[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 191 (Thursday, December 13, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S15570-S15571]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page S15570]]
  EUNICE KENNEDY SHRIVER NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN 
                              DEVELOPMENT

  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 2484, introduced earlier 
today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 2484) to rename the National Institute of Child 
     Health and Human Development as the Eunice Kennedy Shriver 
     National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.


                              name change

  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I am hopeful we will approve tonight a bill 
I have authored with Senators Mikulski, Enzi and Harkin, The Eunice 
Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Development Act. 
This act will change the name of the National Institute of Child Health 
and Development to the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of 
Child Health and Development.
  Our bill honors a truly great American who has played a unique role 
in advancing children's health, and particularly in shaping how we 
treat individuals with intellectual disabilities. Few Americans have 
ever played such a profound role as Ms. Shriver has played in her life 
and it is entirely fitting that we rename NICHD on her behalf.
  Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, I thank Mr. Hatch for introducing this 
legislation, which I have joined as an original cosponsor. Ms. 
Shriver's contribution stands alone, both in terms of what she has done 
in terms of individuals with intellectual disabilities and their 
meaningful contribution in society as well as in advancing basic 
research at the National Institutes of Health. The National Institute 
of Child Health and Development was launched in the beginning of the 
Kennedy Administration and Ms. Shriver and her husband Sargent 
advocated for the institute when many knowledgeable scientists were 
willing to write off these individuals and advocated that the money 
spent at the NICHD would be better spent studying adult diseases. Ms. 
Shriver advocated for this research and I think it is fair to say 
without her advocacy the Institute would not be what it is today.
  Mr. KENNEDY. I thank my colleagues for their support of this 
legislation. I also thank Senators Mikulski and Harkin, who were other 
original cosponsors of this legislation. I will speak at a later time 
on the extraordinary difference that my sister, Eunice, has made in the 
lives of millions of Americans, but for now, I wish to comment on an 
aspect of the legislation before us. As we enact this legislation, I 
did want to make clear, that it is my understanding that nothing in 
this bill changes any authorities that we provided NIH and its director 
in the NIH Reform Act that we passed last Congress. Specifically, this 
does not change any of the authorities of the Scientific Management 
Review Board or any other provisions provided in section 401 of that 
act.
  Is that the intent and understanding of my colleagues as well?
  Mr. HATCH. Yes, this legislation is only meant to change the name of 
the single institute within NIH and to have no other effect on the NIH 
or its organization.
  Mr. ENZI. I agree. We do not intend this to change or signal any 
other change at NIH.
  Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, I rise today in support of the legislation 
before us, S. 2484. This bill renames the National Institute of Child 
Health and Development at the NIH as the ``Eunice Kennedy Shriver 
National Institute of Child Health and Development''.
  This renaming bill was added during the HELP Committee markup to S. 
1011, given that S. 1011 renamed two other Institutes at the National 
Institutes of Health. Senator Hatch, Senator Mikulski, and I sponsored 
this amendment, and it was unanimously accepted by the HELP Committee. 
Then, S. 1011 was unanimously voted out of Committee. We would like to 
have moved the entire bill, but unfortunately, we are not able to do 
that today due to some objections. Therefore, we are trying to get done 
what we can get done at the end of this session and simply moving the 
amendment that does not raise concerns with other members of this body.
  I understand that it is unusual to rename an institute at NIH after 
an individual, but this is an unusual case. Ms. Shriver has long been 
associated with the National Institute of Child Health and Development, 
NICHD, and was an early champion of it.
  NICHD was established in the 1960s by President Kennedy when he 
ushered in a ``New Frontier'' focusing on science and its potential for 
improving everyone's life. During the 1960s, we also learned of the 
biological causes of intellectual disabilities. At the same time, Ms. 
Shriver was an advocate for people with intellectual disabilities. With 
the help of her husband, Sargent, Ms. Shriver took on the challenge of 
improving the lives of people with intellectual disabilities and 
pursued that goal as a senior adviser to the President.
       I suspect other Members will note her work with the Special 
     Olympics. That is only a small portion of what she has done 
     for individuals with intellectual disabilities. At the time 
     of NICHD's creation, many leaders in the scientific community 
     felt that money spent to research topics related to human 
     development and intellectual disability would be better spent 
     elsewhere. Ms. Shriver played a seminal role helping the 
     scientific community, policymakers, and the general public 
     recognize the importance of such research. She recognized 
     that it was not just important for those with intellectual 
     disabilities, but the research was a bridge to understanding 
     broader, more general aspects of human development. 
     Therefore, it would not be an overstatement to say that, 
     without Ms. Shriver's contribution, this institute would not 
     exist.
  Therefore, Mr. President, I rise today and ask for the support of my 
colleagues in recognizing the contributions of Ms. Shriver through 
quick enactment of this legislation, S. 2484.
  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be 
read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the 
table, and that any statements relating to the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (S. 2484) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, 
was read the third time, and passed, as follows:

                                S. 2484

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. EUNICE KENNEDY SHRIVER NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD 
                   HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT.

       (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) Since it was established by Congress in 1962 at the 
     request of President John F. Kennedy, the National Institute 
     of Child Health and Human Development has achieved an 
     outstanding record of achievement in catalyzing a 
     concentrated attack on the unsolved health problems of 
     children and of mother-infant relationships by fulfilling its 
     mission to--
       (A) ensure that every individual is born healthy and 
     wanted, that women suffer no harmful effects from 
     reproductive processes, and that all children have the chance 
     to achieve their full potential for healthy and productive 
     lives, free from disease or disability; and
       (B) ensure the health, productivity, independence, and 
     well-being of all individuals through optimal rehabilitation.
       (2) The National Institute of Child Health and Human 
     Development has made unparalleled contributions to the 
     advancement of child health and human development, including 
     significant efforts to--
       (A) reduce dramatically the rates of Sudden Infant Death 
     Syndrome, infant mortality, and maternal HIV transmission;
       (B) develop the Haemophilus Influenza B (Hib) vaccine, 
     credited with nearly eliminating the incidence of mental 
     retardation; and
       (C) conduct intramural research, support extramural 
     research, and train thousands of child health and human 
     development researchers who have contributed greatly to 
     dramatic gains in child health throughout the world.
       (3) The vision, drive, and tenacity of one woman, Eunice 
     Kennedy Shriver, was instrumental in proposing, passing, and 
     enacting legislation to establish the National Institute of 
     Child Health and Human Development (Public Law 87-838) on 
     October 17, 1962.
       (4) It is befitting and appropriate to recognize the 
     substantial achievements of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, a 
     tireless advocate for children with special needs, whose 
     foresight in creating the National Institute of Child Health 
     and Human Development gave life to the words of President 
     Kennedy, who wished to ``encourage imaginative research into 
     the complex processes of human development from conception to 
     old age.''.
       (b) Amendments to the Public Health Service Act.--The 
     Public Health Service Act is amended--

[[Page S15571]]

       (1) in section 401(b)(7) (42 U.S.C. 281(b)(7)), by striking 
     ``National Institute of Child Health and Human Development'' 
     and inserting ``Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of 
     Child Health and Human Development'';
       (2) in section 404B (42 U.S.C. 283d), by striking 
     ``National Institute for Child Health and Human Development'' 
     and inserting ``Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of 
     Child Health and Human Development'';
       (3) in section 404E(a) (42 U.S.C. 283g(a)), by striking 
     ``National Institute of Child Health and Human Development'' 
     and inserting ``Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of 
     Child Health and Human Development'';
       (4) in section 409D(c)(1) (42 U.S.C. 284h(c)(1)), by 
     striking ``National Institute of Child Health and Human 
     Development'' and inserting ``Eunice Kennedy Shriver National 
     Institute of Child Health and Human Development'';
       (5) in section 424(c)(3)(B)(vi) (42 U.S.C. 285b-
     7(c)(3)(B)(vi)), by striking ``National Institute of Child 
     Health and Human Development'' and inserting ``Eunice Kennedy 
     Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human 
     Development'';
       (6) in section 430(b)(2)(B) (42 U.S.C. 285c-4(b)(2)(B)), by 
     striking ``National Institute of Child Health and Human 
     Development'' and inserting ``Eunice Kennedy Shriver National 
     Institute of Child Health and Human Development'';
       (7) in the heading of subpart 7 of part C of title IV (42 
     U.S.C. 285g et seq.), by striking the term ``National 
     Institute of Child Health and Human Development'' each place 
     such term appears and inserting ``Eunice Kennedy Shriver 
     National Institute of Child Health and Human Development'';
       (8) in section 487B(a) (42 U.S.C. 288-2(a)), by striking 
     ``National Institute on Child Health and Human Development'' 
     and inserting ``Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of 
     Child Health and Human Development'';
       (9) in section 519C(g)(2) (42 U.S.C. 290bb-25c(g)(2)), by 
     striking ``National Institute of Child Health and Human 
     Development'' and inserting ``Eunice Kennedy Shriver National 
     Institute of Child Health and Human Development''; and
       (10) in section 1122 (42 U.S.C. 300c-12), by striking 
     ``National Institute of Child Health and Human Development'' 
     and inserting ``Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of 
     Child Health and Human Development''.
       (c) Amendments to Other Acts.--
       (1) Comprehensive smoking education act.--Section 
     3(b)(1)(A) of the Comprehensive Smoking Education Act (15 
     U.S.C. 1341(b)(1)(A)) is amended by striking ``National 
     Institute of Child Health and Human Development'' and 
     inserting ``Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of 
     Child Health and Human Development''.
       (2) Adult education and family literacy act.--Sections 242 
     and 243 of the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (20 
     U.S.C. 9252 and 9253) are amended by striking the term 
     ``National Institute of Child Health and Human Development'' 
     each place such term appears and inserting ``Eunice Kennedy 
     Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human 
     Development''.
       (3) Elementary and secondary education act of 1965.--The 
     Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     6301 et seq.) is amended by striking the terms ``National 
     Institute of Child Health and Human Development'' and 
     ``National Institute for Child Health and Human Development'' 
     each place either term appears and inserting ``Eunice Kennedy 
     Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human 
     Development''.
       (d) Reference.--Any reference in any law, regulation, 
     order, document, paper, or other record of the United States 
     to the ``National Institute of Child Health and Human 
     Development'' shall be deemed to be a reference to the 
     ``Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health 
     and Human Development''.

                          ____________________