President Biden Signs NIMHD Revitalization Act

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President Biden signs the “John Lewis NIMHD Research Endowment Revitalization Act of 2021.” Attending the signing in the Oval Office are (from l) Dr. Lawrence Tabak, NIH acting director; U.S. Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán of California; HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra; U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone of New Jersey; U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams of Georgia; and Dr. Eliseo Pérez-Stable, NIMHD director.

Photo:  the white house

NIMHD director Dr. Eliseo Pérez-Stable, along with NIH acting director Dr. Lawrence Tabak, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra and congressional leaders, joined President Joe Biden at the White House on Mar. 18, for the signing of the “John Lewis NIMHD Research Endowment Revitalization Act of 2021.” 

The new law expands eligibility for the NIMHD Research Endowment Program (REP) to include former National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities and Health Resources and Services Administration Centers of Excellence. 

“It was an honor and privilege to participate in the signing of the bill,” said Pérez-Stable. “NIMHD is grateful for the opportunity to help more institutions build a research infrastructure that supports critical scientific research training and projects to improve minority health and promote the diversity of the scientific workforce.” 

Authorized by the Minority Health and Health Disparities Research and Education Act of 2000 (P.L. 106-525), REP provides funding to the endowments of academic institutions. 

The goals of the program are to help institutions build minority health and health disparities research capacity and infrastructure, increase the diversity and quality of the scientific workforce and enhance the recruitment and retention of individuals from populations that are underrepresented in the scientific workforce.