S. 579 - Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act of 2007

110th CONGRESS
1st Session

S. 579

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.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

February 14, 2007

Mr. REID (for himself, Mr. HATCH, Mrs. CLINTON, Ms. MURKOWSKI, Mr. SANDERS, Ms. SNOWE, Mr. WARNER, Mr. FEINGOLD, Mr. BIDEN, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. REED, Mr. LEAHY, and Mr. LAUTENBERG) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

A BILL

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 `Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act of 2007'.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH; AWARDS FOR DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATION OF RESEARCH CENTERS REGARDING ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS RELATED TO BREAST CANCER.

Part A of title IV of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 281 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

`SEC. 404H. RESEARCH CENTERS REGARDING ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS RELATED TO BREAST CANCER.

`(a) In General- The Secretary, acting through the Director of NIH, based on recommendations from the Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Panel established under subsection (b) (referred to in this section as the `Panel'), shall make grants to public or nonprofit private entities for the development and operation of collaborative, multi-institutional centers for the purpose of conducting multidisciplinary and multi-institutional research on environmental factors that may be related to the etiology of breast cancer. Each such center shall be known as a Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Center of Excellence.

`(b) Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Panel-

`(1) ESTABLISHMENT- The Secretary shall establish within the National Institutes of Health a Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Panel.

`(2) COMPOSITION- The Panel shall be composed of--

`(A) 9 members to be appointed by the Secretary, of which--

`(i) six members shall be appointed from among 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 peer review; and

`(ii) three members shall be appointed from the general public who are representatives of individuals who have had breast cancer and who represent a constituency; and

`(B) such nonvoting, ex officio members as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.

`(3) CHAIRPERSON- The members of the Panel appointed under paragraph (2)(A) shall select a chairperson from among such members.

`(4) MEETINGS- The Panel shall meet at the call of the chairperson or upon the request of the Director of NIH, but in no case less often than once each year.

`(5) DUTIES- The Panel shall--

`(A) develop a comprehensive strategy concerning collaborative centers that would--

`(i) result in innovative approaches to study unexplored or underexplored areas of the environment and breast cancer;

`(ii) outline key research questions, methodologies, and knowledge gaps concerning environmental factors that may be related to the etiology of breast cancer;

`(iii) outline key issues concerning environmental factors that may be related to the etiology of breast cancer; and

`(iv) result in an overall strategy to address environmental factors related to breast cancer;

`(B) make recommendations to the Secretary with respect to the mechanisms, peer review criteria, and allocations under this section;

`(C) assist in the overall program evaluation; and

`(D) make recommendations for the dissemination of information on program process.

`(c) Collaboration With Community- Each center under subsection (a) shall include community organizations in the geographic area served by the center, including those that represent women with breast cancer, as integral collaborators involved at all levels of the decision-making and research in such center.

`(d) Coordination of Centers; Reports- The Director of NIH shall, as appropriate, provide for the coordination of information among centers under subsection (a) and ensure regular communication between such centers, and may require the periodic preparation of reports on the activities of the centers and the submission of the reports to the Director.

`(e) Required Consortium- Each center under subsection (a) shall be formed from a consortium of cooperating institutions and community groups, meeting such requirements as may be prescribed by the Director of NIH. Each center shall require collaboration among highly accomplished scientists, other health professionals and advocates of diverse backgrounds from various areas of expertise.

`(f) Duration of Support- Support of a center under subsection (a) may be for a period not exceeding 5 years. Such period may be extended for one or more additional periods not exceeding 5 years if the operations of such center have been reviewed by an appropriate technical and scientific peer review group established by the Director of NIH and if such group has recommended to the Director that such period be extended.

`(g) Geographic Distribution of Centers- The Director of NIH shall, to the extent practicable, provide for an equitable geographical distribution of centers under this section.

`(h) Authorization of Appropriations- For the purpose of carrying out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $40,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012. Such authorization is in addition to any other authorization of appropriations that is available for such purpose.'.

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