[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 117 (Tuesday, September 17, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H6262-H6268]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   WOMEN'S HEALTH OFFICE ACT OF 2002

  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1784) to establish an Office on Women's Health within the 
Department of Health and Human Services, and for other purposes, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1784

       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 ``Women's Health Office Act of 
     2002''.

     SEC. 2. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES OFFICE ON WOMEN'S HEALTH.

       (a) Establishment.--Part A of title II of the Public Health 
     Service Act (42 U.S.C. 202 et seq.) is amended by adding at 
     the end the following:


          ``health and human services office on women's health

       ``Sec. 229. (a) Establishment of Office.--The Secretary 
     shall establish through the last date for which 
     appropriations are authorized under subsection (e), within 
     the Office of the Secretary, an Office on Women's Health 
     (referred to in this section as the `Office'). The Office 
     shall be headed by a Deputy Assistant Secretary for Women's 
     Health.
       ``(b) Duties.--The Secretary, acting through the Office, 
     with respect to the health concerns of women, shall--
       ``(1) establish short-range and long-range goals and 
     objectives within the Department of Health and Human Services 
     and, as relevant and appropriate, coordinate with other 
     appropriate offices on activities within the Department that 
     relate to disease prevention, health promotion, service 
     delivery, research, and public and health care professional 
     education, for issues of particular concern to women;
       ``(2) provide expert advice and consultation to the 
     Secretary concerning scientific, legal, ethical, and policy 
     issues relating to women's health;
       ``(3) monitor the Department of Health and Human Services' 
     offices, agencies, and regional activities regarding women's 
     health and stimulate activities and facilitate coordination 
     of such departmental and agency offices on women's health;
       ``(4) establish a Department of Health and Human Services 
     Coordinating Committee on Women's Health, which shall be 
     chaired by the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Women's Health 
     and composed of senior level representatives from each of the 
     agencies and offices of the Department of Health and Human 
     Services;
       ``(5) establish a National Women's Health Information 
     Center to--
       ``(A) facilitate the exchange of information regarding 
     matters relating to health information, health promotion, 
     preventive health services, research advances, and education 
     in the appropriate use of health care;
       ``(B) facilitate access to such information;
       ``(C) assist in the analysis of issues and problems 
     relating to the matters described in this paragraph; and
       ``(D) provide technical assistance with respect to the 
     exchange of information (including facilitating the 
     development of materials for such technical assistance);
       ``(6) coordinate efforts to promote women's health programs 
     and policies with the private sector; and
       ``(7) through publications and any other means appropriate, 
     provide for the exchange of information between the Office 
     and recipients of grants, contracts, and agreements under 
     subsection (c), and between the Office and health 
     professionals and the general public.
       ``(c) Grants and Contracts Regarding Duties.--
       ``(1) Authority.--In carrying out subsection (b), the 
     Secretary may make grants to, and enter into cooperative 
     agreements, contracts, and interagency agreements with, 
     public and private entities, agencies, and organizations.
       ``(2) Evaluation and dissemination.--The Secretary shall 
     directly or through contracts with public and private 
     entities, agencies, and organizations, provide for 
     evaluations of projects carried out with financial assistance 
     provided under paragraph (1) and for the dissemination of 
     information developed as a result of such projects.
       ``(d) Reports.--Not later than January 31, 2003, and 
     January 31 of each second year thereafter, the Secretary 
     shall prepare and submit to the appropriate committees of 
     Congress a report describing the activities carried out under 
     this section during the period for which the report is being 
     prepared.
       ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of 
     carrying out this section, there are authorized to be 
     appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of the 
     fiscal years 2003 through 2007.''.
       (b) Transfer of Functions.--There are transferred to the 
     Office on Women's Health (established under section 229 of 
     the Public Health Service Act, as added by this section), all 
     functions exercised by the Office on Women's Health of the 
     Public Health Service prior to the date of enactment of this 
     section, including all personnel and compensation authority, 
     all delegation and assignment authority, and all remaining 
     appropriations. All orders, determinations, rules, 
     regulations, permits, agreements, grants, contracts, 
     certificates, licenses, registrations, privileges, and other 
     administrative actions that--
       (1) have been issued, made, granted, or allowed to become 
     effective by the President, any Federal agency or official 
     thereof, or by a court of competent jurisdiction, in the 
     performance of functions transferred under this subsection; 
     and
       (2) are in effect at the time this section takes effect, or 
     were final before the date of enactment of this section and 
     are to become effective on or after such date;

     shall continue in effect according to their terms until 
     modified, terminated, superseded, set aside, or revoked in 
     accordance with law by the President, the Secretary, or other 
     authorized official, a court of competent jurisdiction, or by 
     operation of law.

     SEC. 3. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION OFFICE OF 
                   WOMEN'S HEALTH.

       Part A of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 
     U.S.C. 241 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:


 ``centers for disease control and prevention office of women's health

       ``Sec. 310A. (a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall 
     establish through the last date for which appropriations are 
     authorized under subsection (f), within the Office of the 
     Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
     an office to be known as the Office of Women's Health 
     (referred to in this section as the `Office'). The Office 
     shall be headed by a director who shall be appointed by the 
     Director of such Centers.
       ``(b) Purpose.--The Director of the Office shall--
       ``(1) report to the Director of the Centers for Disease 
     Control and Prevention on the current level of the Centers' 
     activity regarding women's health conditions across, where 
     appropriate, age, biological, and sociocultural contexts, in 
     all aspects of the Centers' work, including prevention 
     programs, public and professional education, services, and 
     treatment;
       ``(2) establish short-range and long-range goals and 
     objectives within the Centers for women's health and, as 
     relevant and appropriate, coordinate with other appropriate 
     offices on activities within the Centers that relate to 
     prevention, research, education and training, service 
     delivery, and policy development, for issues of particular 
     concern to women;
       ``(3) identify projects in women's health that should be 
     conducted or supported by the Centers;
       ``(4) consult with health professionals, nongovernmental 
     organizations, consumer organizations, women's health 
     professionals, and other individuals and groups, as 
     appropriate, on the policy of the Centers with regard to 
     women; and
       ``(5) serve as a member of the Department of Health and 
     Human Services Coordinating Committee on Women's Health 
     (established under section 229(b)(4)).
       ``(c) Coordinating Committee.--
       ``(1) Establishment.--In carrying out subsection (b), the 
     Director of the Office shall establish a committee to be 
     known as the Coordinating Committee on Research on Women's 
     Health (referred to in this subsection as the `Coordinating 
     Committee').
       ``(2) Composition.--The Coordinating Committee shall be 
     composed of the directors of the national centers and other 
     appropriate officials of the Centers for Disease Control and 
     Prevention.
       ``(3) Chairperson.--The Director of the Office shall serve 
     as the Chairperson of the Coordinating Committee.
       ``(4) Duties.--With respect to women's health, the 
     Coordinating Committee shall assist the Director of the 
     Office in--
       ``(A) identifying the need for programs and activities that 
     focus on women's health;
       ``(B) identifying needs regarding the coordination of 
     activities, including intramural and extramural 
     multidisciplinary activities; and
       ``(C) making recommendations to the Director of the Centers 
     for Disease Control and Prevention concerning findings made 
     under subparagraphs (A) and (B).
       ``(d) Reports.--Not later than January 31, 2003, and 
     January 31 of each second year thereafter, the Director of 
     the Office shall prepare and submit to the appropriate 
     committees of Congress a report describing the activities 
     carried out under this section during the period for which 
     the report is being prepared.
       ``(e) Definition.--As used in this section, the term 
     `women's health conditions', with respect to women of all 
     age, ethnic, and racial groups, means diseases, disorders, 
     and conditions--
       ``(1) unique to, significantly more serious for, or 
     significantly more prevalent in women; and
       ``(2) for which the factors of medical risk or type of 
     medical intervention are different for women.
       ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of 
     carrying out this section, there are authorized to be 
     appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of the 
     fiscal years 2003 through 2007.''.

     SEC. 4. AGENCY FOR HEALTHCARE RESEARCH AND QUALITY ACTIVITIES 
                   REGARDING WOMEN'S HEALTH.

       Part C of title IX of the Public Health Service Act (42 
     U.S.C. 299c et seq.) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating sections 927 and 928 as sections 928 
     and 929, respectively;
       (2) by inserting after section 926 the following:

[[Page H6263]]

     ``SEC. 927. ACTIVITIES REGARDING WOMEN'S HEALTH.

       ``(a) Establishment.--The Director shall designate an 
     official of the Office of Priority Populations to carry out, 
     through the last date for which appropriations are authorized 
     under section 928(e), the responsibilities described in this 
     section for such official.
       ``(b) Purpose.--The official designated under subsection 
     (a) shall--
       ``(1) report to the Director on the current Agency level of 
     activity regarding women's health, across, where appropriate, 
     age, biological, and sociocultural contexts, in all aspects 
     of Agency work, including the development of evidence reports 
     and clinical practice protocols and the conduct of research 
     into patient outcomes, delivery of health care services, 
     quality of care, and access to health care;
       ``(2) establish short-range and long-range goals and 
     objectives within the Agency for research important to 
     women's health and, as relevant and appropriate, coordinate 
     with other appropriate offices on activities within the 
     Agency that relate to health services and medical 
     effectiveness research, for issues of particular concern to 
     women;
       ``(3) identify projects in women's health that should be 
     conducted or supported by the Agency;
       ``(4) consult with health professionals, nongovernmental 
     organizations, consumer organizations, women's health 
     professionals, and other individuals and groups, as 
     appropriate, on Agency policy with regard to women; and
       ``(5) serve as a member of the Department of Health and 
     Human Services Coordinating Committee on Women's Health 
     (established under section 229(b)(4)).
       ``(c) Coordinating Committee.--
       ``(1) Establishment.--In carrying out subsection (b), the 
     official designated under subsection (a) shall establish a 
     committee to be known as the Coordinating Committee on 
     Research on Women's Health (referred to in this subsection as 
     the `Coordinating Committee').
       ``(2) Composition.--The Coordinating Committee shall be 
     composed of the official designated under subsection (a) and 
     the directors of the centers and offices of the Agency.
       ``(3) Chairperson.--The official designated under 
     subsection (a) shall serve as the Chairperson of the 
     Coordinating Committee.
       ``(4) Duties.--With respect to research on women's health, 
     the Coordinating Committee shall assist the official 
     designated under subsection (a) in--
       ``(A) identifying the need for such research, and making an 
     estimate each fiscal year of the funds needed to adequately 
     support the research;
       ``(B) identifying needs regarding the coordination of 
     research activities, including intramural and extramural 
     multidisciplinary activities; and
       ``(C) making recommendations to the Director of the Agency 
     concerning findings made under subparagraphs (A) and (B).
       ``(d) Reports.--Not later than January 31, 2003, and 
     January 31 of each second year thereafter, the official 
     designated under subsection (a) shall prepare and submit to 
     the appropriate committees of Congress a report describing 
     the activities carried out under this section during the 
     period for which the report is being prepared.''; and
       (3) by adding at the end of section 928 (as redesignated by 
     paragraph (1)) the following:
       ``(e) Women's Health.--For the purpose of carrying out 
     section 927 regarding women's health, there are authorized to 
     be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of the 
     fiscal years 2003 through 2007.''.

     SEC. 5. HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES ADMINISTRATION OFFICE 
                   OF WOMEN'S HEALTH.

       Title VII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 901 et 
     seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:


                       ``office of women's health

       ``Sec. 713. (a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall 
     establish through the last date for which appropriations are 
     authorized under subsection (f), within the Office of the 
     Administrator of the Health Resources and Services 
     Administration, an office to be known as the Office of 
     Women's Health. The Office shall be headed by a director who 
     shall be appointed by the Administrator.
       ``(b) Purpose.--The Director of the Office shall--
       ``(1) report to the Administrator on the current 
     Administration level of activity regarding women's health 
     across, where appropriate, age, biological, and sociocultural 
     contexts;
       ``(2) establish short-range and long-range goals and 
     objectives within the Health Resources and Services 
     Administration for women's health and, as relevant and 
     appropriate, coordinate with other appropriate offices on 
     activities within the Administration that relate to health 
     care provider training, health service delivery, research, 
     and demonstration projects, for issues of particular concern 
     to women;
       ``(3) identify projects in women's health that should be 
     conducted or supported by the bureaus of the Administration;
       ``(4) consult with health professionals, nongovernmental 
     organizations, consumer organizations, women's health 
     professionals, and other individuals and groups, as 
     appropriate, on Administration policy with regard to women; 
     and
       ``(5) serve as a member of the Department of Health and 
     Human Services Coordinating Committee on Women's Health 
     (established under section 229(b)(4) of the Public Health 
     Service Act).
       ``(c) Coordinating Committee.--
       ``(1) Establishment.--In carrying out subsection (b), the 
     Director of the Office shall establish a committee to be 
     known as the Coordinating Committee on Research on Women's 
     Health (referred to in this subsection as the `Coordinating 
     Committee').
       ``(2) Composition.--The Coordinating Committee shall be 
     composed of the directors of the bureaus of the 
     Administration.
       ``(3) Chairperson.--The Director of the Office shall serve 
     as the Chairperson of the Coordinating Committee.
       ``(4) Duties.--With respect to research on women's health, 
     the Coordinating Committee shall assist the Director of the 
     Office in--
       ``(A) identifying the need for programs and activities that 
     focus on women's health;
       ``(B) identifying needs regarding the coordination of 
     activities, including intramural and extramural 
     multidisciplinary activities; and
       ``(C) making recommendations to the Administrator 
     concerning findings made under subparagraphs (A) and (B).
       ``(d) Reports.--Not later than January 31, 2003, and 
     January 31 of each second year thereafter, the Director of 
     the Office shall prepare and submit to the appropriate 
     committees of Congress a report describing the activities 
     carried out under this section during the period for which 
     the report is being prepared.
       ``(e) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
       ``(1) Administration.--The term `Administration' means the 
     Health Resources and Services Administration.
       ``(2) Administrator.--The term `Administrator' means the 
     Administrator of the Health Resources and Services 
     Administration.
       ``(3) Office.--The term `Office' means the Office of 
     Women's Health established under this section in the 
     Administration.
       ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of 
     carrying out this section, there are authorized to be 
     appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of the 
     fiscal years 2003 through 2007.''.

     SEC. 6. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION OFFICE OF WOMEN'S 
                   HEALTH.

       Chapter IX of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 
     U.S.C. 391 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:

     ``SEC. 908. OFFICE OF WOMEN'S HEALTH.

       ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish through 
     the last date for which appropriations are authorized under 
     subsection (e), within the Office of the Commissioner, an 
     office to be known as the Office of Women's Health (referred 
     to in this section as the `Office'). The Office shall be 
     headed by a director who shall be appointed by the 
     Commissioner of Food and Drugs.
       ``(b) Purpose.--The Director of the Office shall--
       ``(1) report to the Commissioner of Food and Drugs on 
     current Food and Drug Administration (referred to in this 
     section as the `Administration') levels of activity regarding 
     women's participation in clinical trials and the analysis of 
     data by sex in the testing of drugs, medical devices, and 
     biological products across, where appropriate, age, 
     biological, and sociocultural contexts;
       ``(2) establish short-range and long-range goals and 
     objectives within the Administration for issues of particular 
     concern to women's health within the jurisdiction of the 
     Administration, including, where relevant and appropriate, 
     adequate inclusion of women and analysis of data by sex in 
     Administration protocols and policies;
       ``(3) provide information to women and health care 
     providers on those areas in which differences between men and 
     women exist;
       ``(4) consult with pharmaceutical, biologics, and device 
     manufacturers, health professionals with expertise in women's 
     issues, consumer organizations, and women's health 
     professionals on Administration policy with regard to women;
       ``(5) make annual estimates of funds needed to monitor 
     clinical trials and analysis of data by sex in accordance 
     with needs that are identified; and
       ``(6) serve as a member of the Department of Health and 
     Human Services Coordinating Committee on Women's Health 
     (established under section 229(b)(4) of the Public Health 
     Service Act).
       ``(c) Coordinating Committee.--
       ``(1) Establishment.--In carrying out subsection (b), the 
     Director of the Office shall establish a committee to be 
     known as the Coordinating Committee on Women's Health 
     (referred to in this subsection as the `Coordinating 
     Committee').
       ``(2) Composition.--The Coordinating Committee shall be 
     composed of the directors of the centers of the 
     Administration.
       ``(3) Chairperson.--The Director of the Office shall serve 
     as the Chairperson of the Coordinating Committee.
       ``(4) Duties.--With respect to studies on women's health, 
     the Coordinating Committee shall assist the Director of the 
     Office in--
       ``(A) identifying whether there is a need for further 
     studies and, if so, developing strategies to foster such 
     studies;
       ``(B) identifying issues in specific areas of women's 
     health that fall within the mission of the Administration;
       ``(C) identifying whether any need exists for the 
     coordination of Administration activities, including internal 
     and external activities;
       ``(D) maintaining the Administration's focus in areas of 
     importance to women;
       ``(E) supporting the development of methodologies to 
     determine how to obtain data specific to women (including 
     data relating to the age of women and the membership of women 
     in ethnic or racial groups); and
       ``(F) supporting the development and expansion of clinical 
     trials of treatments and therapies for which obtaining such 
     data has been determined to be an appropriate function.
       ``(d) Reports.--Not later than January 31, 2003, and 
     January 31 of each second year thereafter, the Director of 
     the Office shall prepare and submit to the appropriate 
     committees of Congress a report describing the activities 
     carried out under this section during the period for which 
     the report is being prepared.

[[Page H6264]]

       ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of 
     carrying out this section, there are authorized to be 
     appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of the 
     fiscal years 2003 through 2007.''.

     SEC. 7. NO NEW REGULATORY AUTHORITY.

       Nothing in this Act and the amendments made by this Act may 
     be construed as establishing regulatory authority or 
     modifying any existing regulatory authority.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis).


                             General Leave

  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1784.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, today the House will consider H.R. 1784, the Women's 
Health Office Act of 2002. I would like to take a moment to sincerely 
thank our colleague, the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella), for 
her tireless, tireless support of this bill, which ensures that our key 
public health agencies continue working together, and that is greatly 
to be emphasized, continue working together, to address the unique 
health needs of women.
  President George H.W. Bush created the Office of Women's Health at 
the Department of Health and Human Services to improve the health of 
American women by advancing and coordinating a comprehensive women's 
health agenda throughout the department.
  The Office of Women's Health, OWH, is the government's champion and 
focal point for women's health issues, and works to address inequities 
in research, health care services and education. Furthermore, the 
Office of Women's Health encourages women to take personal 
responsibility for their own health and wellness. H.R. 1784 provides 
statutory authority for this office.
  This legislation, Mr. Speaker, also authorizes four additional 
offices of women's health at the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, at the 
Health Resources and Services Administration, and at the Food and Drug 
Administration. A coordinating committee will be created within each of 
these offices to identify the need for programs, activities and 
research that focus on women's health.
  Congress can and should play an active role in promoting women's 
health research and prevention measures. This measure will create an 
infrastructure within HHS that will help the department better focus 
its energies on women's health, and I urge all Members to join me in 
supporting passage of this important legislation. H.R. 1784 will 
improve the health of all women.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I begin by thanking my friend, the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), for his support and interest in this 
legislation. I am pleased we are considering the Women's Health Office 
Act passed out of our subcommittee and then passed the full committee 
also. I applaud the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella) and the 
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) for their involvement in this 
issue.
  Certain diseases and conditions, as we know, as we finally address, 
exclusively affect women, are more prevalent in women, or affect women 
differently. While research in women's health has traditionally been 
far too limited, development of a number of women's health offices in 
the past few years has begun to shrink that disparity.

                              {time}  1415

  The Women's Health Office Act would statutorily create offices of 
women's health in the Department of Health and Human Services, the 
Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, Health Resource and 
Services Administration, the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, 
and the Food and Drug Administration. These offices have committed 
themselves to promoting women's health. This bill will help ensure that 
the needs and gaps in research, policy programs, education, and 
training in women's health will continue to be addressed in a concerted 
way. I recommend, Mr. Speaker, that my colleagues support it.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she might consume to 
the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella), who is the author of this 
legislation and who did not just sit back, but kept pushing and pushing 
every time certainly she saw me in the hallways or here in this 
Chamber.
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, as the lead sponsor of this bill, H.R. 
1784, the Women's Health Office Act of 2002, I must say I am delighted 
to be here today. I am here today with this bill with great thanks to 
the subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), 
and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown), the ranking member. Also, I 
would like to thank the chairman of the committee, the gentleman from 
Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin), and the ranking member, the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Dingell).
  But it is true what the gentleman from Florida has said: I have 
bugged him indefatigably, and I very much appreciate this important 
piece of legislation coming before us. I also want to thank the 96 
cosponsors and the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) for joining 
with me on this legislation. I also wanted to thank all of the hard-
working organizations, the nonprofits and individuals, for their unity 
in working together to advance women's health and to help to bring this 
bill to the House floor for a vote.
  Mr. Speaker, the Women's Health Office Act of 2002 will provide for 
permanent authorization for offices of women's health in four Federal 
agencies: the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention, the Health Resources and Services 
Administration, and the Food and Drug Administration.
  In the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, the bill requires 
the director of the agency to designate an official of the Office of 
Priority Populations to report to the director on activities regarding 
women's health.
  As many of my colleagues probably know, for years our Nation's 
medical research community actually ignored the health concerns of 
women. For example, in 1989, the Congressional Caucus for Women's 
Issues asked the General Accounting Office to investigate the National 
Institutes of Health, their policy regarding the inclusion of women in 
clinical trials and protocols. Back then, women were routinely excluded 
from critically important studies on heart disease, cancer, HIV and 
AIDS; and it was found that diseases primarily affecting women were 
severely underfunded.
  In its report, the GAO found that NIH had made little progress in 
implementing a policy that encourages the inclusion of women in 
research populations. So the women's caucus then introduced the Women's 
Health Equity Act which, among its provisions, called for the 
establishment of an Office of Women's Health at NIH and a requirement 
that women and minorities be included whenever appropriate in research 
studies funded by NIH.

  That fall, on the very day that Senator Mikulski, then Congresswoman 
Pat Schroeder, and I went to NIH to discuss these inequities, NIH 
announced that it had created an Office of Research of Women's Health. 
This office would ensure that greater resources were devoted to 
diseases primarily affecting women and ensure that women would be 
included in clinical trials. We in Congress subsequently codified that, 
and the office was signed into law by President Bush the First.
  Since then, funding for breast and ovarian cancer at NCI, which is 
the National Cancer Institute, has more than quadrupled, and funding 
for osteoporosis has grown from only two osteoporosis-specific grants 
in the entire country in the early 1980s to more than $80 million in 
osteoporosis-specific grants today. Despite great strides on women's 
health research, we

[[Page H6265]]

still have to be vigilant and we still must address issues that are not 
receiving the public attention and the research priority that they 
deserve.
  For example, we do not understand why an estimated 75 percent of 
autoimmune diseases occur in women, most frequently during the child-
bearing years. Hormones are thought to play a role, because some 
autoimmune illnesses occur more frequently after menopause; others 
suddenly improve during pregnancy with flare-ups occurring after 
delivery, while still others will get worse during pregnancy. We do not 
understand why more than 90 percent of those with eating disorders are 
women. Further, the number of American women affected by these 
illnesses has doubled to at least 5 million in the past 3 decades. In 
fact, we do not even understand why more girls are affected by autism 
than boys. This list continues with heart and stroke, cancer, and many 
more diseases.
  Mr. Speaker, another area of women's health where I would like to see 
more efforts is this area of microbicides. Microbicides are a potential 
new class of products that women can use to prevent HIV infection as 
well as other sexually transmitted diseases. Today, the United States 
has the highest incidence of sexually transmitted diseases in the 
industrialized world. Mr. Speaker, 15.4 million Americans acquired an 
STD in 1999 alone. STDs cause serious, costly, even deadly, conditions 
for women and their children, including infertility, pregnancy 
complications, cervical cancer, infant mortality, and a higher risk of 
contracting HIV. Microbicides have the potential to save billions in 
health care costs. The total cost to the U.S. economy of STDs, 
excluding HIV infection, was approximately $8.4 billion in 1999 alone. 
When the cost of sexually transmitted HIV infection is included, that 
total rises to $20 billion.
  Microbicide research and development receives less than 2 percent of 
the Federal AIDS research budget, and best estimates show that less 
than half of this amount is dedicated directly to product development. 
Clearly, this is not nearly enough to keep pace with the growing STD 
and HIV epidemics.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my hope that, with passage of this bill, it will 
bring us closer to the day when women will no longer have to fear 
getting HIV and STDs.
  Well, H.R. 1783 is a simple, clean bill. All it does is it provides 
statutory authority for offices that are already in place. These 
offices and programs have a very good track record. For example, heart 
disease is the number one killer of American women. AHRQ has funded 
studies to develop tools to improve diagnostic accuracy in emergency 
rooms and dramatically increase the timely use of clot-busting drugs in 
women.
  AHRQ is also working to reduce the impact of breast cancer, another 
disease which takes a heavy toll on women. The agency is currently 
conducting outreach to poor and minority women who are less likely to 
get mammograms to ensure that they receive this critical preventive 
health care.
  Providing statutory authorization for Federal women's health offices, 
as we do today, is a critical step in ensuring that women's health 
research continues to receive the attention that it requires in this 
21st century.
  So concluding, Mr. Speaker, I can say without exaggeration that women 
working together as patients, lawyers, advocates, medical researchers, 
and Members of Congress have been a powerful catalyst for the advances 
that we have made in the research and treatment of breast, ovarian, 
cervical cancer, osteoporosis and heart disease. The men have been 
there for us, bringing forward this bill and others that do help with 
the focus on health for women, as well as men and all.
  So I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and programs to 
address the health needs of all of our citizens and the fundamental 
challenges posed by our Nation's health care system.
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman 
from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time, and I appreciate the work of the distinguished chairman and the 
distinguished ranking member and the bipartisan effort that has brought 
this bill to the floor.
  I rise in strong support of the Women's Health Office Act. Anyone 
trying to keep track of women's health issues today is literally on a 
merry-go-round. The best recent example is the hormone replacement 
treatment quagmire, HRT. Here we had a major drug, progesterone, where 
a study has just shown serious health consequences for a drug that was 
being administered to millions of women to promote serious health 
benefits. I mean, that is just how complicated it is. But that is the 
nature of the women's health beast. And we do not need to make it more 
complicated than it already is. Having multiple offices that do not 
relate one to another with no statutory imprimatur makes it more 
complicated than it really is.
  Speaking of complications, what I think these offices help us to do 
is to face the fact that females are a particularly complicated 
organism. Throughout her life, a woman emerges as diametrically opposed 
to what she once was. A woman of child-bearing age is the opposite of 
the menopausal woman she shall become.
  Now, I have not even got to the differences between women and men. If 
we are dealing with these kinds of complications in a single human 
being, we have to figure out ways to make sure that what happens to her 
health is as good as it gets, or as good as we can get it.
  Because of such complications, the bipartisan women's caucus 
successfully fought, for example, to have medical and scientific 
studies that included women and not only men, because not including 
women had terrible consequences for us. That is one of the reasons that 
the average American woman today does not know that heart disease is 
the number one killer of women, because these studies, this 
information, has not been out there, because we have not paid the kind 
of close and coordinated attention to women's health that this bill 
will help to promote. It has been very important to test women 
differently from men when putting drugs on the market, because let us 
face it, women have very different chemistry.
  Mr. Speaker, a year ago I signed on to a bipartisan letter asking HHS 
Secretary Tommy Thompson to help authorize the multiple women's 
offices, only one of which was statutorily authorized. The best way to 
do it is the permanent authorization embodied in this bill, and I 
strongly support it; and I ask for the support of Members of this 
House.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, but 
I will reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman 
from Houston, Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished 
ranking member; and I thank the distinguished chairman for being a 
leader on these issues. The chemistry between the ranking member and 
the chairman has presented a lot of good initiatives on this floor; and 
I thank them for that, because health care is American. It involves all 
of us. I thank the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella), and of 
course my colleague, the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney); and 
I announce as well that I was very pleased to be one of the original 
cosponsors of this legislation.
  It is important to delineate what this legislation actually does. It 
codifies and provides statutory authority for a women's health center 
in four very vital health agencies of this government, and that is, of 
course, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Health 
Resources and Services Administration, the Food and Drug 
Administration, and the Office of Priority Populations within the 
Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, the lead agency for 
women's research.

                              {time}  1430

  But the Centers for Disease Control certainly is the key as it 
relates to the fighting of diseases here in the United States.
  I think something else is important, as well, as we look at this 
legislation, that all of these agencies will be brought to bear on the 
complexity of women's health and will be required to identify projects 
in women's health that should be conducted by the particular centers.

[[Page H6266]]

  In addition, they will be brought to bear to consult with health 
professionals, nongovernmental organizations, consumer organizations, 
women's health professionals, and other individuals and groups as 
appropriate on the policy of the centers' work as it is regarding 
women.
  I heard my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown), 
mention just a few moments ago or sometime before on the need for a 
guaranteed drug benefit under Medicare. I see my seniors, in particular 
women, as I visit with them in my district needing to have this kind of 
legislation.
  This legislation that we are debating on the floor of the House will 
go a long way in helping the health of women of all ages, including 
those in puberty and young women of child-bearing age, now that we find 
that women can have children a longer period of time; and minority 
women in particular, who we find have the highest percentage of 
infections of HIV/AIDS in the United States of America.
  A lot of this research, as well, can help our friends around the 
world, particularly developing nations, where we use now more women in 
clinical testing; and we can get more of the data that can be utilized 
by our friends around the world, particularly in our work with the 
United Nations.
  So this is a historic occasion to begin to understand that the study 
of women's health should be focused. We should get one science, one 
consistent science, so that when there are prescriptions on certain 
hormone treatment, that we can have the research and the science to 
make sure that what we are suggesting or treating women with is the 
right direction to go. I applaud this legislation.
  In conclusion, let me say that I have filed legislation dealing with 
cultural competence. It relates to this issue, and I look forward to 
working with the committees on this issue.
  I rise in support of H.R. 1784, the Women's Health Office Act of 
2002.
  In the last century, the life expectancy of American women has 
increased by 30 years. Now we face the challenge of keeping women alive 
and healthy. American in the new millennium faces increasingly complex 
public health challenges. I stand here today, ashamed to say that thus 
far our nation has not taken advantage of the opportunities and 
advancements in medical technology to meet the goal of improved health 
for all Americans.
  The Women's Health Office Act of 2002 amends the Public Health 
Services Act to establish within the Office of the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services an office on Women's Health, headed by a Deputy 
Assistant Secretary for Women's Health. In addition, the Women's Health 
Act requires the establishment of a Department of Health and Human 
Services Coordinating Committee, a National Women's Health Information 
Center, and requires biennial reports to Congress.
  Research has established that the existence of persistent racial and 
socioeconomic disparities in women's health in the United States. We 
know that coronary disease is the leading cause of dealth for both men 
and women. But, nearly twice as many women in the U.S. die of heart 
disease and stroke every year as die from all types of cancer. Yet, 
multiple studies have shown that women are less likely than men to be 
referred for invasive cardiac procedures.
  While the life expectancy of women in the United States has risen, as 
a group, African American women have a shorter life expectancy and 
experience earlier onset of such chronic conditions such as diabetes 
and hypertension. If we look at the death rates for diseases of the 
heart, African American women are clearly at risk with 147 deaths per 
100,000. When we look at cervical cancer, we see that the incidence 
rate of invasive cervical cancer is higher among Asian-American women. 
Yet, we cannot explain the causes of these higher rates.
  Disparities are perhaps most alarming when we look at HIV/AIDS. 
Twenty-two percent of Americans currently living with HIV are women, 
and 77 percent of those are African American or Hispanic. Many people 
are shocked to know that AIDS is the second leading cause of death 
among African American women age 25 to 44.
  There are nearly 40 million women in America who are members of 
racial and ethnic minority groups. These women suffer 
disproportionately from premature death, disease, and disabilities. 
Many also face tremendous barriers to optimal health. This is a growing 
challenge in our nation.
  The challenge is even greater when we consider the aging population. 
By the year 2050, nearly 1 in 4 adult women will be 65 years old or 
older, and an astonishing 1 in 17 will be 85 years old or older. We 
must ensure that our Federal agencies are in the forefront working to 
find solutions to the challenges our nation faces in caring for the 
health of our women.
  The ``Women's Health office Act of 2002'' provides permanent 
authorization for offices of women's health in five federal agencies: 
the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); the Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); the Agency for Health Care 
Research and Quality (AHRQ); the Health Resources and Services 
Administration; and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
  Mr. Speaker, behind each impersonal statistic is a woman whose life 
is potentially at risk because of health disparities and a family that 
will be devastated by the loss of a mother or sister. The Women's 
Health Act of 2002 would be a tremendous step toward eliminating health 
disparities. In the last century we made improvements that expanded the 
life-span of women. In this century we have the challenge of meeting 
the health care needs and improving the quality of life for all women.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I, too, thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown) for his 
cooperation, Mr. Speaker. Yes, even though we disagree on matters of 
philosophy, we do have a chemistry that works well for the legislation 
that is up before this House.
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume, just to say that I feel the same way, to be sure.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, in good conscience, I rise in support 
of H.R. 1784. The Women's Health Office Act of 2002 amends the Public 
Health Service Act to establish within the Office of the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services (HHS) an Office on Women's Health, headed by 
a Deputy Assistant Secretary for Women's Health, requires the 
establishment of a Department of Health and Human Services Coordinating 
Committee and a National Women's Health Information Center, requires 
biennial reports to Congress and authorizes appropriations for FY 2003 
through 2007.
  Women make up the largest number of Americans afflicted by so many of 
today's leading illness--many of which are preventable if steps are 
taken earlier in life through routine care and a balanced and healthy 
lifestyle.
  Heart disease is the number one killer of American women. Although 
the incidence of HIV/AIDS is decreasing in white males, it has become 
the third leading cause of death among women ages 25 to 44 and the 
leading cause of death among African American women in this age group. 
Even more alarming is the younger ages at which infection is occurring.
  As we carry out our myriad responsibilities, we have too often 
forsaken not only our physical health, but our mental health as well. 
We make up 12 percent of the U.S. population suffering from mental 
illness. Nearly 4.1 million women in this country currently use illicit 
drugs, and over 1.2 million misuse prescription drugs for nonmedical 
reasons.
  Currently, minority women receive fewer preventive health 
interventions than white women. 55 percent of Asian American women, 43 
percent of Hispanic women and 37 percent of African American women did 
not have a Pap test within the past year.
  54 percent of Asian American women, 52 percent of African American 
women, and 51 percent of Hispanic women did not have a mammogram within 
the past two years. 74 percent of Hispanic women and 73 percent of 
Asian American women did not have a blood pressure screening within the 
past year; and stroke occurs at a higher rate among African American 
and Hispanic women compared with white women.
  We in the Congressional Black Caucus, who work to close the gaps in 
health care and raise the health status for African Americans and 
People of Color, are committed to improving the health of women and all 
Americans.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill directs the Secretary of HHS to establish 
within the Office of the Director of the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention the Office of Women's Health, headed by a Director, 
requires the director to establish the Coordinating Committee on 
Research on Women's Health and requires biennial reports to Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, in efforts to eliminate health disparities I am proud to 
support my colleague on the other side of the aisle in this campaign to 
give all women health information and to guide them in making the 
choices which will enable them to embark on a path to good health.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the House is debating 
and voting today on H.R. 1784, the Women's Health Office Act, a bill 
that I support and have cosponsored. This measure will provide the 
tools necessary for successful coordination of women's health efforts 
in the federal government. Passage of this bill will bring needed 
attention and

[[Page H6267]]

coordination to federal efforts to prevent, treat and research women's 
health needs.
  Streamlined federal communication regarding women's health issues is 
vital. This bill will also prevent attempts, like those made last year, 
to eliminate the offices of women's health throughout federal health 
agencies. Specific statutory authorization, as provided under this 
bill, will allow the women's health offices to carry out their tasks 
without fear that their programs or funding will be cut.
  It is essential that we provide stable funding and statutory support 
for the good work these programs do to promote women's health, study 
diseases that affect women and promote the inclusion of women in 
research studies. I urge the speedy adoption of this important measure.
  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1784, 
the Women's Health Office Act. By establishing Offices of Women's 
Health throughout different agencies in the Department of Health and 
Human Services, this legislation recognizes the ongoing need to focus 
attention on various health issues particularly related to women. Women 
make up over half the adult population of this country and it is 
critical that we make women's health a top priority.
  For years, almost all medical research was conducted from a male 
perspective, while women's medical needs were ignored. Today there is a 
need for more research on breast, cervical, and ovarian cancer, hormone 
replacement therapy, and how various ailments such as osteoporosis and 
heart disease specifically affect women. It is important that we 
conduct this research, not as an afterthought, but as primary research 
important to everyone's well-being.
  There is also a need to ensure that all women in the U.S. have access 
to health care coverage, including comprehensive reproductive health 
care, prenatal care, preventative care, and coverage throughout 
menopause and old age. Too many poor and low-income women in this 
country have little or no access to health care. This is particularly 
harmful and unacceptable for pregnant women and women suffering from 
ongoing ailments.
  I also expect the new Offices of Women's Health within the various 
agencies to focus on domestic violence and sexual assault as serious 
threats to both women's health and public health in general. Violence 
against women is the leading cause of injury to women in America 
between the ages of 15 and 54. Not only does this violence leave 
victims with visible injuries, but it can lead to other physical 
problems and emotional distress. It is critical that we look at 
violence against women from a medical perspective, as well as examine 
its social consequences, in order to recognize it, address it, and work 
to end it.
  I am pleased that the House of Representatives is addressing the 
issue of women's health today and I urge my colleagues to vote for H.R. 
1784, the Women's Health Office Act.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1784, 
the Women's Health Office Act.
  As an original cosponsor and vocal advocate of this legislation, I am 
delighted that it is finally being considered by the House. Congress 
has delayed far too long in addressing the second-class status of the 
various offices of women's health throughout the Department of Health 
and Human Services (HHS).
  As other speakers have attested, only two of the HHS offices of 
women's health are currently established in statute: the Office of 
Research on Women's Health at the National Institutes of Health, and 
the women's health associate administrator at the Substance Abuse and 
Mental Health Services Administration. While offices of women's health 
exist at a number of other agencies, they can be moved, altered, or 
eliminated at the discretion of the agency director. This lack of 
permanence is extremely detrimental to long-term planning and multi-
year efforts. It also sends a message to our nation's women that we are 
not firmly committed to improving their health.
  Women's health is not a passing fancy or a fad that will go out of 
fashion. It is a serious discipline that will require the attention of 
doctors, scientists, and health care providers far into the future. The 
offices of women's health should not be an afterthought. H.R. 1784 is a 
vital step in permanently integrating women's health into the structure 
of our health care system. I look forward to voting for this important 
initiative, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.
  Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, for too long, women's health needs have been 
ignored or excluded in federal medical research. For instance, one 
federally funded study examined the ability of aspirin to prevent heart 
attacks in 20,000 medical doctors, all of whom were men, despite the 
fact that heart disease is a leading cause of death among women. 
Another study on breast cancer examined hundreds of men.
  Fortunately, this attitude has changed. Today, medical researchers 
and health care providers know and understand the importance of 
distinguishing women's health. I strongly support these efforts, but I 
realize that more needs to be done. Last May, the GAO released a report 
on the status of women's research at NIH. Although noting that much 
progress has been made, the report stated that the Institute had made 
less progress in implementing the requirement that certain clinical 
trials be designed and carried out to permit valid analysis by sex, 
which could reveal whether interventions affect women and men 
differently. It also found that NIH researchers, even though they would 
include women in their trials, would either do no analysis on the basis 
of sex, or would not publish the sex-based results if no difference was 
found.
  This must change. We need to continue to eliminate this health care 
gender gap and improve women's access to affordable, quality health 
services. The bill before us today, by Women's Health Office Act, will 
bring us one step closer to eliminating this gap by providing permanent 
authorization for Offices of Women's Health in five Federal agencies: 
the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); the Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); the Agency for Health Care 
Research and Quality (AHRQ); the Health Resources and Services 
Administration (HRSA); and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 
Currently, only two women's health offices in the Federal Government 
have statutory authorization: the Office of Research on Women's Health 
at the National Institutes of Health, and the Office for Women's 
Services within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
Administration (SAMHSA).
  Offices of Women's Health across the Public Health Service are 
charged with coordinating women's health activities and monitoring 
progress on women's health issues within their respective agencies, and 
they have been successful in making Federal programs and policies more 
responsive to women's health issues. Unfortunately, all of the good 
work these offices are doing is not guaranteed in Public Health Service 
authorizing law. Providing statutory authorization for federal women's 
health offices is a critical step in ensuring that women's health 
research will continue to receive the attention it requires in future 
years.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this important 
legislation.
  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to have the 
opportunity to speak on the floor in favor of H.R. 1784, The Women's 
Health Office Act. Congresswoman Morella and I have worked on this bill 
for a number of years and I want to thank the Congresswoman for her 
leadership on this issue.
  In addition, I want to thank the Energy & Commerce committee, 
Chairman Tauzin, Congressman Dingell, Chairman Bilirakis, and 
Congressman Sherrod Brown for moving this bill forward and for their 
dedication to women's health.
  The other body has also taken action on this issue. I am pleased to 
see that this legislation was included in the Senate's ``Women's Health 
Act,'' S. 2328, that passed out of the Senate Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions earlier this month.
  By permanently establishing offices for women's health within the 
Department of Health and Human Services, the Agency for Health Care 
Research and Quality, the Health Resources and Services Administration, 
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Food and Drug 
Administration, the Women's Health Office Act will provide the much 
needed statutory authority to further develop women's health research.
  H.R. 1784 is endorsed by 50 advocacy organizations who represent 
women, health care professionals and consumers, including the Society 
for Women's Health Research, the Women's Research and Education 
Institute, and the YWCA of the U.S.A.
  H.R. 1784 is grounded in a basic premise: only through good science 
and research do we find better treatments and cures. Women and girls 
should benefit equitably in the advances made in health care and 
medical research.
  Women around the United States need and deserve to have their health 
protected and not overlooked. Yet, various health differences between 
men and women have long gone unnoticed and not studied. Just last 
spring, the GAO reported that 8 out of 10 drugs pulled off the market 
were more harmful to women than to men. These were drugs that underwent 
extensive clinical trials and were approved by the FDA. Yet, once on 
the market these drugs caused serious health hazards for the women they 
were prescribed to.
  Obviously, there is still much work to be done in the area of women's 
health. Congress, Federal health agencies, and the scientific community 
are working to ensure that women's health is made a priority. This 
legislation is another important step towards equity in health.
  I support this legislation. Women need this legislation. Let's work 
to improve the lives and health of women in this country. Support H.R. 
1784, The Women's Health Office Act.

[[Page H6268]]

  I'm honored to be the lead Democrat on this bill.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support for this bill. The 
General Accounting Office released a report in 1990 that exposed the 
historical pattern of neglect of women in health research. As a result 
of this report, there was a significant increase in government 
initiatives in women's health research and the creation of women's 
health offices, advisors, and coordinators in many governmental 
institutions.
  But that was just a beginning. We must now work to ensure that these 
highly beneficial institutions remain funded and operational into the 
future.
  Currently, there are only two agencies which have federally 
authorized women's health offices: the Office of Research on Women's 
Health in the National Institutes of Health, and the Office for Women's 
Services in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
Administration. Since these two agencies are the only women's health 
offices established under statute, these are the only two women's 
health offices that are federally authorized and protected by law. The 
women's health offices, advisors, and coordinators of other government 
agencies face the possibility that future administrations will not 
continue to support them, or that future funding will be insufficient 
to meet their needs.
  H.R. 1784 would provide permanent authorization for women's health 
offices in the Department of Health and Human Services, the Agency for 
Health Care Research and Quality, the Health Resource and Service 
Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the 
Food and Drug Administration. It will ensure that these women's health 
offices will continue under statute and carry on the important work to 
improve the health of women through ongoing evaluation in the areas of 
education, prevention, treatment, research, and delivery of services.
  I want to note the outstanding leadership on this legislation of my 
friend and colleague, Representative Carolyn Maloney. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in support of this important and beneficial piece 
of legislation.
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Boozman). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1784, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________