Authorizing Legislation

Attachment 1
Public Health Service Act, as amended
Section 301(a) and Section 317K
42 USC 241(a), 42 USC 247b-12.
42 U.S. Code § 241 - Research and investigations generally
(a) Authority of Secretary
The Secretary shall conduct in the Service, and encourage, cooperate with, and render assistance to
other appropriate public authorities, scientific institutions, and scientists in the conduct of, and promote
the coordination of, research, investigations, experiments, demonstrations, and studies relating to the
causes, diagnosis, treatment, control, and prevention of physical and mental diseases and impairments
of man, including water purification, sewage treatment, and pollution of lakes and streams. In carrying
out the foregoing the Secretary is authorized to—
(1) collect and make available through publications and other appropriate means, information as to, and
the practical application of, such research and other activities;
(2) make available research facilities of the Service to appropriate public authorities, and to health
officials and scientists engaged in special study;
(3) make grants-in-aid to universities, hospitals, laboratories, and other public or private institutions,
and to individuals for such research projects as are recommended by the advisory council to the entity
of the Department supporting such projects and make, upon recommendation of the advisory council to
the appropriate entity of the Department, grants-in-aid to public or nonprofit universities, hospitals,
laboratories, and other institutions for the general support of their research;
(4) secure from time to time and for such periods as he deems advisable, the assistance and advice of
experts, scholars, and consultants from the United States or abroad;
(5) for purposes of study, admit and treat at institutions, hospitals, and stations of the Service, persons
not otherwise eligible for such treatment;
(6) make available, to health officials, scientists, and appropriate public and other nonprofit institutions
and organizations, technical advice and assistance on the application of statistical methods to
experiments, studies, and surveys in health and medical fields;
(7) enter into contracts, including contracts for research in accordance with and subject to the
provisions of law applicable to contracts entered into by the military departments under sections 2353
and 2354 of title 10, except that determination, approval, and certification required thereby shall be by
the Secretary of Health and Human Services; and
(8) adopt, upon recommendations of the advisory councils to the appropriate entities of the
Department or, with respect to mental health, the National Advisory Mental Health Council, such
additional means as the Secretary considers necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of this
section.
The Secretary may make available to individuals and entities, for biomedical and behavioral research,
substances and living organisms. Such substances and organisms shall be made available under such
terms and conditions (including payment for them) as the Secretary determines appropriate.

42 U.S. Code § 247b–12 - Safe motherhood
(a) Surveillance
(1) Purpose
The purpose of this subsection is to develop surveillance systems at the local, State, and national level to
better understand the burden of maternal complications and mortality and to decrease the disparities
among population at risk of death and complications from pregnancy.
(2) Activities
For the purpose described in paragraph (1), the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, may carry out the following activities:
(A) The Secretary may establish and implement a national surveillance program to identify and promote
the investigation of deaths and severe complications that occur during pregnancy.
(B) The Secretary may expand the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System to provide surveillance
and collect data in each State.
(C) The Secretary may expand the Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Program to provide technical
support, financial assistance, or the time-limited assignment of senior epidemiologists to maternal and
child health programs in each State.
(b) Prevention research
(1) Purpose
The purpose of this subsection is to provide the Secretary with the authority to further expand research
concerning risk factors, prevention strategies, and the roles of the family, health care providers and the
community in safe motherhood.
(2) Research
The Secretary may carry out activities to expand research relating to—
(A) encouraging preconception counseling, especially for at risk populations such as diabetics;
(B) the identification of critical components of prenatal delivery and postpartum care;
(C) the identification of outreach and support services, such as folic acid education, that are available for
pregnant women;
(D) the identification of women who are at high risk for complications;
(E) preventing preterm delivery;
(F) preventing urinary tract infections;
(G) preventing unnecessary caesarean sections;
(H) an examination of the higher rates of maternal mortality among African American women;
(I) an examination of the relationship between domestic violence and maternal complications and
mortality;
(J) preventing and reducing adverse health consequences that may result from smoking, alcohol and
illegal drug use before, during and after pregnancy;
(K) preventing infections that cause maternal and infant complications; and
(L) other areas determined appropriate by the Secretary.
(c) Prevention programs
(1) In general
The Secretary may carry out activities to promote safe motherhood, including—
(A) public education campaigns on healthy pregnancies and the building of partnerships with outside
organizations concerned about safe motherhood;

(B) education programs for physicians, nurses and other health care providers; and
(C) activities to promote community support services for pregnant women.
(d) 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 the fiscal years 2001 through 2005.