NIH 1998 Almanac/The Organization/NCRR/
National Center for Research Resources: NCRR Legislative Chronology
July 30, 1956--The Health Research Facilities Act of 1956 (Title VII of the PHS
act) authorized a PHS program of Federal matching grants to public and nonprofit
institutions for health research facilities construction. Congress extended title VII
through 1971. No grants were made under this authority after 1969.
August 19, 1959--Congress appropriated $2 million to establish two primate research
centers.
September 15, 1960--Public Law 86-798 amended the PHS act to authorize
grants-in-aid to universities, hospitals, laboratories, and other public and nonprofit
institutions to strengthen their programs of research and research training in sciences
related to health. The act also authorized the use of funds appropriated for research or
research training to be set aside by the Surgeon General in a special account for general
research support grants. Passage of this law resulted in the Biomedical Research Support
Program.
July 29, 1971--The Minority Biomedical Research Support Program was created with $2
million from the Senate Appropriations Committee under authority of sec. 301(c) of the
amended PHS act.
October 3, 1984--The Research Centers in Minority Institutions Program was created
with a $5 million congressional appropriation to the NIH Office of the Director. DRR was
given administrative authority for the program.
December 22, 1987--Public Law 100-202 provided $23,935,000 for the "repair,
renovation, modernization, and expansion of existing research facilities, and for the
purchase of associated equipment." The accompanying report, H.R. 100-498, directed
that the money be spent on improving AIDS research facilities. The Research Facility
Improvement Program was created in DRR in response to this legislation.
November 6, l990--Public Law 101-613, NIH Revitalization Act of l990, mandated new
programs, specified program funding levels, and reauthorized existing activities.
June 10, 1993--Public Law 103-43, NIH Revitalization Act of l993, provided the
statutory authority to redesignate DRR as NCRR; and authority to fund construction of
biomedical and behavioral research facilities, with a special provision for centers of
excellence and regional centers for research utilizing nonhuman primates.
