SUMMARY OF INCREASES This activity reflects a $32,000 increase for mandatory items such as the commissioned officer pay increase, annualization of the general schedule pay increase and the social security tax increase, and a program decrease of $150,000 for the collaborative perinatal project. In 1967 the collaborative programs of the Institute with the exception of the above changes will be at the same funding level as in 1966. This activity supports the Institute's training programs for professional, technical, administrative, and clerical personnel, including job-related training at both government and nongovernment facilities. The primary objective of the program is to train scientists in particular skills which are needed to carry on various Institute research projects. Long term training is provided by the establishment of agreements and contracts with appropriate schools or institutions. Program plans for 1966 provide for training in otolaryngology, neurology, epidemiology, and neurosurgery. Short term courses also are supported. The increase in 1967 will provide for annualization of the commissioned officer pay increase. Review and approval of grants Within the extramural program office of this activity, all grants and awards. such as research grants, program project grants, training grants and fellowship awards are programed, examined, processed, encumbered and continually followed up by the professional, administrative and clerical staff. Formal reviews are performed by several organized and ad hoc bodies of nongovernmental authorities in the health and science fields, including the National Advisory Coun cil on Neurological Diseases and Blindness, training review committees and study sections of this Institute and Division of Research Grants, National Institutes of Health. The one position and $57,000 requested in 1967 for the extramural programs will support the increased responsibilities associated with the program emphasis placed on stroke research. Proper discharge of professional and administrative review will require the additional position. PROGRAM ANALYSIS The office of program analysis has collected and indexed the Institute's current scientific activities so as to be able to respond quickly to questions of all kinds. The development of a personnel manpower file is presently underway which will be able to produce information by name of investigator, by scientific subject or by geographical location. Information is also being collected so as to provide information and data on other sources of funds which are supporting work in research in the area of interest to this Institute. In addition to providing program analysis services for the Institute itself, more and more services of a special nature are being provided to the scientific and biomedical community in the form of answering questions relating to specific research and areas of need in research Some specific problems are investigated in considerable depth with definitive reports being issued. SUMMARY OF INCREASES Included in this increase is $26,000 for mandatory items such as annualiza tion of positions new in 1966, the commissioned officers pay increase, annualization of the general schedule pay increase, and the social security tax increase. There is also an increase of $79,000 for centrally furnished services from the National Institutes of Health management fund. This activity provides support for the Office of the Director, including the professional, administrative, secretarial, and clerical staff required for the direction and coordination of all Institute programs, the review of current and proposed operations, and supervision and provision of administrative services on a centralized basis. These administrative functions include also management in the areas of finance, personnel, supply, travel, space utilization, and management analysis. The increase of two positions and $144,000 will continue the support established in fiscal year 1966, and will be used to provide adequate program planning, direction, and analytic staffs within the Office of the Director. Included in the net increase is $57,000 for mandatory items including annualization of positions new in 1966 and the general schedule pay increase. There is also an increase of $5,000 for centrally furnished services of the National Institutes of Health management fund. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9, 1966. GRANTS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF HEALTH RESEARCH FACILITIES WITNESSES DR. THOMAS J. KENNEDY, JR., CHIEF, DIVISION OF RESEARCH FACILITIES AND RESOURCES DR. JAMES A. SHANNON, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH DR. FRANCIS L. SCHMEHL, CHIEF, HEALTH RESEARCH FACILITIES BRANCH, DIVISION OF RESEARCH FACILITIES AND RESOURCES BERTIL G. BERGQUIST, BUDGET OFFICER, DIVISION OF RESEARCH FACILITIES AND RESOURCES LELAND B. MAY, HEAD, BUDGET MANAGEMENT SECTION, NA- DR. WILLIAM H. STEWART, SURGEON GENERAL JAMES B. CARDWELL, DEPARTMENT DEPUTY COMPTROLLER Mr. FOGARTY. The committee will come to order. of health research facilities." Dr. Kennedy, do you have a statement for the committee? Dr. KENNEDY. Yes, I do. Mr. FOGARTY. Proceed. GENERAL STATEMENT Dr. KENNEDY. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, I welcome this opportunity to speak to you about the health research facilities program in connection with the appropriation request for fiscal year 1967. This program, under title VII of the Public Health Service Act, has two parts. Part A provides grants which fund up to 50 percent of the cost of construction, large-scale renovation, and equipping of facil ities needed to conduct research. Part D authorizes up to 75 percent of the cost of specialized centers for mental retardation research. TITLE VII, PART A- -HEALTH RESEARCH FACILITIES I should like first to speak in behalf of the program under part A. Now in its 10th year, this program provides matching funds for up to 50 percent of the cost of construction or extensive renovation, and for equipping of health research facilities. In 1956, the Congress authorized $30 million annually for 3 years. In August 1958, the authorization was extended for 3 years. In October 1961, it was extended for a 1-year period with provision for an increased appropriation of $50 million, and the following year the Congress authorized a 3-year extension of the program at the increased funding level. The 89th Congress, during the first session, provided an additional 3-year extension and authorized an aggregate sum of $280 million over the 3 fiscal years, 1967-1969. The health research facilities program, since its inception 10 years ago, has awarded over 1,300 grants totaling $361 million to 402 institutions in all 50 States of the Union, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia, for the construction, renovation, and equipping of approximately 17 million square feet of modern laboratory space. Of this vast area, some 13 million square feet represent an expansion of the Nation's research capacity while the remaining 4 million reflect renovation of existing or replacement of obsolete space. The research needs of medical and other health professional schools have occupied a dominant place in the facilities program. And these schools, which look to this program as the primary source of construction funds for their needed research facilities, have received $206.1 million, 57 percent of the total awarded. Enactment of the health professions educational assistance program in 1963, by the Congress, authorizing grants to construct teaching facilities for new and expanding schools of the health professions gave still further impetus to requests from these institutions for funds to construct the research facilities indispensable to modern biomedical education and to the training of high-quality health professionals. Under the aegis of this legislation, and in line with our program objectives, 8 new medical schools have already received research facility awards totaling close to $14 million and 10 existing medical schools have been awarded over $12 million for expanding and improving their research facilities. An additional eight health professional schools including five dental schools have received close to $6 million for new or expanding research facilities. Other institutions substantially engaged in health-related research, such as life science components of universities, hospitals, private research institutions, and State and local health departments also depend upon this program for research facilities support. Such institutions have been awarded $155.4 million during this 10-year period. Research in the facilities constructed through this program have encompassed every known area of biomedical interest in man's search for the knowledge necessary to overcome the crippling and killing diseases. The development of research facilities construction program has been influenced by two factors. One is construction costs, which have risen 30 percent over the past 10 years. The second is the trend to the large, multipurpose facility. The combination of these two factors has encouraged a shift toward fewer but larger grants. As an example, whereas the average award for 174 grants, made in fiscal year 1958 was $167,000 in fiscal year 1965 it was $440,000 for 115 grants, and in fiscal year 1966 the average for 49 grants awarded for the 6 months through December 31, 1965, was $668,000. Construction of the large, more complex facility, properly planned, fosters significant economies both in construction and maintenance. Charged with the responsibility for assuring that the best possible facility is produced for the investment of funds by the Government and the applicant, the Office of Architecture and Engineering within the Division, reviews all construction plans submitted with applications. Through this supervision of planning, architectural design, and engineering documents, applicants have not only been saved time and money but have been assisted in planning a research facility that should be of optimal use for many years beyond the statutory 10-year use requirement. During fiscal year 1965 some 216 applications were reviewed by architects and engineers of this Division. As a result of their careful attention to details an estimated $540,000 has been recovered for the funding of additional projects. At the same time the program has been improved. Since the initiation of the program, consultants, members of advisory committees and of the National Advisory Council on Health Research Facilities, and the staff of the Division have all been aware of, and alert to, the requirement of section 705 (e) of title VII, that consideration be given to providing an equitable geographical distribution of research facilities. Within the limits imposed by voluntary receipt of applications from institutions, this requirement has been met. Applications have been received from, and grants awarded to, institutions in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Program efforts have been made to encourage applications from areas having relatively less health-related research but believed to possess considerable potential for future growth. Applications from institutions in such areas had a higher rate of awards and received a higher percentage of requested funds. For example, whereas New England and the Middle Atlantic States were awarded an average of 78.5 percent of the funds requested, the West South Central received 82.7 percent, the East South Central 87.2 percent, and South Atlantic 84.6 percent of the construction funds requested. Our two reviewing bodies have continued to provide outstanding service, contributing substantially to this program's achievements. Members of the scientific review committee have participated in project site visits to a majority of the applicant institutions. They have held three formal meetings during the past year to review such requests and have made recommendations on some 131 applications. These recommendations, in turn, have been presented to the members of the National Advisory Council on Health Research Facilities for their review and policy determination. The Advisory Council also convened three times during the year and, on the basis of the evidence presented has evaluated each application and presented its formal recommendation to the Surgeon General for final action. |