SENATE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 3357, 3578, 3584 PRINTER'S NO. 4152
No. 419 Session of 1998
INTRODUCED BY O'BRIEN, E. Z. TAYLOR, GLADECK, FICHTER, TRICH,
BROWNE, COY, CAPPABIANCA, PESCI, HERMAN, CALTAGIRONE, ORIE,
MAITLAND, READSHAW, LAUGHLIN, KIRKLAND, BELARDI, BATTISTO,
OLASZ, HALUSKA, HORSEY, WALKO, TRELLO, STABACK, JOSEPHS,
YOUNGBLOOD, CIVERA, SEYFERT, JAMES, HERSHEY, RAMOS,
J. TAYLOR, MAHER AND SAYLOR, APRIL 1, 1998
AMENDED, IN SENATE, NOVEMBER 17, 1998
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1 Directing the Joint State Government Commission to create <--
2 ESTABLISH a working group comprised of individuals with <--
3 expertise in biomedical research, health care, economic
4 development and higher education to assess the level and
5 nature of biomedical research currently conducted by the
6 Commonwealth's universities and teaching hospitals and to
7 recommend specific and realistic actions for increasing <--
8 Pennsylvania's share of Federal and private sector biomedical
9 research funding to enhance the Commonwealth's health care
10 system as well as contribute to the economy.
11 WHEREAS, Pennsylvania's academic ACADEMIC institutions are <--
12 recognized as WORLD leaders in identifying and researching <--
13 public health problems and developing treatments necessary to <--
14 improve the quality of health care; and PROBLEMS; AND <--
15 WHEREAS, ACADEMIC BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH RESULTS IN A MORE
16 VIGOROUS BIOMEDICAL INDUSTRY WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW
17 PROCEDURES AND MEDICATIONS; AND
18 WHEREAS, BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH INITIATIVES ARE VITAL TO
19 MAINTAINING THE QUALITY AND STRENGTH OF PENNSYLVANIA'S AND THE
1 NATION'S HEALTH CARE SYSTEM; AND
2 WHEREAS, Pennsylvania's ACADEMIC institutions of higher <--
3 learning and biomedical companies are drawing WERE AWARDED more <--
4 than $681 million in fiscal year 1997-98 from the National
5 Institutes of Health for biomedical research; and
6 WHEREAS, Biomedical research initiatives are vital to <--
7 maintaining the quality and strength of Pennsylvania's health
8 care system; and
9 WHEREAS, AN INCREASED SUPPLY OF FEDERAL AND PRIVATE FUNDING <--
10 WOULD SUPPORT CURRENT RESEARCH EFFORTS TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF
11 HEALTH CARE AND WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF
12 THIS COMMONWEALTH THROUGH JOB CREATION; AND
13 WHEREAS, The health care industry, including ACADEMIC <--
14 BIOMEDICAL research and teaching hospitals, plays a vital role
15 in Pennsylvania's economy, employing more than 550,000 people;
16 and
17 WHEREAS, Recent downsizing trends in the Commonwealth's
18 hospitals have resulted in the displacement of more than 2,000 <--
19 health care workers; and
20 WHEREAS, The Executive Branch and General Assembly have
21 aggressively undertaken economic development and job creation
22 initiatives; and
23 WHEREAS, Academic biomedical research results in a more
24 vigorous biomedical industry with the development of new
25 procedures and medications; and
26 WHEREAS, An increased supply of Federal and private funding
27 would support current research efforts to enhance the quality of
28 health care and would contribute to the economic development of
29 this Commonwealth through job creation; therefore be it HEALTH <--
30 CARE WORKERS; THEREFORE BE IT
19980H0419R4152 - 2 -
1 RESOLVED (the Senate concurring), That the House of
2 Representatives direct the Joint State Government Commission to
3 select ESTABLISH a working group to INVESTIGATE AND report on <--
4 the level and nature of biomedical research currently conducted
5 by Pennsylvania's universities and teaching ACADEMIC hospitals <--
6 and how those efforts compare to the efforts of other states;
7 and be it further
8 RESOLVED, That the final report recommend ways for the <--
9 Commonwealth to encourage the growth of biomedical research; and
10 be it further
11 RESOLVED, That the final report also include specific and <--
12 realistic recommendations for increasing Pennsylvania's share of
13 Federal and private sector biomedical research funding to
14 enhance the Commonwealth's health care system and contribute to
15 the economy; and be it further
16 RESOLVED, That the working group selected ESTABLISHED by the <--
17 Joint State Government Commission consist of THE PRESIDENT OF <--
18 THE PENNSYLVANIA AFL-CIO WHO SHALL APPOINT TWO MEMBERS AND the
19 presidents or a designee of the following institutions: the
20 Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, The Hospital and
21 Health System Association of Pennsylvania, The Pennsylvania
22 State University School of Medicine and the Hershey Medical
23 Center, University of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh
24 Medical Center System, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh,
25 University of Pennsylvania Health System, Thomas Jefferson
26 University, Allegheny University of Health Services, Temple
27 University School of Medicine and Temple University Health
28 System, Shriners Hospitals for Children in Philadelphia and
29 Erie, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, the Children's
30 Hospital of Philadelphia; and the president of the Pennsylvania <--
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1 AFL-CIO shall appoint two members; and be it further
2 RESOLVED, That the President pro tempore of the Senate, the
3 Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Minority Leader of
4 the Senate and the Minority Leader of the House of
5 Representatives shall each appoint two at-large commission
6 members, and the CHAIRMAN AND minority chairman of the Public <--
7 Health and Welfare Committee of the Senate and the CHAIRMAN AND <--
8 minority chairman of the Health and Human Service Committee of
9 the House of Representatives shall each appoint one at-large
10 member, and the chairman of the Senate Public Health and Welfare <--
11 Committee and the chairman of the House of Representatives
12 Health and Human Services Committee shall each appoint one at-
13 large commission member; and be it further
14 RESOLVED, That the working group report its findings and
15 recommendations to the General Assembly as soon as possible.
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