What This Bill Does
This bill replaces the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases with three separate research institutes. The new institutes would focus on allergic diseases, infectious diseases, and immunologic diseases (diseases affecting the immune system). Each new institute would conduct research, provide training, and share health information in their specific area.
Who It Affects
The Director of the National Institutes of Health will oversee the transition. The President will appoint new directors for each of the three new institutes with approval from the Senate. Existing employees and programs of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases will move to one of the three new institutes based on their research focus.
Key Provisions
- The National Institute of Allergic Diseases is created to conduct research and support programs focused on allergic diseases and disorders (Sec. 2(c)(1)).
- The National Institute of Infectious Diseases is created to conduct research and support programs focused on infectious diseases, including tropical diseases (Sec. 2(c)(2)).
- The National Institute of Immunologic Diseases is created to conduct research and support programs focused on immunologic diseases and disorders (Sec. 2(c)(3)).
- Each new institute director will be appointed by the President with Senate approval for 5-year terms, with the option for one additional term (Sec. 2(b)(2)).
- The Director of the National Institutes of Health will manage an orderly transition of all responsibilities and authority from the old institute to the three new institutes (Sec. 2(c)(2)(C) and Sec. 2(c)(3)(C)).
What Changes
The single National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases ceases to exist. Three separate institutes take its place, each with its own director and specific research mission. All references to the old institute in federal law, regulations, and documents will now refer to the appropriate new institute instead. The Director position of the old institute is eliminated.
Important Definitions
- Allergic diseases: health problems related to allergic reactions
- Infectious diseases: illnesses caused by germs that spread, including tropical diseases
- Immunologic diseases: health problems affecting how the immune system works
Effective Date
The position of Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases terminates on the date this bill becomes law (Sec. 2(b)(3)).
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. 1768
To replace the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases with
3 separate national research institutes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 23, 2023
Mr. ROY (for himself, Mrs. MILLER of Illinois, Mr. GOSAR, Mr. JACKSON of
Texas, Ms. HAGEMAN, Mrs. BOEBERT, Mr. BIGGS, Mr. BURLISON, Mr.
ROSENDALE, Mr. BRECHEEN, Mrs. LUNA, Mr. BISHOP of North Caro-
lina, Mr. GAETZ, Mr. STEUBE, Mr. GOODEN of Texas, and Mr. GOOD
of Virginia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce
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’’.
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•HR 1768 IH
SEC. 2. DIVISION OF NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY
1
AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
2
(a) ORGANIZATION OF NATIONAL RESEARCH INSTI-
3
TUTES.—Section 401 of the Public Health Service Act (42
4
U.S.C. 281) is amended—
5
(1) in subsection (b)—
6
(A) in paragraph (6), by striking ‘‘Allergy
7
and Infectious Diseases’’ and inserting ‘‘Aller-
8
gic Diseases’’;
9
(B) by redesignating paragraph (25) as
10
paragraph (27); and
11
(C) by inserting after paragraph (24) the
12
following:
13
‘‘(25) The National Institute of Infectious Dis-
14
eases.
15
‘‘(26) The National Institute of Immunologic
16
Diseases.’’; and
17
(2) in subsection (d)(1), by striking ‘‘27’’ and
18
inserting ‘‘29’’.
19
(b) APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTORS.—
20
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Section 405(a)(1) of the
21
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 284(a)(1)) is
22
amended—
23
(A) by inserting ‘‘, the Director of the Na-
24
tional Institute of Allergic Diseases, the Direc-
25
tor of the National Institute of Infectious Dis-
26
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•HR 1768 IH
eases, and the Director of the National Insti-
1
tute of Immunologic Diseases’’ after ‘‘National
2
Cancer Institute’’; and
3
(B) by inserting ‘‘by and with the advice
4
and consent of the Senate,’’ after ‘‘the Presi-
5
dent,’’.
6
(2) TERMS.—Section 405(a) of the Public
7
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 284(a)) is amended
8
by adding at the end the following:
9
‘‘(4) CERTAIN APPOINTMENTS BY THE PRESI-
10
DENT.—The appointments by the President of the
11
Director of the National Institute of Allergic Dis-
12
eases, the Director of the National Institute of In-
13
fectious Diseases, and the Director of the National
14
Institute of Immunologic Diseases shall be for terms
15
of 5 years. Each such Director may be reappointed
16
for not more than 1 additional term, in accordance
17
paragraph (1).’’.
18
(3) TRANSITION.—Effective on the date of en-
19
actment of this Act, the position of Director of the
20
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
21
is terminated, and the National Institute of Allergic
22
Diseases, the National Institute of Infectious Dis-
23
eases, and the National Institute of Immunologic
24
Diseases shall be overseen by the Director of the
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•HR 1768 IH
National Institutes of Health until such time as the
1
directors of each such national institutes is ap-
2
pointed pursuant to section 405(a)(1) of the Public
3
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 284(a)(1)), as
4
amended by paragraph (1).
5
(c) DUTIES OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES.—
6
(1) NATIONAL
INSTITUTE
OF
ALLERGIC
DIS-
7
EASES.—Subpart 6 of part C of title IV of the Pub-
8
lic Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 285f et seq.) is
9
amended—
10
(A) in the subpart heading, by striking
11
‘‘Allergy and Infectious Diseases’’ and
12
inserting ‘‘Allergic Diseases’’; and
13
(B) in section 446—
14
(i) by striking ‘‘Allergy and Infectious
15
Diseases’’ and inserting ‘‘Allergic Dis-
16
eases’’; and
17
(ii)
by
striking
‘‘allergic
and
18
immunologic diseases and disorders and in-
19
fectious diseases, including tropical dis-
20
eases’’ and inserting ‘‘allergic diseases and
21
disorders’’.
22
(2) NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF INFECTIOUS DIS-
23
EASES.—
24
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•HR 1768 IH
(A) IN GENERAL.—Part C of title IV of
1
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 285
2
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
3
following:
4
‘‘Subpart 21—National Institute of Infectious
5
Diseases
6
‘‘SEC. 464z–10. PURPOSE OF THE INSTITUTE.
7
‘‘The general purpose of the National Institute of In-
8
fectious Diseases is the conduct and support of research,
9
training, health information dissemination, and other pro-
10
grams with respect to infectious diseases, including trop-
11
ical diseases.’’.
12
(B) TRANSFER
OF
AUTHORITIES.—Sec-
13
tions 447A and 447B of the Public Health
14
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 285f–2; 285f–3) are—
15
(i) redesignated as sections 464z–11
16
and 464–12, respectively; and
17
(ii) transferred to appear after section
18
464z–10 of such Act, as added by subpara-
19
graph (A).
20
(C) ORDERLY TRANSITION.—The Director
21
of the National Institutes of Health shall take
22
such steps as are necessary to provide for the
23
orderly transition to the authority of the Na-
24
tional Institute of Infectious Diseases estab-
25
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•HR 1768 IH
lished under section 464z–10 of the Public
1
Health Service Act, as added by subparagraph
2
(A), from any authority related to infectious
3
diseases of the National Institute of Allergy and
4
Infectious Diseases, as in effect on the day be-
5
fore the date of enactment of this Act.
6
(3) NATIONAL
INSTITUTE
OF
IMMUNOLOGIC
7
DISEASES.—
8
(A) IN GENERAL.—Part C of title IV of
9
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 285
10
et seq.), as amended by paragraph (2), is fur-
11
ther amended by adding at the end the fol-
12
lowing:
13
‘‘Subpart 22—National Institute of Immunologic
14
Diseases
15
‘‘SEC. 464z–15. PURPOSE OF THE INSTITUTE.
16
‘‘The general purpose of the National Institute of
17
Immunologic Diseases is the conduct and support of re-
18
search, training, health information dissemination, and
19
other programs with respect to immunologic diseases and
20
disorders.’’.
21
(B) TRANSFER
OF
AUTHORITIES.—Sec-
22
tions 447 and 447C of the Public Health Serv-
23
ice Act (42 U.S.C. 285f–1; 285f–4) are—
24
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•HR 1768 IH
(i) redesignated as sections 464z–16
1
and 464z–17, respectively; and
2
(ii) transferred to appear after section
3
464z–15 of such Act, as added by subpara-
4
graph (A).
5
(C) ORDERLY TRANSITION.—The Director
6
of the National Institutes of Health shall take
7
such steps as are necessary to provide for the
8
orderly transition to the authority of the Na-
9
tional Institute of Immunologic Diseases estab-
10
lished under section 464z–15 of the Public
11
Health Service Act, as added by subparagraph
12
(A), from any authority related to immunologic
13
diseases and disorders of the National Institute
14
of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, as in effect
15
on the day before the date of enactment of this
16
Act.
17
(d) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—
18
(1) Section 404B of the Public Health Service
19
Act (42 U.S.C. 283d) is amended by striking ‘‘Na-
20
tional Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases’’
21
and inserting ‘‘National Institute for Infectious Dis-
22
eases’’.
23
(2) Section 404I of the Public Health Service
24
Act (42 U.S.C. 283k) is amended—
25
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•HR 1768 IH
(A) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ‘‘or
1
the Director of the National Institute for Al-
2
lergy and Infectious Diseases’’; and
3
(B by striking ‘‘or the National Institute
4
for Allergy and Infectious Diseases’’ each place
5
it appears.
6
(3) Section 442A(a) of the Public Health Serv-
7
ice Act (42 U.S.C. 285d–8(a)) is amended by strik-
8
ing ‘‘Allergy and Infectious Diseases’’ and inserting
9
‘‘Immunologic Diseases’’.
10
(4) Any reference in any law (including a regu-
11
lation), guidance, map, document, record, or other
12
paper of the United States to the National Institute
13
of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, including with re-
14
spect to the Director of such Institute, shall be
15
deemed to be a reference to, as applicable, the Na-
16
tional Institute of Allergic Diseases, the National In-
17
stitute of Infectious Diseases, or the National Insti-
18
tute of Immunologic Diseases, including with respect
19
to the Directors of such Institutes.
20
Æ
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