NIH 1998 Almanac/The Organization/NICHD/
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development : NICHD Legislative Chronology
October 17, 1962--Public Law 87-838 authorized the Surgeon General, with approval
of the secretary, to "establish in the Public Health Service an institute for the
conduct and support of research and training relating to maternal health, child health and
human development, including research and training in the special health problems and
requirements of mothers and children and in the basic sciences relating to the processes
of human growth and development, including prenatal development."
October 31, 1963--Public Law 88-164 provided grants to help pay for constructing
research centers on mental retardation and related disability. The NICHD remains closely
associated with some 12 centers installed prior to June 30, 1967, when the authority
expired.
December 24, 1970--Public Law 91-572 added Title X to the Public Health Service Act
authorizing grants and contracts for research and research training in family planning and
population problems. The authority was delegated by the secretary of health, education and
welfare to the NICHD where the program is administered by the Center for Population
Research.
April 22, 1974--Public Law 93-270 assigned to the HEW secretary and ultimately to
the NICHD the task of conducting research on sudden infant death syndrome and reporting on
it to the Congress.
July 29, 1975--Title II of P.L. 94-63, the Family Planning and Population Research
Act of 1975, amended Title X of the Public Health Service Act. Thereafter the PHS could
conduct as well as support population research, and Title X became the sole authority for
population research appropriations.
August 13, 1981--The Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981, P.L. 97-35, repealed
sections 1004(b)(1) and 1004(b)(2) of the Public Health Service Act. Authority for
supporting research in human reproduction and the population sciences now derives from the
broad provisions of section 301 and 441 of the PHS act.
November 20, 1985--The Health Extension Act of 1985 directed NICHD to appoint an
associate director for prevention "to coordinate and promote the programs in the
Institute concerning the prevention of health problems of mothers and children."
November 16, 1990--Section 3 of the NIH Amendments of 1990, P.L. 101-613,
established the National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research. The center will
conduct and support programs with respect to the rehabilitation of individuals with
physical disabilities resulting from congenital defects, diseases or disorders of the
neurological, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, pulmonary or any other physiological
system.
