WASHINGTON H The Bush administration is continuing toponder whether to make federally supported biotechnologyresearch a Presidential Initiative in the fiscal year 1993budget, which President Bush will present to the Congress onFeb. 4.
If approved, an initiative would commit the federalgovernment to increased funding and better coordination ofbiotechnology research activities in the fiscal year that beginsnext October.
The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is inthe midst of final budget negotiations with the departments,said Donald Poppke, chief of the public health branch of theDepartment of Health and Human Service's office of budget.
The decision on a biotech initiative must be made and thebudget completed no later than Jan. 28, Poppke told BioWorld.
Government agencies with programs that would be part of theinitiative have been expecting a decision substantially ahead ofthis deadline, said an agency official close to the process whorequested anonymity.
OMB and the biotechnology research subcommittee of theFederal Coordinating Council on Science, Engineering andTechnology (FCCSET), which is part of the White House Office ofScience and Technology Policy, are reviewing the amountbudgeted for biotechnology research across all federal agencies,a process called the "biotechnology research crosscut."
OMB, with advice from the FCCSET, will decide whether torecommend an initiative based in part on whether thebudgeting represents a significant increase in funding forbiotechnology, according to the agency official.
Meanwhile, Congress also will enter the new year with anunfinished slate of biotechnology-related business, rangingfrom orphan drug law modifications to investment-oriented taxlaw changes.
The following summarizes the status of biotech-relatedlegislation.
ANIMAL RESEARCH
Bill: Animal Research Facilities Protection Act
Senate: S. 544, Heflin, D-Ala.
House: H.R. 2407, Stenholm, D-Texas
Description: Makes it a federal crime to break into or vandalizeany animal research facility.
Status: House Agriculture Committee expects to consider billearly in 1992.
GENETIC PRIVACY
Bill: Human Genome Privacy Act
Senate: No legislation
House: H.R. 2045, Conyers, D-Mich.
Description: Prevents federal agencies from releasing geneticinformation on individuals without their consent.
Status: Hearings by the House Committee on GovernmentOperations about possible uses and misuses of geneticinformation were held in October.
INVESTMENT INCENTIVES
Bill: Enterprise Capital Formation Act
Senate: S. 1932, Bumpers, D-Ariz.
House: H.R. 3741, Matsui, D-Calif.
Description: Provides capital gains tax differential forindividual and corporate taxpayers who invest in start-up andother small companies. Exempts from capital gains tax half ofthe capital gains earned by investors who put up the first $5million in "seed" capital for young companies, provided theyhold onto their investments for five years. Investments heldlonger than five years would be eligible for an additional 10percent yearly exemption so that after 10 years they would betotally tax-exempt.
Status: Provisions similar to the Senate bill were included inlegislation (S. 2061) introduced Nov. 26 by Jim Sasser, D-Tenn.,which would amend the IRS code of 1986 to provide middle-income tax relief. The bill has been referred to the FinanceCommittee. House Republicans included a version of H.R. 3741in an economic growth package endorsed by President BushNov. 26.
ORPHAN DRUGS
Bill: Orphan Drug Amendments Act
Senate: S. 2060, Kassebaum, R-Kan.
House: H.R. 3930, Studds, D-Mass.
Description: Amends the Orphan Drug Law to eliminate marketexclusivity for a drug when the cumulative sales reach aspecified ceiling. The Senate bill would limit sales to $200million, while the House bill sets $150 million as a cap. Highdevelopment costs may allow a higher ceiling on particulardrugs.
Status: S. 2060 has been referred to the Labor and HumanResources Committee, with hearings likely in late January orFebruary. H.R. 3939 has been referred to the Energy andCommerce Committee.
Bill: Internal Revenue Code of 1986, Amendment
Senate: no legislation
House: H.R. 1713, H.R. 3551, Stark, D-Calif.
Description: Imposes a windfall profits tax on "excessivelyprofitable" orphan drugs.
Status: H.R. 1713 and H.R. 3551 have been referred to the Waysand Means Committee.
PATENTS
Bill: Biotechnology Patent Protection Act ("Boucher Bill")
Senate: S. 654, DeConcini, D-Ariz.
House: H.R. 1417, Boucher, D-Va.
Description: Expands U.S. patent law to cover the processesused to make products containing patented components.Amends present law to clarify the definition "obvious" used bythe Patent and Trademark Office. Under both bills, if apatentable material is included in a process claim and a patentis granted for the material, the process for making the materialwould be considered "non-obvious" and thus subject to patentprotection.
Status: Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approvedSenate bill Nov. 21. Boucher's bill currently is in the HouseJudiciary Committee.
PESTICIDE REGULATION
Bill: Federal-State Pesticide Regulation Partnership Act
Senate: S. 2085, Pryor, D-Ark.
House: H.R. 3850, Hatcher, D-Ga.
Description: Amends U.S. pesticide law to prohibit localregulation of pesticides.
Status: Introduced just before congressional recess inNovember, awaits Agriculture Committee action in both houses.
Bill: Circle of Poison Prevention Act
Senate: S. 898, Leahy, D-Vt.
House: H.R. 2083, Synar, D-Okla.
Description: Requires new pesticides to be approved for use inthe United States before they could be sold in other countries.
Status: S. 898 is in Agriculture, Nutrition and ForestryCommittee.
PRODUCT LIABILITY
Bill: Product Liability Fairness Act
Senate: S. 640, Kasten, R-Wis.
House: H.R. 3030, Rowland, D-Ga.
Description: Reforms current product liability laws byestablishing a uniform product liability law to supercede statelaws.
Status: Reported by Senate Commerce Committee in November.The proposal may be before the full Senate in early 1992.
TAXES
Bill: Internal Revenue Code of 1986, Amendment
Senate: S. 2042, Bentsen, D-Texas
House: H.R. 3903, Rostenkowski, D-Ill.
Description: Extends tax credits, including the R&D tax creditand orphan drug tax credit, until June 30, 1992.
Status: President Bush signed the bill into law on Dec. 11.
Bill: Internal Revenue Code of 1986, Amendment
Senate: S. 416, Danforth, R-Mo.
House: H.R. 1618, Jenkins, D-Ga.
Description: Makes the research and development tax creditpermanent.
Status: The Senate bill was added to Sasser's economic growthlegislation introduced Nov. 26 (S. 2061).
-- Kris Herbst BioWorld Washington Bureau
(c) 1997 American Health Consultants. All rights reserved.