What This Bill Does
This bill replaces one research institute with three separate ones. It breaks up the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases into the National Institute of Allergic Diseases, the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, and the National Institute of Immunologic Diseases. Each new institute would have its own director and specific research responsibilities.
Who It Affects
The National Institutes of Health (a federal research agency). The President (who would appoint directors). The Senate (which would confirm these appointments). Researchers working on allergic diseases, infectious diseases, and immunologic diseases.
Key Provisions
- The National Institute of Allergic Diseases focuses on research and support programs for allergic diseases and disorders (Sec. 2(c)(1))
- The National Institute of Infectious Diseases focuses on research and support programs for infectious diseases, including tropical diseases (Sec. 2(c)(2))
- The National Institute of Immunologic Diseases focuses on research and support programs for immunologic diseases and disorders (Sec. 2(c)(3))
- The President appoints each director for 5-year terms with the Senate's approval, and each director can be reappointed for one additional term (Sec. 2(b)(2))
- The Director of the National Institutes of Health oversees all three new institutes until permanent directors are appointed (Sec. 2(b)(3))
What Changes
The current single institute structure becomes three institutes with separate duties. The position of Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases ends. The number of national research institutes increases from 27 to 29.
Important Definitions
None defined in bill text.
Effective Date
The bill takes effect on the date it becomes law.
II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 960
To replace the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases with
3 separate national research institutes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
MARCH 23, 2023
Mr. PAUL (for himself, Mr. LEE, Mr. BRAUN, Mrs. BLACKBURN, and Mr.
HAWLEY) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred
to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
A BILL
To replace the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases with 3 separate national research institutes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘NIH Reform Act’’.
4
SEC. 2. DIVISION OF NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY
5
AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
6
(a) ORGANIZATION OF NATIONAL RESEARCH INSTI-
7
TUTES.—Section 401 of the Public Health Service Act (42
8
U.S.C. 281) is amended—
9
(1) in subsection (b)—
10
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•S 960 IS
(A) in paragraph (6), by striking ‘‘Allergy
1
and Infectious Diseases’’ and inserting ‘‘Aller-
2
gic Diseases’’;
3
(B) by redesignating paragraph (25) as
4
paragraph (27); and
5
(C) by inserting after paragraph (24) the
6
following:
7
‘‘(25) The National Institute of Infectious Dis-
8
eases.
9
‘‘(26) The National Institute of Immunologic
10
Diseases.’’; and
11
(2) in subsection (d)(1), by striking ‘‘27’’ and
12
inserting ‘‘29’’.
13
(b) APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTORS.—
14
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Section 405(a)(1) of the
15
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 284(a)(1)) is
16
amended—
17
(A) by inserting ‘‘, the Director of the Na-
18
tional Institute of Allergic Diseases, the Direc-
19
tor of the National Institute of Infectious Dis-
20
eases, and the Director of the National Insti-
21
tute of Immunologic Diseases’’ after ‘‘National
22
Cancer Institute’’; and
23
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(B) by inserting ‘‘by and with the advice
1
and consent of the Senate,’’ after ‘‘the Presi-
2
dent,’’.
3
(2) TERMS.—Section 405(a) of the Public
4
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 284(a)) is amended
5
by adding at the end the following:
6
‘‘(4) CERTAIN APPOINTMENTS BY THE PRESI-
7
DENT.—The appointments by the President of the
8
Director of the National Institute of Allergic Dis-
9
eases, the Director of the National Institute of In-
10
fectious Diseases, and the Director of the National
11
Institute of Immunologic Diseases shall be for terms
12
of 5 years. Each such Director may be reappointed
13
for not more than 1 additional term, in accordance
14
paragraph (1).’’.
15
(3) TRANSITION.—Effective on the date of en-
16
actment of this Act, the position of Director of the
17
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
18
is terminated, and the National Institute of Allergic
19
Diseases, the National Institute of Infectious Dis-
20
eases, and the National Institute of Immunologic
21
Diseases shall be overseen by the Director of the
22
National Institutes of Health until such time as the
23
directors of each such national institutes is ap-
24
pointed pursuant to section 405(a)(1) of the Public
25
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Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 284(a)(1)), as
1
amended by paragraph (1).
2
(c) DUTIES OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES.—
3
(1) NATIONAL
INSTITUTE
OF
ALLERGIC
DIS-
4
EASES.—Subpart 6 of part C of title IV of the Pub-
5
lic Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 285f et seq.) is
6
amended—
7
(A) in the subpart heading, by striking
8
‘‘Allergy and Infectious Diseases’’ and
9
inserting ‘‘Allergic Diseases’’; and
10
(B) in section 446—
11
(i) by striking ‘‘Allergy and Infectious
12
Diseases’’ and inserting ‘‘Allergic Dis-
13
eases’’; and
14
(ii)
by
striking
‘‘allergic
and
15
immunologic diseases and disorders and in-
16
fectious diseases, including tropical dis-
17
eases’’ and inserting ‘‘allergic diseases and
18
disorders’’.
19
(2) NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF INFECTIOUS DIS-
20
EASES.—
21
(A) IN GENERAL.—Part C of title IV of
22
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 285
23
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
24
following:
25
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‘‘Subpart 21—National Institute of Infectious
1
Diseases
2
‘‘SEC. 464z–10. PURPOSE OF THE INSTITUTE.
3
‘‘The general purpose of the National Institute of In-
4
fectious Diseases is the conduct and support of research,
5
training, health information dissemination, and other pro-
6
grams with respect to infectious diseases, including trop-
7
ical diseases.’’.
8
(B) TRANSFER
OF
AUTHORITIES.—Sec-
9
tions 447A and 447B of the Public Health
10
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 285f–2; 285f–3) are—
11
(i) redesignated as sections 464z–11
12
and 464z–12, respectively; and
13
(ii) transferred to appear after section
14
464z–10 of such Act, as added by subpara-
15
graph (A).
16
(C) ORDERLY TRANSITION.—The Director
17
of the National Institutes of Health shall take
18
such steps as are necessary to provide for the
19
orderly transition to the authority of the Na-
20
tional Institute of Infectious Diseases estab-
21
lished under section 464z–10 of the Public
22
Health Service Act, as added by subparagraph
23
(A), from any authority related to infectious
24
diseases of the National Institute of Allergy and
25
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Infectious Diseases, as in effect on the day be-
1
fore the date of enactment of this Act.
2
(3) NATIONAL
INSTITUTE
OF
IMMUNOLOGIC
3
DISEASES.—
4
(A) IN GENERAL.—Part C of title IV of
5
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 285
6
et seq.), as amended by paragraph (2), is fur-
7
ther amended by adding at the end the fol-
8
lowing:
9
‘‘Subpart 22—National Institute of Immunologic
10
Diseases
11
‘‘SEC. 464z–15. PURPOSE OF THE INSTITUTE.
12
‘‘The general purpose of the National Institute of
13
Immunologic Diseases is the conduct and support of re-
14
search, training, health information dissemination, and
15
other programs with respect to immunologic diseases and
16
disorders.’’.
17
(B) TRANSFER
OF
AUTHORITIES.—Sec-
18
tions 447 and 447C of the Public Health Serv-
19
ice Act (42 U.S.C. 285f–1; 285f–4) are—
20
(i) redesignated as sections 464z–16
21
and 464z–17, respectively; and
22
(ii) transferred to appear after section
23
464z–15 of such Act, as added by subpara-
24
graph (A).
25
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(C) ORDERLY TRANSITION.—The Director
1
of the National Institutes of Health shall take
2
such steps as are necessary to provide for the
3
orderly transition to the authority of the Na-
4
tional Institute of Immunologic Diseases estab-
5
lished under section 464z–15 of the Public
6
Health Service Act, as added by subparagraph
7
(A), from any authority related to immunologic
8
diseases and disorders of the National Institute
9
of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, as in effect
10
on the day before the date of enactment of this
11
Act.
12
(d) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—
13
(1) Section 404B of the Public Health Service
14
Act (42 U.S.C. 283d) is amended by striking ‘‘Na-
15
tional Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases’’
16
and inserting ‘‘National Institute for Infectious Dis-
17
eases’’.
18
(2) Section 404I of the Public Health Service
19
Act (42 U.S.C. 283k) is amended—
20
(A) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ‘‘or
21
the Director of the National Institute for Al-
22
lergy and Infectious Diseases’’; and
23
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(B by striking ‘‘or the National Institute
1
for Allergy and Infectious Diseases’’ each place
2
it appears.
3
(3) Section 442A(a) of the Public Health Serv-
4
ice Act (42 U.S.C. 285d–8(a)) is amended by strik-
5
ing ‘‘Allergy and Infectious Diseases’’ and inserting
6
‘‘Immunologic Diseases’’.
7
(4) Any reference in any law (including a regu-
8
lation), guidance, map, document, record, or other
9
paper of the United States to the National Institute
10
of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, including with re-
11
spect to the Director of such Institute, shall be
12
deemed to be a reference to, as applicable, the Na-
13
tional Institute of Allergic Diseases, the National In-
14
stitute of Infectious Diseases, or the National Insti-
15
tute of Immunologic Diseases, including with respect
16
to the Directors of such Institutes.
17
Æ
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