§ 247b-4. National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities

(a) In general

(1) National Center

There is established within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention a center to be known as the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (referred to in this section as the “Center”), which shall be headed by a director appointed by the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

(2) General duties

The Secretary shall carry out programs—

(A) to collect, analyze, and make available data on birth defects, developmental disabilities, and disabilities and health (in a manner that facilitates compliance with subsection (c)(2) of this section), including data on the causes of such defects and disabilities and on the incidence and prevalence of such defects and disabilities;

(B) to operate regional centers for the conduct of applied epidemiological research on the prevention of such defects and disabilities;

(D) to conduct research on and to promote the prevention of such defects and disabilities, and secondary health conditions among individuals with disabilities; and

(E) to support a National Spina Bifida Program to prevent and reduce suffering from the Nation’s most common permanently disabling birth defect.

(3) Folic acid

The Secretary shall carry out section 247b–11 of this title through the Center.

(4) Certain programs

(A) Transfers

All programs and functions described in subparagraph (B) are transferred to the Center, effective upon the expiration of the 180-day period beginning on October 17, 2000.

(B) Relevant programs

The programs and functions described in this subparagraph are all programs and functions that—

(i) relate to birth defects; folic acid; cerebral palsy; mental retardation; child development; newborn screening; autism; fragile X syndrome; fetal alcohol syndrome; pediatric genetic disorders; disability prevention; or other relevant diseases, disorders, or conditions as determined ^[1] the Secretary; and

(ii) were carried out through the National Center for Environmental Health as of the day before October 17, 2000.

Personnel employed in connection with the programs and functions specified in subparagraph (B), and amounts available for carrying out the programs and functions, are transferred to the Center, effective upon the expiration of the 180-day period beginning on October 17, 2000. Such transfer of amounts does not affect the period of availability of the amounts, or the availability of the amounts with respect to the purposes for which the amounts may be expended.

(b) Grants and contracts

(1) In general

In carrying out subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary may make grants to and enter into contracts with public and nonprofit private entities.

(2) Supplies and services in lieu of award funds

(A) Upon the request of a recipient of an award of a grant or contract under paragraph (1), the Secretary may, subject to subparagraph (B), provide supplies, equipment, and services for the purpose of aiding the recipient in carrying out the purposes for which the award is made and, for such purposes, may detail to the recipient any officer or employee of the Department of Health and Human Services.

(B) With respect to a request described in subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall reduce the amount of payments under the award involved by an amount equal to the costs of detailing personnel and the fair market value of any supplies, equipment, or services provided by the Secretary. The Secretary shall, for the payment of expenses incurred in complying with such request, expend the amounts withheld.

(3) Application for award

The Secretary may make an award of a grant or contract under paragraph (1) only if an application for the award 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 the purposes for which the award is to be made.

Not later than February 1 of fiscal year 1999 and of every second such year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Commerce of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate, a report that, with respect to the preceding 2 fiscal years—

(1) contains information regarding the incidence and prevalence of birth defects, developmental disabilities, and the health status of individuals with disabilities and the extent to which these conditions have contributed to the incidence and prevalence of infant mortality and affected quality of life;

(2) contains information under paragraph (1) that is specific to various racial and ethnic groups (including Hispanics, non-Hispanic whites, Blacks, Native Americans, and Asian Americans);

(3) contains an assessment of the extent to which various approaches of preventing birth defects, developmental disabilities, and secondary health conditions among individuals with disabilities have been effective;

(4) describes the activities carried out under this section;

(5) contains information on the incidence and prevalence of individuals living with birth defects and disabilities or developmental disabilities, information on the health status of individuals with disabilities, information on any health disparities experienced by such individuals, and recommendations for improving the health and wellness and quality of life of such individuals;

(6) contains a summary of recommendations from all birth defects research conferences sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including conferences related to spina bifida; and

(7) contains any recommendations of the Secretary regarding this section.

(d) Applicability of privacy laws

The provisions of this section shall be subject to the requirements of section 552a of title 5. All Federal laws relating to the privacy of information shall apply to the data and information that is collected under this section.

(e) Advisory committee

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the members of the advisory committee appointed by the Director of the National Center for Environmental Health that have expertise in birth defects, developmental disabilities, and disabilities and health shall be transferred to and shall advise the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities effective on December 3, 2003.

(f) Authorization of appropriations

For the purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2003 through 2007.

[1] So in original. Probably should be followed by the word “by”.

U.S. Code

§ 247b-4. National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities