Organization of National Institutes of Health

The National Institutes of Health is an agency of the Service. The following agencies of the National Institutes of Health are national research institutes or national centers: Within the Office of the Director of the National Institutes of Health, there shall be a Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives (referred to in this subsection as the “Division”). The following offices are within the Division: The Office of AIDS Research, the Office of Research on Women’s Health, the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, the Office of Disease Prevention, the Office of Dietary Supplements, and any other office located within the Office of the Director of NIH as of the day before January 15, 2007. In addition to such offices, the Director of NIH may establish within the Division such additional offices or other administrative units as the Director determines to be appropriate. Each office in the Division— In the National Institutes of Health, the number of national research institutes and national centers may not exceed a total of 27, including any such institutes or centers established under authority of paragraph (2) or under authority of this subchapter as in effect on the day before January 15, 2007. The Secretary may establish in the National Institutes of Health one or more additional national research institutes to conduct and support research, training, health information, and other programs with respect to any particular disease or groups of diseases or any other aspect of human health if— The Secretary may reorganize the functions of any national research institute and may abolish any national research institute if the Secretary determines that the institute is no longer required. A reorganization or abolition may not take effect under this paragraph before the expiration of 180 days after the Secretary has provided the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate written notice of the reorganization or abolition. Notwithstanding subsection (c), the Director of NIH may, after a series of public hearings, and with the approval of the Secretary, reorganize the offices within the Office of the Director, including the addition, removal, or transfer of functions of such offices, and the establishment or termination of such offices, if the Director determines that the overall management and operation of programs and activities conducted or supported by such offices would be more efficiently carried out under such a reorganization. Notwithstanding any conflicting provisions of this subchapter, the director of a national research institute or a national center may, after a series of public hearings and with the approval of the Director of NIH, reorganize the divisions, centers, or other administrative units within such institute or center, including the addition, removal, or transfer of functions of such units, and the establishment or termination of such units, if the director of such institute or center determines that the overall management and operation of programs and activities conducted or supported by such divisions, centers, or other units would be more efficiently carried out under such a reorganization. Not later than 60 days after January 15, 2007, the Secretary shall establish an advisory council within the National Institutes of Health to be known as the Scientific Management Review Board (referred to in this subsection as the “Board”). The Board shall provide advice to the appropriate officials under subsection (d) regarding the use of the authorities established in paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of such subsection to reorganize the National Institutes of Health (referred to in this subsection as “organizational authorities”). Not less frequently than once each 7 years, the Board shall— The activities of the Board with respect to a report under subparagraph (A) shall include the following: For any proposal for organizational changes to which the Board gives significant consideration as a possible recommendation in such report— In carrying out subparagraph (A), the Board shall consult with— The Board shall consist of the Director of NIH, who shall be a permanent nonvoting member on an ex officio basis, and an odd number of additional members, not to exceed 21, all of whom shall be voting members. The voting members of the Board shall be the following: Not fewer than 9 officials who are directors of national research institutes or national centers. The Secretary shall designate such officials for membership and shall ensure that the group of officials so designated includes directors of— Members appointed by the Secretary from among individuals who are not officers or employees of the United States. Such members shall include— The Chair of the Board shall be selected by the Secretary from among the members of the Board appointed under paragraph (3)(B). The term of office of the Chair shall be 2 years. The Board shall meet at the call of the Chair or upon the request of the Director of NIH, but not fewer than 5 times with respect to issuing any particular report under paragraph (2)(A). The location of the meetings of the Board is subject to the approval of the Director of NIH. Of the meetings held under subparagraph (A) with respect to a report under paragraph (2)(A)— For each meeting under subparagraph (B), the Director of NIH shall post on the Internet site of the National Institutes of Health a summary of the proceedings. The provisions of subsections (b)(4) and (c) of section 284a of this title apply with respect to the Board to the same extent and in the same manner as such provisions apply with respect to an advisory council referred to in such subsections, except that the reference in such subsection (c) to 4 years regarding the term of an appointed member is deemed to be a reference to 5 years. Each report under paragraph (2)(A) shall be submitted to— The Director of NIH shall post each report under paragraph (2) on the Internet site of the National Institutes of Health. Not later than 18 months after January 15, 2007, the Board shall submit to the committees specified in subparagraph (A) a report describing the activities of the Board. With respect to an official who has organizational authorities within the meaning of subsection (e)(2)(A), if a recommendation to the official for an organizational change is made in a report under such subsection, the official shall, except as provided in paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of this subsection, make the change in accordance with the following: Paragraph (1) does not apply to a recommendation made in a report under subsection (e)(2)(A) if the recommendation is for— Paragraph (1) does not apply to a recommendation for an organizational change made in a report under subsection (e)(2)(A) if, not later than 90 days after the report is submitted under subsection (e)(7)(A), the Director of NIH submits to the committees specified in such subsection a report providing that the Director objects to the change, which report includes the reasons underlying the objection. For purposes of subparagraph (A), an objection by the Director of NIH may be made to the entirety of a recommended organizational change or to 1 or more aspects of the change. Any aspect of a change not objected to by the Director in a report under subparagraph (A) shall be implemented in accordance with paragraph (1). An organizational change under subsection (d)(2) that is initiated pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be carried out by regulation in accordance with the procedures for substantive rules under section 553 of title 5. A rule under the preceding sentence shall be considered a major rule for purposes of chapter 8 of such title (relating to congressional review of agency rulemaking). For purposes of this subchapter: The terms “national research institute” and “national center” mean an agency of the National Institutes of Health that is— For purposes of this subchapter, a reference to the National Institutes of Health includes its agencies.