While pouring over the net trying to determine if we got any money
appropriated for Parkinson's in tonight's foot and a half Omnibus
FY97 spending bill I found the official text of the Nih
Revitalization Bill S. 1897. Here's the part that applies to
Parkinson's:
SEC. 635. PARKINSON'S RESEARCH.
Part B of title IV (42 U.S.C. 284 et seq.), as amended by sections
204, 382 and 383, is further amended by adding at the end the following
section:
``parkinson's disease
``Sec. 409E. (a) In General.--The Director of NIH shall establish a
program for the conduct and support of research and training with
respect to Parkinson's disease.
``(b) Inter-institute Coordination.--
``(1) In general.--The Director of NIH shall provide for
the coordination of the program established under subsection
(a) among all of the national research institutes conducting
Parkinson's research.
``(2) Conference.--Coordination under paragraph (1) shall
include the convening of a research planning conference not
less frequently than once every 2 years. Each such conference
shall prepare and submit to the Committee on Appropriations and
the Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate and
the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Commerce
of the House of Representatives a report concerning the
conference.
``(c) Morris K. Udall Research Centers.--
``(1) In general.--The Director of NIH shall award Core
Center Grants to encourage the development of innovative
multidisciplinary research and provide training concerning
Parkinson's. The Director shall award not more than 10 Core
Center Grants and designate each center funded under such
grants as a Morris K. Udall Center for Research on Parkinson's
Disease.
``(2) Requirements.--
``(A) In general.--With respect to Parkinson's,
each center assisted under this subsection shall--
``(i) use the facilities of a single
institution or a consortium of cooperating
institutions, and meet such qualifications as
may be prescribed by the Director of the NIH;
and
``(ii) conduct basic and clinical research.
``(B) Discretionary requirements.--With respect to
Parkinson's, each center assisted under this subsection
may--
``(i) conduct training programs for
scientists and health professionals;
``(ii) conduct programs to provide
information and continuing education to health
professionals;
``(iii) conduct programs for the
dissemination of information to the public;
``(iv) separately or in collaboration with
other centers, establish a nationwide data
system derived from patient populations with
Parkinson's, and where possible, comparing
relevant data involving general populations;
``(v) separately or in collaboration with
other centers, establish a Parkinson's Disease
Information Clearinghouse to facilitate and
enhance knowledge and understanding of
Parkinson's disease; and
``(vi) separately or in collaboration with
other centers, establish a national education
program that fosters a national focus on
Parkinson's and the care of those with
Parkinson's.
``(3) Stipends regarding training programs.--A center may
use funds provided under paragraph (1) to provide stipends for
scientists and health professionals enrolled in training
programs under paragraph (2)(B).
``(4) Duration of support.--Support of a center under this
subsection may be for a period not exceeding five years. Such
period may be extended by the Director of NIH for one or more
additional periods of not more than five years if the
operations of such center have been reviewed by an appropriate
technical and scientific peer review group established by the
Director and if such group has recommended to the Director that
such period should be extended.
``(d) Morris K. Udall Awards for Innovation in Parkinson's Disease
Research.--The Director of NIH shall establish a grant program to
support innovative proposals leading to significant breakthroughs in
Parkinson's research. Grants under this subsection shall be available
to support outstanding neuroscientists and clinicians who bring
innovative ideas to bear on the understanding of the pathogenesis,
diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson's disease.
``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying
out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated $80,000,000
for fiscal year 1997.''.
