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JOHN LEWIS NIMHD RESEARCH ENDOWMENT REVITALIZATION ACT OF 2021
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 189) to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide that the authority of the Director of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities to make certain research endowments applies with respect to both current and former centers of excellence, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 189
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 ``John Lewis NIMHD Research Endowment Revitalization Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. RESEARCH ENDOWMENTS AT BOTH CURRENT AND FORMER
CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE.
Paragraph (1) (beginning with ``(1) In general'') of section 464z-3(h) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 285t(h)) is amended to read as follows:
``(1) In general.--The Director of the Institute may carry out a program to facilitate minority health disparities research and other health disparities research by providing for research endowments--
``(A) at current or former centers of excellence under section 736; and
``(B) at current or former centers of excellence under section 464z-4.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) and the gentlewoman from Washington (Mrs. Rodgers) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.
General Leave
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 189.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 189, the John Lewis National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Endowment Revitalization Act of 2021. This legislation would resume grants to minority academic institutions that fell out of eligibility for funding through the NIMHD Research Endowment Program.
By allowing those schools to resume eligibility, we will once again help these institutions conduct critical research into minority health disparities.
COVID-19, Mr. Speaker, has further exacerbated many of the inequities that minority communities experience when interacting with the healthcare system, inequities that we know existed long before the pandemic. In order to address the inequities in our healthcare system and in our society, we must confront them head-on and work together to eliminate them.
By supporting NIMHD and the academic institutions funded through it, we are helping to advance minority health disparity research and strengthen the diversity of the scientific workforce by recruiting and retaining individuals underrepresented in these fields.
This bill is a step toward progress and an equitable public health system. This bill is named after our former colleague, the late and great Congressman John Lewis from Georgia, who introduced this legislation last Congress. He was a dear friend and a longtime champion of eliminating disparities across the board, and he is certainly missed.
I want to thank my colleagues, the two sponsors, Representatives Barragan and Carter, for leading the effort on this legislation this year. This is truly bipartisan.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 189, the John Lewis NIMHD Research Endowment Revitalization Act, which was introduced by my colleagues, Representatives Barragan, Carter, and Taylor.
This bill will authorize the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities to award research grants to current and former centers of excellence that conduct research on minority health disparities.
Health inequities are disproportionately experienced by minority populations, and these disparities can have adverse impacts on health outcomes, economic opportunities, and overall quality of life. The current COVID-19 pandemic has only underscored these disparities, which is why this bill is so important.
Continued support of these centers of excellence is critical in advancing minority health, addressing health inequities, and expanding educational and training opportunities for those interested in further advancing research in this space.
I would like to thank my colleagues and especially my colleague on the Energy and Commerce Committee on the Republican side, Representative Buddy Carter, for leading this initiative.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Barragan), a member of our committee and the lead sponsor of the bill.
Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 189, the John Lewis National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Endowment Revitalization Act. This is a bipartisan bill that I introduced with my colleague from Georgia, Congressman Carter.
It is fitting that this bill comes before us during National Minority Health Month because this legislation moves us closer to ending the public health disparities facing communities of color. We need to understand why people of color are more likely to get certain illnesses.
It is a tragic reality, but solutions are out there. H.R. 189 will fund the research that will help us find solutions and save lives.
This bill would, once again, allow for current and former NIMHD or Health Resources and Services Administration centers of excellence to receive research endowment funding, money that is critical in the fight to reduce minority health disparities.
The Research Endowment Program at the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities provides funding to the endowments of academic institutions across the country, such as Charles R. Drew University in my district, Morehouse School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Howard University College of Pharmacy, and so many others.
The goal of the program includes promoting minority health and health disparities research capacity and infrastructure, increasing the diversity and strength of the scientific workforce, and enhancing the recruitment and retention of individuals from health disparity populations that are underrepresented in the scientific workforce.
This is critical legislation that is going to play a huge role in addressing and researching disparities.
During the COVID-19 health emergency, communities of color were once again disproportionately affected. Research into health disparities is more crucial than ever.
I want to thank my cosponsors, and I want to thank Chairman Pallone for working to help me get this important bill to the floor. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Let's get this done and across the finish line.
Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter), an important leader on this legislation as well as on the committee.
Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, thank you to Congresswoman Barragan for being a champion of this issue, and she truly is a champion of this issue.
The coronavirus has wreaked havoc on our communities, especially minority communities. Now more than ever, we must support minority academic institutions and the critical research they conduct.
Minority academic institutions can play a big role in helping to address the systemic health disparities minority communities are feeling.
We must ensure schools, including Morehouse College in my home State of Georgia, are able to conduct their research without disruption. Without a reauthorization of this program, health research will have to be paused or abandoned altogether. We must not let this happen. The efforts of these researchers will help better prepare all of us to respond to the coronavirus and other health inequities more effectively.
I urge passage of this very important legislation.
Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 189.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 64
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