FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 30, 2019
Contact: Clarissa Rojas
202-594-7768
Reps. Barragán, Carter Introduce Bill to Increase Funding for Research of Minority Health Disparities
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-D) and Earl “Buddy” Carter (GA-R) introduced H.R. 4499, the Research Endowment Revitalization Act. The bill allows the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) to resume providing grants for critical research into minority health disparities.
Originally, the NIMHD program aimed to boost endowments to minority academic institutions conducting research that would advance minority research and diversify the scientific workforce. Eligible institutions were those that received less than the national average of similar institutions. Because of funding shortfalls, those endowment grants began to slow. And eventually, those schools that had received NIMHD grants for 10 years were deemed no longer eligible, thus rendering these institutions underfunded in their critical research. This bill allows those school to resume their eligibility.
“As a Representative of a majority-minority district, I know how imperative it is to lower the barriers of health disparities among communities of color,” said. Rep. Barragán. “This bill will allow more eligible institutions to conduct groundbreaking research to expand access to healthcare for underserved communities like ours in California’s 44th District”.
“Having the honor and privilege of representing a portion of the great state of Georgia in the U.S. House of Representatives, I understand firsthand that minority academic institutions are conducting critical research,” said Rep. Carter. “Morehouse College in Atlanta is a shining example of this. I’m very glad to join this effort today as we work to ensure institutions like Morehouse are able to continue their important work.”
H.R. 4499 provides the Director of the NIMHD authority to grant endowments to current and former Centers of Excellence — such as Los Angeles’ Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science and Morehouse College in Atlanta. The funds would help to; enhance student training in the area of health disparities, recruit talented new faculty members, expand student’s educational opportunities and enhance research capabilities.
Full text of the bill can be found here.
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Nanette Diaz Barragán is proud to represent California’s 44th Congressional District, which includes the communities of Carson, Compton, Florence-Firestone, Lynwood, North Long Beach, Rancho Dominguez, San Pedro, South Gate, Walnut Park, Watts, Willowbrook and Wilmington.