[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 64 (Wednesday, April 14, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H1751-H1752]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     JOHN LEWIS NIMHD RESEARCH ENDOWMENT REVITALIZATION ACT OF 2021

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 189) to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide that 
the authority of the Director of the National Institute on Minority 
Health and Health Disparities to make certain research endowments 
applies with respect to both current and former centers of excellence, 
and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 189

       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 ``John Lewis NIMHD Research 
     Endowment Revitalization Act of 2021''.

     SEC. 2. RESEARCH ENDOWMENTS AT BOTH CURRENT AND FORMER 
                   CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE.

       Paragraph (1) (beginning with ``(1) In general'') of 
     section 464z-3(h) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
     285t(h)) is amended to read as follows:
       ``(1) In general.--The Director of the Institute may carry 
     out a program to facilitate minority health disparities 
     research and other health disparities research by providing 
     for research endowments--
       ``(A) at current or former centers of excellence under 
     section 736; and
       ``(B) at current or former centers of excellence under 
     section 464z-4.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Pallone) and the gentlewoman from Washington (Mrs. Rodgers) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.


                             General Leave

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H.R. 189.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 189, the John Lewis 
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities Research 
Endowment Revitalization Act of 2021. This legislation would resume 
grants to minority academic institutions that fell out of eligibility 
for funding through the NIMHD Research Endowment Program.
  By allowing those schools to resume eligibility, we will once again 
help these institutions conduct critical research into minority health 
disparities.
  COVID-19, Mr. Speaker, has further exacerbated many of the inequities 
that minority communities experience when interacting with the 
healthcare system, inequities that we know existed long before the 
pandemic. In order to address the inequities in our healthcare system 
and in our society, we must confront them head-on and work together to 
eliminate them.
  By supporting NIMHD and the academic institutions funded through it, 
we are helping to advance minority health disparity research and 
strengthen the diversity of the scientific workforce by recruiting and 
retaining individuals underrepresented in these fields.
  This bill is a step toward progress and an equitable public health 
system. This bill is named after our former colleague, the late and 
great Congressman John Lewis from Georgia, who introduced this 
legislation last Congress. He was a dear friend and a longtime champion 
of eliminating disparities across the board, and he is certainly 
missed.
  I want to thank my colleagues, the two sponsors, Representatives 
Barragan and Carter, for leading the effort on this legislation this 
year. This is truly bipartisan.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 189, the John Lewis 
NIMHD Research Endowment Revitalization Act, which was introduced by my 
colleagues, Representatives Barragan, Carter, and Taylor.
  This bill will authorize the National Institute on Minority Health 
and Health Disparities to award research grants to current and former 
centers of excellence that conduct research on minority health 
disparities.
  Health inequities are disproportionately experienced by minority 
populations, and these disparities can have adverse impacts on health 
outcomes, economic opportunities, and overall quality of life. The 
current COVID-19 pandemic has only underscored these disparities, which 
is why this bill is so important.
  Continued support of these centers of excellence is critical in 
advancing minority health, addressing health inequities, and expanding 
educational and training opportunities for those interested in further 
advancing research in this space.
  I would like to thank my colleagues and especially my colleague on 
the Energy and Commerce Committee on the

[[Page H1752]]

Republican side, Representative Buddy Carter, for leading this 
initiative.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Barragan), a member of our committee 
and the lead sponsor of the bill.
  Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 189, the 
John Lewis National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities 
Research Endowment Revitalization Act. This is a bipartisan bill that I 
introduced with my colleague from Georgia, Congressman Carter.
  It is fitting that this bill comes before us during National Minority 
Health Month because this legislation moves us closer to ending the 
public health disparities facing communities of color. We need to 
understand why people of color are more likely to get certain 
illnesses.
  It is a tragic reality, but solutions are out there. H.R. 189 will 
fund the research that will help us find solutions and save lives.
  This bill would, once again, allow for current and former NIMHD or 
Health Resources and Services Administration centers of excellence to 
receive research endowment funding, money that is critical in the fight 
to reduce minority health disparities.
  The Research Endowment Program at the National Institute on Minority 
Health and Health Disparities provides funding to the endowments of 
academic institutions across the country, such as Charles R. Drew 
University in my district, Morehouse School of Medicine, University of 
Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine, University of New Mexico School 
of Medicine, Howard University College of Pharmacy, and so many others.
  The goal of the program includes promoting minority health and health 
disparities research capacity and infrastructure, increasing the 
diversity and strength of the scientific workforce, and enhancing the 
recruitment and retention of individuals from health disparity 
populations that are underrepresented in the scientific workforce.
  This is critical legislation that is going to play a huge role in 
addressing and researching disparities.
  During the COVID-19 health emergency, communities of color were once 
again disproportionately affected. Research into health disparities is 
more crucial than ever.
  I want to thank my cosponsors, and I want to thank Chairman Pallone 
for working to help me get this important bill to the floor. I urge my 
colleagues to support this bill. Let's get this done and across the 
finish line.
  Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter), an important leader 
on this legislation as well as on the committee.
  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, thank you to Congresswoman 
Barragan for being a champion of this issue, and she truly is a 
champion of this issue.
  The coronavirus has wreaked havoc on our communities, especially 
minority communities. Now more than ever, we must support minority 
academic institutions and the critical research they conduct.
  Minority academic institutions can play a big role in helping to 
address the systemic health disparities minority communities are 
feeling.
  We must ensure schools, including Morehouse College in my home State 
of Georgia, are able to conduct their research without disruption. 
Without a reauthorization of this program, health research will have to 
be paused or abandoned altogether. We must not let this happen. The 
efforts of these researchers will help better prepare all of us to 
respond to the coronavirus and other health inequities more 
effectively.
  I urge passage of this very important legislation.
  Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this legislation, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 189.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________