[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 75 (Monday, May 24, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5862-S5863]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. LOTT:
  S. 1110. A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish 
the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Engineering; to the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.


national institute of biomedical imaging and engineering establishment 
                                  act

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I am pleased to introduce today the National 
Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Engineering Establishment Act. The 
bill would create a concentrated focus at the National Institutes of 
Health (NIH) on biomedical imaging and bioengineering.
  Imaging has been on the forefront of many of our advances in early 
diagnosis and treatment of disease. Innovative technologies have 
greatly reduced the need for invasive surgery and provided a remarkable 
tool for early detection of disease. Breakthroughs in imaging research 
have direct application to advances in molecular biology and molecular 
genetics, accelerating the development of new gene therapies and 
genetic screening.
  Despite the revolutionary influence of imaging on both research and 
treatment, the NIH traditionally has not concentrated basic research 
efforts on the imaging sciences. The bill I am introducing today 
ensures that research is not only focused in this important field, but 
that its applications are disseminated across disease fields. The bill 
also encourages information sharing among federal agencies. Many 
agencies, such as NASA, do basic imaging research. We should be 
committed to ensuring that all advances that have applications in our 
fight against disease are shared with our medical community.
  I am proud of the commitment that this Congress has made to the 
National Institutes of Health. We have demonstrated our determination 
to provide increased federal resources in the fight against disease. I 
believe that the establishment of a National Institute of Biomedical 
Imaging and Engineering will compliment those efforts.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1110

       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 Institute of 
     Biomedical Imaging and Engineering Establishment Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       The Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) Basic research in imaging, bioengineering, computer 
     science, informatics, and related fields is critical to 
     improving health care but is fundamentally different from the 
     research in molecular biology on which the current national 
     research institutes at the National Institutes of Health 
     (referred to in this section as the ``NIH'') are based. To 
     ensure the development of new techniques and technologies for 
     the 21st century, these disciplines therefore require an 
     identity and research home at the NIH that is independent of 
     the existing institute structure.
       (2) Advances based on medical research promise new, more 
     effective treatments for a wide variety of diseases, but the 
     development of new, noninvasive imaging techniques for 
     earlier detection and diagnosis of disease is essential to 
     take full advantage of such new treatments and to promote the 
     general improvement of health care.
       (3) The development of advanced genetic and molecular 
     imaging techniques is necessary to continue the current rapid 
     pace of discovery in molecular biology.
       (4) Advances in telemedicine, and teleradiology in 
     particular, are increasingly important in the delivery of 
     high quality, reliable medical care to rural citizens and 
     other underserved populations. To fulfill the promise of 
     telemedicine and related technologies fully, a structure is 
     needed at the NIH to support basic research focused on the 
     acquisition, transmission, processing, and optimal display of 
     images.
       (5) A number of Federal departments and agencies support 
     imaging and engineering research with potential medical 
     applications, but a central coordinating body, preferably 
     housed at the NIH, is needed to coordinate these disparate 
     efforts and facilitate the transfer of technologies with 
     medical applications.
       (6) Several breakthrough imaging technologies, including 
     magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography 
     (CT), have been developed primarily abroad, in large part 
     because of the absence of a home at the NIH for basic 
     research in imaging and related fields. The establishment of 
     a central focus for imaging and bioengineering research at 
     the NIH would promote both scientific advance and U.S. 
     economic development.
       (7) At a time when a consensus exists to add significant 
     resources to the NIH in coming years, it is appropriate to 
     modernize the structure of the NIH to ensure that research 
     dollars are expended more effectively and efficiently and 
     that the fields of medical science that have contributed the 
     most to the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of disease in 
     recent years receive appropriate emphasis.
       (8) The establishment of a National Institute of Biomedical 
     Imaging and Engineering at the NIH would accelerate the 
     development of new technologies with clinical and research 
     applications, improve coordination and efficiency at the NIH 
     and throughout the Federal Government, reduce duplication and 
     waste, lay the foundation for a new medical

[[Page S5863]]

     information age, promote economic development, and provide a 
     structure to train the young researchers who will make the 
     pathbreaking discoveries of the next century.

     SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF BIOMEDICAL 
                   IMAGING AND ENGINEERING.

       (a) In General.--Part C of title IV of the Public Health 
     Service Act (42 U.S.C. 285 et seq.) is amended by adding at 
     the end the following:

 ``Subpart 18--National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Engineering

     ``SEC. 464Z. PURPOSE OF THE INSTITUTE.

       ``(a) In general.--The general purpose of the National 
     Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Engineering (in this 
     section referred to as the `Institute') is the conduct and 
     support of research, training, the dissemination of health 
     information, and other programs with respect to biomedical 
     imaging, biomedical engineering, and associated technologies 
     and modalities with biomedical applications (in this section 
     referred to as `biomedical imaging and engineering').
       ``(b) National Biomedical Imaging and Engineering 
     Program.--
       ``(1) Establishment.--The Director of the Institute, with 
     the advice of the Institute's advisory council, shall 
     establish a National Biomedical Imaging and Engineering 
     Program (in this section referred to as the `Program').
       ``(2) Activities.--Activities under the Program shall 
     include the following with respect to biomedical imaging and 
     engineering:
       ``(A) Research into the development of new techniques and 
     devices.
       ``(B) Related research in physics, engineering, 
     mathematics, computer science, and other disciplines.
       ``(C) Technology assessments and outcomes studies to 
     evaluate the effectiveness of biologics, materials, 
     processes, devices, procedures, and informatics.
       ``(D) Research in screening for diseases and disorders.
       ``(E) The advancement of existing imaging and engineering 
     modalities, including imaging, biomaterials, and informatics.
       ``(F) The development of target-specific agents to enhance 
     images and to identify and delineate disease.
       ``(G) The development of advanced engineering and imaging 
     technologies and techniques for research from the molecular 
     and genetic to the whole organ and body levels.
       ``(H) The development of new techniques and devices for 
     more effective interventional procedures (such as image-
     guided interventions).
       ``(3) Plan.--
       ``(A) In general.--With respect to the Program, the 
     Director of the Institute shall prepare and transmit to the 
     Secretary and the Director of NIH a plan to initiate, expand, 
     intensify, and coordinate activities of the Institute with 
     respect to biomedical imaging and engineering. The plan shall 
     include such comments and recommendations as the Director of 
     the Institute determines appropriate. The Director of the 
     Institute shall periodically review and revise the plan and 
     shall transmit any revisions of the plan to the Secretary and 
     the Director of NIH.
       ``(B) Recommendations.--The plan under subparagraph (A) 
     shall include the recommendations of the Director of the 
     Institute with respect to the following:
       ``(i) Where appropriate, the consolidation of programs of 
     the National Institutes of Health for the express purpose of 
     enhancing support of activities regarding basic biomedical 
     imaging and engineering research.
       ``(ii) The coordination of the activities of the Institute 
     with related activities of the other agencies of the National 
     Institutes of Health and with related activities of other 
     Federal agencies.
       ``(c) Advisory Council.--The establishment under section 
     406 of an advisory council for the Institute is subject to 
     the following:
       ``(1) The number of members appointed by the Secretary 
     shall be 12.
       ``(2) Of such members--
       ``(A) 6 members shall be scientists, engineers, physicians, 
     and other health professionals who represent disciplines in 
     biomedical imaging and engineering and who are not officers 
     or employees of the United States; and
       ``(B) 6 members shall be scientists, engineers, physicians, 
     and other health professionals who represent other 
     disciplines and are knowledgeable about the applications of 
     biomedical imaging and engineering in medicine, and who are 
     not officers or employees of the United States.
       ``(3) Ex officio members.--In addition to the ex officio 
     members specified in section 406(b)(2), the ex officio 
     members of the advisory council shall include the Director of 
     the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Director 
     of the National Science Foundation, and the Director of the 
     National Institute of Standards and Technology (or the 
     designees of such officers).
       ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--
       ``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), for the 
     purpose of carrying out this section:
       ``(A) For fiscal year 2000, there is authorized to be 
     appropriated an amount equal to the amount obligated by the 
     National Institutes of Health during fiscal year 1999 for 
     biomedical imaging and engineering, except that such amount 
     shall be adjusted to offset any inflation occurring after 
     October 1, 1998.
       ``(B) For each of the fiscal years 2001 and 2002, there is 
     authorized to be appropriated an amount equal to the amount 
     appropriated under subparagraph (A) for fiscal year 2000, 
     except that such amount shall be adjusted for the fiscal year 
     involved to offset any inflation occurring after October 1, 
     1999.
       ``(2) Reduction.--The authorization of appropriations for a 
     fiscal year under paragraph (1) is hereby reduced by the 
     amount of any appropriation made for such year for the 
     conduct or support by any other national research institute 
     of any program with respect to biomedical imaging and 
     engineering.''.
       (b) Use of Existing Resources.--In providing for the 
     establishment of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging 
     and Engineering pursuant to the amendment made by subsection 
     (a), the Director of the National Institutes of Health 
     (referred to in this subsection as the ``NIH'')--
       (1) may transfer to the National Institute of Biomedical 
     Imaging and Engineering such personnel of the NIH as the 
     Director determines to be appropriate;
       (2) may, for quarters for such Institute, utilize such 
     facilities of the NIH as the Director determines to be 
     appropriate; and
       (3) may obtain administrative support for the Institute 
     from the other agencies of the NIH, including the other 
     national research institutes.
       (c) Construction of Facilities.--None of the provisions of 
     this Act or the amendments made by the Act may be construed 
     as authorizing the construction of facilities, or the 
     acquisition of land, for purposes of the establishment or 
     operation of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and 
     Engineering.
       (d) Date Certain for Establishment of Advisory Council.--
     Not later than 90 days after the effective date of this Act, 
     the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall complete the 
     establishment of an advisory council for the National 
     Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Engineering in accordance 
     with section 406 of the Public Health Service Act and in 
     accordance with section 464Z of such Act (as added by 
     subsection (a) of this section).
       (e) Conforming Amendment.--Section 401(b)(1) of the Public 
     Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 281(b)(1)) is amended by adding 
     at the end the following:
       ``(R) The National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and 
     Engineering.''.

     SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.

       This Act shall take effect on October 1, 1999, or upon the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, whichever occurs later.
                                 ______