[110th Congress Public Law 354]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[DOCID: f:publ354.110]
[[Page 3983]]
BREAST CANCER AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH ACT OF 2008
[[Page 122 STAT. 3984]]
Public Law 110-354
110th Congress
An Act
To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Director of the
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to make grants for
the development and operation of research centers regarding
environmental factors that may be related to the etiology of breast
cancer. <<NOTE: Oct. 8, 2008 - [H.R. 1157]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Breast Cancer
and Environmental Research Act of 2008.>>
SECTION 1. <<NOTE: 42 USC 201 note.>> SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Breast Cancer and Environmental
Research Act of 2008''.
SEC. 2. EXPANDING COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH ON BREAST CANCER AND THE
ENVIRONMENT.
(a) In General.--Subpart 1 of part C of title IV of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 285 et seq.) is amended by adding at the
end the following:
``SEC. 417F. <<NOTE: 42 USC 285a-12.>> INTERAGENCY BREAST CANCER
AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH COORDINATING
COMMITTEE.
``(a) Interagency Breast Cancer and Environmental Research
Coordinating Committee.--
``(1) Establishment.--Not <<NOTE: Deadline.>> later than 6
months after the date of the enactment of this section, the
Secretary shall establish a committee, to be known as the
Interagency Breast Cancer and Environmental Research
Coordinating Committee (in this section referred to as the
`Committee').
``(2) Duties.--The Committee shall--
``(A) share and coordinate information on existing
research activities, and make recommendations to the
National Institutes of Health and other Federal agencies
regarding how to improve existing research programs,
that are related to breast cancer research;
``(B) develop a comprehensive strategy and advise
the National Institutes of Health and other Federal
agencies in the solicitation of proposals for
collaborative, multidisciplinary research, including
proposals to evaluate environmental and genomic factors
that may be related to the etiology of breast cancer
that would--
``(i) result in innovative approaches to study
emerging scientific opportunities or eliminate
knowledge gaps in research to improve the research
portfolio;
``(ii) outline key research questions,
methodologies, and knowledge gaps;
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``(iii) expand the number of research
proposals that involve collaboration between 2 or
more national research institutes or national
centers, including proposals for Common Fund
research described in section 402(b)(7) to improve
the research portfolio; and
``(iv) expand the number of collaborative,
multidisciplinary, and multi-institutional
research grants;
``(C) develop a summary of advances in breast cancer
research supported or conducted by Federal agencies
relevant to the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of
cancer and other diseases and disorders; and
``(D) not <<NOTE: Deadline.>> later than 2 years
after the date of the establishment of the Committee,
make recommendations to the Secretary--
``(i) regarding any appropriate changes to
research activities, including recommendations to
improve the research portfolio of the National
Institutes of Health to ensure that
scientifically-based strategic planning is
implemented in support of research priorities that
impact breast cancer research activities;
``(ii) to ensure that the activities of the
National Institutes of Health and other Federal
agencies, including the Department of Defense, are
free of unnecessary duplication of effort;
``(iii) regarding public participation in
decisions relating to breast cancer research to
increase the involvement of patient advocacy and
community organizations representing a broad
geographical area;
``(iv) on how best to disseminate information
on breast cancer research progress; and
``(v) on how to expand partnerships between
public entities, including Federal agencies, and
private entities to expand collaborative, cross-
cutting research.
``(3) Rule of construction.--For the purposes of the
Committee, when focusing on research to evaluate environmental
and genomic factors that may be related to the etiology of
breast cancer, nothing in this section shall be construed to
restrict the Secretary from including other forms of cancer, as
appropriate, when doing so may advance research in breast cancer
or advance research in other forms of cancer.
``(4) Membership.--
``(A) In general.--The Committee shall be composed
of the following voting members:
``(i) Not more than 7 voting Federal
representatives as follows:
``(I) The Director of the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention.
``(II) The Director of the National
Institutes of Health and the directors
of such national research institutes and
national centers (which may include the
National Institute of Environmental
Health Sciences) as the Secretary
determines appropriate.
``(III) One representative from the
National Cancer Institute Board of
Scientific Advisors, appointed by the
Director of the National Cancer
Institute.
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``(IV) The heads of such other
agencies of the Department of Health and
Human Services as the Secretary
determines appropriate.
``(V) Representatives of other
Federal agencies that conduct or support
cancer research, including the
Department of Defense.
``(ii) 12 additional voting members appointed
under subparagraph (B).
``(B) Additional members.--The Committee shall
include additional voting members appointed by the
Secretary as follows:
``(i) 6 members shall be appointed from among
scientists, physicians, and other health
professionals, who--
``(I) are not officers or employees
of the United States;
``(II) represent multiple
disciplines, including clinical, basic,
and public health sciences;
``(III) represent different
geographical regions of the United
States;
``(IV) are from practice settings,
academia, or other research settings;
and
``(V) are experienced in scientific
peer review process.
``(ii) 6 members shall be appointed from
members of the general public, who represent
individuals with breast cancer.
``(C) Nonvoting members.--The Committee shall
include such nonvoting members as the Secretary
determines to be appropriate.
``(5) Chairperson.--The voting members of the Committee
shall select a chairperson from among such members. The
selection of a chairperson shall be subject to the approval of
the Director of NIH.
``(6) Meetings.--The Committee shall meet at the call of the
chairperson of the Committee or upon the request of the Director
of NIH, but in no case less often than once each year.
``(b) Review.--The Secretary shall review the necessity of the
Committee in calendar year 2011 and, thereafter, at least once every 2
years.''.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying
out research activities under title IV of the Public Health Service Act,
including section 417F of such Act as added by subsection (a), there are
authorized to be appropriated $40,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009
through 2012. Amounts authorized to be appropriated under the preceding
sentence shall be in addition
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to amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated for such purpose
under section 402A of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 282a).
Approved October 8, 2008.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 1157 (S. 579):
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HOUSE REPORTS: No. 110-889 (Comm. on Energy and Commerce).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 154 (2008):
Sept. 25, considered and passed House.
Sept. 27, considered and passed Senate.
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