Coalition of Scientists and AIDS Advocates Calls on Congress to Support Clinton AIDS Research Reform Proposals

Ji Hopkins
Medic'e
Division of Infetious Diseases
720 Rutland A nue, Ross Bldg. Room 1159, BaJtimore. MD 21205
[phone]/FAX: [phone]
AJIDSServices
1830 East Mon ment Street~/Sulf 7400/Baltmore, MD 21205
(410) 9551754 FAX: [phone]
Jamiary 20, 1993
Setor Edward Kennedy, Chair
Setor Nancy Landen Kassebaum, Ranking Member
Se4te Committee on Labor & Human Resources
U.S Senate
W At n, D.C. 20510
Dea Senators Kennedy and Kassebau=m:
Fro amy perspective as a former key staff member in the National Institute of Allergy and
Infectous Disease AIDS effort and more recently as a university-based AIDS researcher,
I am writing to strongly support provisions in the NIH Reauthorization Bill (S.1) that would
strengthen efforts to coordinate AID Research at the National Institutes of Health. These
provisions are necessary to provide NIH with the ability to carry out much-needed strategic
planing and coordination of AIDS research. Currently this important work is being done
piecemeal by myriad institutes without truly effective long-range planning, integration and
coorlination.
Specifically, I strongly urge the inclusion of the following provisions:
" Provide the NIH Office of AIDS Research (OAR) with the resources, staff and
authority to develop and implement a long-term strategic plan for AIDS research
throughout the NIH, including budgetary authority to move resources among
institutes to ensure that the strategic plan is carried out. Fiscal authority is the key
to ensuring effective use of research resources.
* Give the OAR Director authority to submit a bypass (professional judgment) budget
similar to that of the National Cancer Institute, directly to the President, and
authority to distribute the NIH AIDS research budget to the Institutes in 'accordance
with the annually-revised strategic plan.
* Enhance the position of Director of the Office of AIDS Research to become a fulltime, presidential appointee who will; (1) report directly to the Director of the NIH,
(2) sIt on relevant executive branch AIDS task forces, and (3) coordinate research
efforts within NIH, other research institutions and industry.