[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 15, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1843-S1844]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. Brown, Mr. Markey, Mr. Cardin, 
        Mr. Casey, and Mr. Van Hollen):
  S. 640. A bill to prioritize funding for an expanded and sustained 
national investment in biomedical research; to the Committee on the 
Budget.

                                 S. 640

       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 ``American Cures Act''.

     SEC. 2. CAP ADJUSTMENT.

       (a) In General.--Section 251(b)(2) of the Balanced Budget 
     and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 
     901(b)(2)) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subparagraph (D) as subparagraph (E); 
     and
       (2) by inserting after subparagraph (C), the following:
       ``(D) Biomedical research.--
       ``(i) National institutes of health.--If a bill or joint 
     resolution making appropriations for a fiscal year is enacted 
     that specifies amounts for the National Institutes of Health 
     at the Department of Health and Human Services, then the 
     adjustments for that fiscal year shall be the amount of 
     additional new budget authority provided in that Act for such 
     programs for that fiscal year, but shall not exceed--

       ``(I) for fiscal year 2017, $2,966,000,000 in additional 
     new budget authority;
       ``(II) for fiscal year 2018, $4,718,000,000 in additional 
     new budget authority;
       ``(III) for fiscal year 2019, $6,643,000,000 in additional 
     new budget authority;
       ``(IV) for fiscal year 2020, $8,743,000,000 in additional 
     new budget authority; and
       ``(V) for fiscal year 2021, $10,981,000,000 in additional 
     new budget authority.

       ``(ii) Centers for disease control and prevention.--If a 
     bill or joint resolution making appropriations for a fiscal 
     year is enacted that specifies amounts for the Centers for 
     Disease Control and Prevention at the Department of Health 
     and Human Services, then the adjustments for that fiscal year 
     shall be the amount of additional new budget authority 
     provided in that Act for such programs for that fiscal year, 
     but shall not exceed--

       ``(I) for fiscal year 2017, $1,430,000,000 in additional 
     new budget authority;
       ``(II) for fiscal year 2018, $1,828,000,000 in additional 
     new budget authority;
       ``(III) for fiscal year 2019, $2,264,000,000 in additional 
     new budget authority;
       ``(IV) for fiscal year 2020, $2,740,000,000 in additional 
     new budget authority; and
       ``(V) for fiscal year 2021, $3,247,000,000 in additional 
     new budget authority.

       ``(iii) Department of defense health program.--If a bill or 
     joint resolution making appropriations for a fiscal year is 
     enacted that specifies amounts for the Department of Defense 
     health program, then the adjustments for that fiscal year 
     shall be the amount of additional new budget authority 
     provided in that Act for such programs for that fiscal year, 
     but shall not exceed--

       ``(I) for fiscal year 2017, $135,100,000 in additional new 
     budget authority;
       ``(II) for fiscal year 2018, $241,000,000 in additional new 
     budget authority;
       ``(III) for fiscal year 2019, $356,000,000 in additional 
     new budget authority;
       ``(IV) for fiscal year 2020, $482,000,000 in additional new 
     budget authority; and
       ``(V) for fiscal year 2021, $618,000,000 in additional new 
     budget authority.

       ``(iv) Medical and prosthetics research program of the 
     department of veterans affairs.--If a bill or joint 
     resolution making appropriations for a fiscal year is enacted 
     that specifies amounts for the medical and prosthetics 
     research program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, then 
     the adjustments for that fiscal year shall be the amount of 
     additional new budget authority provided in that Act for such 
     programs for that fiscal year, but shall not exceed--

       ``(I) for fiscal year 2017, $36,000,000 in additional new 
     budget authority;
       ``(II) for fiscal year 2018, $65,000,000 in additional new 
     budget authority;
       ``(III) for fiscal year 2019, $98,000,000 in additional new 
     budget authority;
       ``(IV) for fiscal year 2020, $134,000,000 in additional new 
     budget authority; and
       ``(V) for fiscal year 2021, $172,000,000 in additional new 
     budget authority.

       ``(v) Definitions.--As used in this subparagraph:

       ``(I) Additional new budget authority.--The term 
     `additional new budget authority' means--

       ``(aa) with respect to the National Institutes of Health, 
     the amount provided for a fiscal year, in excess of the 
     amount provided in fiscal year 2016, in an appropriation Act 
     and specified to support the National Institutes of Health;
       ``(bb) with respect to the Centers for Disease Control and 
     Prevention, the amount provided for a fiscal year, in excess 
     of the amount provided in fiscal year 2016, in an 
     appropriation Act and specified to support the Centers for 
     Disease Control and Prevention;
       ``(cc) with respect to the Department of Defense health 
     program, the amount provided for a fiscal year, in excess of 
     the

[[Page S1844]]

     amount provided in fiscal year 2016, in an appropriation Act 
     and specified to support the Department of Defense health 
     program; and
       ``(dd) with respect to the medical and prosthetics research 
     program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the amount 
     provided for a fiscal year, in excess of the amount provided 
     in fiscal year 2016, in an appropriation Act and specified to 
     support the medical and prosthetics research program of the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs.

       ``(II) Centers for disease control and prevention.--The 
     term `Centers for Disease Control and Prevention' means the 
     appropriations accounts that support the various institutes, 
     offices, and centers that make up the Centers for Disease 
     Control and Prevention.
       ``(III) Department of defense health program.--The term 
     `Department of Defense health program' means the 
     appropriations accounts that support the various institutes, 
     offices, and centers that make up the Department of Defense 
     health program.
       ``(IV) Medical and prosthetics research program of the 
     department of veterans affairs.--The term `medical and 
     prosthetics research program of the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs' means the appropriations accounts that support the 
     various institutes, offices, and centers that make up the 
     medical and prosthetics research program of the Department of 
     Veterans Affairs.
       ``(V) National institutes of health.--The term `National 
     Institutes of Health' means the appropriations accounts that 
     support the various institutes, offices, and centers that 
     make up the National Institutes of Health.''.

       (b) Funding.--There are hereby authorized to be 
     appropriated--
       (1) for the National Institutes of Health, the amounts 
     provided for under clause (i) of such section 251(b)(2)(D) in 
     each of fiscal years 2017 through 2021, and such sums as may 
     be necessary for each subsequent fiscal year;
       (2) for the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting 
     through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the 
     amounts provided for under clause (ii) of such section 
     251(b)(2)(D) in each of fiscal years 2017 through 2021, and 
     such sums as may be necessary for each subsequent fiscal 
     year;
       (3) for the Department of Defense health program, the 
     amounts provided for under clause (iii) of such section 
     251(b)(2)(D) in each of fiscal years 2017 through 2021, and 
     such sums as may be necessary for each subsequent fiscal 
     year; and
       (4) for the Medical and prosthetics research program of the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs, the amounts provided for 
     under clause (iv) of such section 251(b)(2)(D) in each of 
     fiscal years 2017 through 2021, and such sums as may be 
     necessary for each subsequent fiscal year.
       (c) Minimum Continued Funding Requirement.--Amounts 
     appropriated for each of the programs and agencies described 
     in section 251(b)(2)(D) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
     Deficit Control Act of 1985 (as added by subsection (a)) for 
     each of fiscal years 2017 through 2021, and each subsequent 
     fiscal year, shall not be less than the amounts appropriated 
     for such programs and agencies for fiscal year 2016.
       (d) Exemption of Certain Appropriations From 
     Sequestration.--
       (1) In general.--Section 255(g)(1)(A) of the Balanced 
     Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act (2 U.S.C. 
     905(g)(1)(A)) is amended by inserting after ``Advances to the 
     Unemployment Trust Fund and Other Funds (16-0327-0-1-600).'' 
     the following:
       ``Appropriations under the American Cures Act.''.
       (2) Applicability.--The amendment made by this section 
     shall apply to any sequestration order issued under the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 
     U.S.C. 900 et seq.) on or after the date of enactment of this 
     Act.
                                 ______