I
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4836
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 18, 2007
Mr. Inslee (for himself and Mr. Wynn) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, Agriculture, and Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To reduce the incidence, progression, and impact of diabetes and its complications and establish the position of National Diabetes Coordinator.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the
National Diabetes Coordinator Act of
2008
.
Purpose
It is the purpose of this Act to provide leadership for the development and implementation of a national strategy for reducing the incidence, progression, and impact of diabetes and its complications.
National Diabetes Coordinator
Establishment
Title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 241 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 330C the following:
National Diabetes Coordinator
In general
Establishment
There is established within the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services the position of National Diabetes Coordinator.
Appointment
The Coordinator shall be appointed by the Secretary in consultation with the President (or the President’s designee) and shall report directly to the Secretary.
Qualifications
The Coordinator shall be a nationally recognized individual with experience in diabetes-related issues across private and public sectors.
Staff
The Secretary shall provide the Coordinator with appropriate staff, administrative support, and such other resources as may be necessary for the Coordinator to carry out the duties described in subsection (c).
Mission
In carrying out the duties described in subsection (c), the Coordinator shall adhere to the mission of—
preventing diabetes in those individuals and populations at risk for the disease;
increasing detection of diabetes;
maximizing the return on diabetes research;
increasing diabetes control efforts;
improving the standard of diabetes care available; and
supplementing, but not supplanting, existing diabetes research programs.
Duties of the coordinator
The Coordinator shall—
serve as the principal advisor to the Secretary on ways to save lives, improve the quality of life, and save money for taxpayers and patients by reducing the rates of diabetes and its complications;
develop a measurement for the incidence of diabetes;
develop and coordinate implementation of a national strategy to reduce the incidence, progression, and impact of diabetes and its complications in the United States;
provide leadership and coordination between government agencies and across the public and private sectors to ensure that diabetes-related programs and policies of the Department of Health and Human Services are coordinated internally and with those of relevant Federal, State, and local agencies with a goal of avoiding duplication of effort, maximizing impact, and marshaling all government resources; and
coordinate public and private resources to develop and lead a public awareness campaign regarding the prevention and control of diabetes and its complications.
Cooperation
The head of any Federal department or agency, including the Office of Minority Health, and the head of any public or private agency or entity that receives Federal funds related to diabetes or diabetes-related complications, including the Diabetes Mellitus Interagency Coordinating Committee and the National Diabetes Education Program within the National Institutes of Health, shall, to the extent possible, give full cooperation to the Coordinator.
No new rights or benefits
This section is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity against the United States, its agencies, its entities or instrumentalities, its officers or employees, or any other person.
Definitions
In this section:
The term Coordinator means the National Diabetes Coordinator.
The term diabetes means diabetes mellitus and includes type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes.
.
Executive Schedule
Section 5315 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new item:
National Diabetes Coordinator General, Department of Health and Human Services.
Beginning of operations
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the National Diabetes Coordinator shall begin operations under section 330C–1 of the Public Health Service Act, as added by subsection (a).
Reports to the President
National strategy
In general
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the National Diabetes Coordinator, shall report to the President on a national strategy to reduce the incidence, progression, and impact of diabetes and its complications in the United States.
Updates
The Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the National Diabetes Coordinator, shall submit biennial updates to the report required by paragraph (1).
Report by OPM
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall report to the President through the Secretary of Health and Human Services on ways that the Federal Government can build into its negotiations with health plans appropriate standards and activities to reduce risk factors for diabetes and encourage prevention and early treatment of diabetes and its complications.
Report by Secretary of Agriculture
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall report to the President on ways in which food programs and nutritional support can be better targeted at concerns specific to those at risk for diabetes or those already diagnosed with diabetes whose complications could be reduced by more effective diet.
Definition
In this section, the term diabetes means diabetes mellitus and includes type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes.