequately addressed with 
                respect to acute or chronic vector-borne disease.
                    ``(C) Recommendations.--Recommendations for 
                appropriate actions that should be taken to advance 
                research in the areas described in subparagraph (A)(i) 
                and to address the research questions identified in 
                subparagraph (B), as well as for appropriate benchmarks 
                to measure progress on achieving such action, including 
                the following:
                            ``(i) Researchers.--Ensuring adequate 
                        availability of individuals described in 
                        subparagraph (A)(iv).
                            ``(ii) Coordinated research initiatives.--
                        Promoting and developing initiatives and 
                        partnerships described in subparagraph (A)(v).
                            ``(iii) Research resources.--Developing 
                        additional public and private resources 
                        described in subparagraph (A)(vi) and 
                        strengthening existing resources.
            ``(3) Timing.--
                    ``(A) Initial development and subsequent update.--
                For each vector-borne disease identified under 
                subsection (b)(1), the Directors shall--
                            ``(i) develop a scientific framework under 
                        this subsection not later than 18 months after 
                        the date of the enactment of this section; and
                            ``(ii) review and update the scientific 
                        framework not later than 5 years after its 
                        initial development.
                    ``(B) Other updates.--The Directors may review and 
                update each scientific framework developed under this 
                subsection as necessary.
            ``(4) Public notice.--With respect to each scientific 
        framework developed under this subsection, not later than 30 
        days after the date of completion of the framework, the 
        Directors shall--
                    ``(A) submit such framework to the Committee on 
                Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Appropriations 
                of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on 
                Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the 
                Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and
                    ``(B) make such framework publicly available on the 
                Internet Web site of the Department of Health and Human 
                Services.
    ``(b) Identification of Vector-Borne Diseases.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than 6 months after the date 
        of the enactment of this section, the Directors shall identify 
        2 or more bacterial or parasitic vector-borne diseases that 
        each have a high incidence domestically.
            ``(2) Treating tick-borne diseases as a single vector-borne 
        disease.--For purposes of identifying vector-borne diseases 
        under this subsection and developing scientific frameworks for 
        such diseases under subsection (a), tick-borne diseases, 
        including Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases that are 
        known to be transmitted by ticks to humans in the United 
        States, shall be treated as a single vector-borne disease.
            ``(3) Additional vector-borne diseases.--Subject to 
        paragraph (2), the Directors may, at any time, identify other 
        vector-borne diseases for purposes of this section. In 
        identifying a vector-borne disease pursuant to the previous 
        sentence, the Directors may consider additional metrics of 
        progress against such type of vector-borne disease.
    ``(c) Working Groups.--
            ``(1) In general.--For each vector-borne disease identified 
        under subsection (b), the Directors shall convene a working 
        group in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. 
        The Directors (or their designees) shall participate in the 
        meetings of each such working group.
            ``(2) Members.--Each working group convened under this 
        subsection shall be comprised of the following members:
                    ``(A) One or more representatives of each of the 
                following:
                            ``(i) The National Institutes of Health.
                            ``(ii) The Centers for Disease Control and 
                        Prevention.
                            ``(iii) Other agencies or offices of the 
                        Department of Health and Human Services, as 
                        determined appropriate by the Directors.
                            ``(iv) Other Federal agencies, as 
                        determined appropriate by the Directors.
                    ``(B) One or more representatives of each of the 
                following categories:
                            ``(i) Physicians with experience in 
                        diagnosing and treating stages or 
                        manifestations of the relevant vector-borne 
                        disease.
                            ``(ii) Non-Federal scientists or 
                        researchers with expertise, and representing a 
                        diversity of perspectives, regarding the 
                        science pertaining to vector-borne diseases.
                            ``(iii) Patients and their family members.
                            ``(iv) Nonprofit organizations that 
                        advocate for patients by promoting education, 
                        services, or research.
                            ``(v) Other individuals whose expertise is 
                        determined by the Directors to be beneficial to 
                        the functioning of the working group.
                    ``(C) One individual appointed by the Speaker of 
                the House of Representatives.
                    ``(D) One individual appointed by the Majority 
                Leader of the Senate.
            ``(3) FACA sunset inapplicable.--Section 14(a) of the 
        Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.; relating to 
        termination of advisory committees) shall not apply to a 
        working group convened under paragraph (1).
            ``(4) Other working groups.--If the Directors, in addition 
        to convening the working groups required by this subsection, 
        choose to continue any working group on any vector-borne 
        disease in existence on the date of enactment of the Vector-
        Borne Disease Research Accountability and Transparency Act of 
        2014, any such working group is deemed to be an advisory 
        committee subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act.
    ``(d) Public Hearings.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Directors shall, within 60 days 
        after identifying a vector-borne disease under section (b), and 
        annually thereafter, convene public forums--
                    ``(A) to seek public input on the development of 
                the scientific framework for such vector-borne disease 
                under this section and progress in addressing related 
                chronic conditions; and
                    ``(B) to identify, and seek public input on, 
                potential emerging strains in species of pathogenic 
                organisms.
            ``(2) Participants.--The participants at the forums 
        convened under this subsection shall be researchers, 
        physicians, patients, and other members of the public.
    ``(e) Reporting.--
            ``(1) Biennial reports.--The Directors shall ensure that 
        each biennial report under section 403 includes information on 
        actions undertaken to carry out each scientific framework 
        developed under subsection (a) with respect to a vector-borne 
        disease, including the following:
                    ``(A) Information on research grants awarded by the 
                National Institutes of Health and the Centers for 
                Disease Control and Prevention for research relating to 
                such vector-borne disease.
                    ``(B) An assessment of the progress made in 
                improving outcomes.
            ``(2) Additional one-time reports.--
                    ``(A) Frameworks.--For each vector-borne disease 
                identified under subsection (b)(1), the Directors 
                shall, not later than 6 years after the initial 
                development of a scientific framework for such disease 
                under subsection (a), submit a report to the Congress 
                on the effectiveness of the framework (including the 
                update required by subsection (a)(3)(A)(ii)) in 
                improving the prevention, detection, diagnosis, and 
                treatment of such disease.
                    ``(B) Total number of working groups.--Not later 
                than 1 year after the date of enactment of this 
                section, the Directors shall submit a report to the 
                Congress identifying the total number of working groups 
                convened under this section.
    ``(f) Recommendations for Exception Funding.--The Directors shall 
consider each relevant scientific framework developed under subsection 
(a) when making recommendations for exception funding for grant 
applications.
    ``(g) Definition.--In this section:
            ``(1) The term `Directors' means the Director of NIH and 
        the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
        acting jointly.
            ``(2) The term `vector-borne disease' means an infection 
        transmitted to humans or other animals by ticks, mosquitoes, or 
        fleas, such as Lyme disease.''.
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