To authorize grants through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for mosquito control programs to prevent mosquito-borne diseases, and for other purposes.

January 27, 2003

Mr. JOHN (for himself, Mr. TAUZIN, Mr. DINGELL, Ms. MCCARTHY of Missouri, Mr. SHIMKUS, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. PALLONE, Ms. NORTON, Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida, Mr. WYNN, Mr. WEINER, Mr. KING of New York, Mr. STRICKLAND, Mr. ALEXANDER, Mr. PICKERING, Mr. DOYLE, Mr. FOSSELLA, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mr. RUSH, Mr. BAKER, Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota, Mr. MCHUGH, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. STUPAK, and Mr. FOLEY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

To authorize grants through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for mosquito control programs to prevent mosquito-borne diseases, and for other purposes.

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 `Mosquito Abatement for Safety and Health Act'.

SEC. 2. GRANTS REGARDING PREVENTION OF MOSQUITO-BORNE DISEASES.

Part B of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 243 et seq.), as amended by section 4 of Public Law 107-84 and section 312 of Public Law 107-188, is amended--

(1) by transferring section 317R from the current placement of the section and inserting the section after section 317Q; and

(2) by inserting after section 317R (as so transferred) the following section:

`SEC. 317S. MOSQUITO-BORNE DISEASES; COORDINATION GRANTS TO STATES; ASSESSMENT AND CONTROL GRANTS TO POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS.

`(a) COORDINATION GRANTS TO STATES; ASSESSMENT GRANTS TO POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS-

`(1) IN GENERAL- With respect to mosquito control programs to prevent and control mosquito-borne diseases (referred to in this section as `control programs'), the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, may make grants to States for the purpose of--

`(A) coordinating control programs in the State involved; and

`(B) assisting such State in making grants to political subdivisions of the State to conduct assessments to determine the immediate needs in such subdivisions for control programs, and to develop, on the basis of such assessments, plans for carrying out control programs in the subdivisions.

`(2) PREFERENCE IN MAKING GRANTS- In making grants under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give preference to States that have one or more political subdivisions with an incidence or prevalence of mosquito-borne disease, or a population of infected mosquitoes, that is substantial relative to political subdivisions in other States.

`(3) CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS- A grant may be made under paragraph (1) only if--

`(A) the State involved has developed, or agrees to develop, a plan for coordinating control programs in the State, and the plan takes into account any assessments or plans described in subsection (b)(3) that have been conducted or developed, respectively, by political subdivisions in the State;

`(B) in developing such plan, the State consulted or will consult (as the case may be under subparagraph (A)) with political subdivisions in the State that are carrying out or planning to carry out control programs;

`(C) the State agrees to monitor control programs in the State in order to ensure that the programs are carried out in accordance with such plan, with priority given to coordination of control programs in political subdivisions described in paragraph (2) that are contiguous;

`(D) the State agrees that the State will make grants to political subdivisions as described in paragraph (1)(B), and that such a grant will not exceed $10,000; and

`(E) the State agrees that the grant will be used to supplement, and not supplant, State and local funds available for the purpose described in paragraph (1).

`(4) REPORTS TO SECRETARY- A grant may be made under paragraph (1) only if the State involved agrees that, promptly after the end of the fiscal year for which the grant is made, the State will submit to the Secretary a report that--

`(A) describes the activities of the State under the grant; and

`(B) contains an evaluation of whether the control programs of political subdivisions in the State were effectively coordinated with each other, which evaluation takes into account any reports that the State received under subsection (b)(5) from such subdivisions.

`(5) AMOUNT OF GRANT; NUMBER OF GRANTS- A State may not receive more than one grant under paragraph (1).

`(b) PREVENTION AND CONTROL GRANTS TO POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS-

`(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, may make grants to political subdivisions of States for the operation of control programs.

`(2) PREFERENCE IN MAKING GRANTS- In making grants under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give preference to political subdivisions that--

`(A) have an incidence or prevalence of mosquito-borne disease, or a population of infected mosquitoes, that is substantial relative to other political subdivisions;

`(B) demonstrate to the Secretary that the political subdivisions will, if appropriate to the mosquito circumstances involved, effectively coordinate the activities of the control programs with contiguous political subdivisions;

`(C) demonstrate to the Secretary (directly or through State officials) that the State in which the political subdivision is located has identified or will identify geographic areas in the State that have a significant need for control programs and will effectively coordinate such programs in such areas; and

`(D) are located in a State that has received a grant under subsection (a).

`(3) REQUIREMENT OF ASSESSMENT AND PLAN- A grant may be made under paragraph (1) only if the political subdivision involved--

`(A) has conducted an assessment to determine the immediate needs in such subdivision for a control program, including an entomological survey of potential mosquito breeding areas; and

`(B) has, on the basis of such assessment, developed a plan for carrying out such a program.

`(4) REQUIREMENT OF MATCHING FUNDS-

`(A) IN GENERAL- With respect to the costs of a control program to be carried out under paragraph (1) by a political subdivision, a grant under such paragraph may be made only if the subdivision agrees to make available (directly or through donations from public or private entities) non-Federal contributions toward such costs in an amount that is not less than 1/3 of such costs ($1 for each $2 of Federal funds provided in the grant).

`(B) DETERMINATION OF AMOUNT CONTRIBUTED- Non-Federal contributions required in subparagraph (A) may be in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated, including plant, equipment, or services. Amounts provided by the Federal Government, or services assisted or subsidized to any significant extent by the Federal Government, may not be included in determining the amount of such non-Federal contributions.

`(C) WAIVER- The Secretary may waive the requirement established in subparagraph (A) if the Secretary determines that extraordinary economic conditions in the political subdivision involved justify the waiver.

`(5) REPORTS TO SECRETARY- A grant may be made under paragraph (1) only if the political subdivision involved agrees that, promptly after the end of the fiscal year for which the grant is made, the subdivision will submit to the Secretary, and to the State within which the subdivision is located, a report that describes the control program and contains an evaluation of whether the program was effective.

`(6) AMOUNT OF GRANT; NUMBER OF GRANTS- A grant under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year may not exceed $100,000. A political subdivision may not receive more than one grant under such paragraph.

`(c) APPLICATIONS FOR GRANTS- A grant may be made under subsection (a) or (b) only if an application for the grant is submitted to the Secretary and the application is in such form, is made in such manner, and contains such agreements, assurances, and information as the Secretary determines to be necessary to carry out this section.

`(d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE- Amounts appropriated under subsection (f) may be used by the Secretary to provide training and technical assistance with respect to the planning, development, and operation of assessments and plans under subsection (a) and control programs under subsection (b). The Secretary may provide such technical assistance directly or through awards of grants or contracts to public and private entities.

`(e) DEFINITIONS- For purposes of this section:

`(1) The term `control program' has the meaning indicated for such term in subsection (a).

`(2) The term `political subdivision' means the local political jurisdiction immediately below the level of State government, including counties, parishes, and boroughs. If State law recognizes an entity of general government that functions in lieu of, and is not within, a county, parish, or borough, the Secretary may recognize an area under the jurisdiction of such other entities of general government as a political subdivision for purposes of this Act.

`(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- For the purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2003, and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2004 through 2007. In the case of control programs carried out in response to a mosquito-borne disease that constitutes a public health emergency, the authorization of appropriations under the preceding sentence is in addition to applicable authorizations of appropriations under the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002.'.

SEC. 3. RESEARCH PROGRAM OF NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES.

Subpart 12 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 section:

`METHODS OF CONTROLLING CERTAIN INSECT AND VERMIN POPULATIONS

`SEC. 463B. The Director of the Institute shall conduct or support research to identify or develop methods of controlling insect and vermin populations that transmit to humans diseases that have significant adverse health consequences.'.

END