shall undertake and support (by grant or contract) research, demonstrations, and evaluations respecting new or improved methods for obtaining current data on the matters referred to in paragraph (1);

may undertake and support (by grant or contract) epidemiological research, demonstrations, and evaluations on the matters referred to in paragraph (1); and

may collect, furnish, tabulate, and analyze statistics, and prepare studies, on matters referred to in paragraph (1) upon request of public and nonprofit private entities under arrangements under which the entities will pay the cost of the service provided.

coordinate the activities of Federal agencies involved in the design and implementation of the System;

undertake and support (by grant or contract) research, development, demonstrations, and evaluations respecting the System;

make grants to and enter into contracts with State and local health agencies to assist them in meeting the costs of data collection and other activities carried out under the System; and

review the statistical activities of the Department of Health and Human Services to assure that they are consistent with the System.

There shall be an annual collection of data from the records of births, deaths, marriages, and divorces in registration areas. The data shall be obtained only from and restricted to such records of the States and municipalities which the Secretary, in his discretion, determines possess records affording satisfactory data in necessary detail and form. The Secretary shall encourage States and registration areas to obtain detailed data on ethnic and racial populations, including subpopulations of Hispanics, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders with significant representation in the State or registration area. Each State or registration area shall be paid by the Secretary the Federal share of its reasonable costs (as determined by the Secretary) for collecting and transcribing (at the request of the Secretary and by whatever method authorized by him) its records for such data.

There shall be an annual collection of data from a statistically valid sample concerning the general health, illness, and disability status of the civilian noninstitutionalized population. Specific topics to be addressed under this paragraph, on an annual or periodic basis, shall include the incidence of illness and accidental injuries, prevalence of chronic diseases and impairments, disability, physician visits, hospitalizations, and the relationship between demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and health characteristics.

establishing standardized means for the collection of health information and statistics under laws administered by the Secretary;

developing, in consultation with the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics, and maintaining the minimum sets of data needed on a continuing basis to fulfill the collection requirements of subsection (b)(1);

after consultation with the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics, establishing standards to assure the quality of health statistical and epidemiological data collection, processing, and analysis;

in the case of proposed health data collections of the Department which are required to be reviewed by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget under section 3509 2 of title 44, reviewing such proposed collections to determine whether they conform with the minimum sets of data and the standards promulgated pursuant to paragraphs (2) and (3), and if any such proposed collection is found not to be in conformance, by taking such action as may be necessary to assure that it will conform to such sets of data and standards, and

periodically reviewing ongoing health data collections of the Department, subject to review under such section 3509,² to determine if the collections are being conducted in accordance with the minimum sets of data and the standards promulgated pursuant to paragraphs (2) and (3) and, if any such collection is found not to be in conformance, by taking such action as may be necessary to assure that the collection will conform to such sets of data and standards not later than the ninetieth day after the date of the completion of the review of the collection.

There is established in the Office of the Secretary a committee to be known as the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics (hereinafter in this subsection referred to as the “Committee”) which shall consist of 18 members.

The members of the Committee shall be appointed from among persons who have distinguished themselves in the fields of health statistics, electronic interchange of health care information, privacy and security of electronic information, population-based public health, purchasing or financing health care services, integrated computerized health information systems, health services research, consumer interests in health information, health data standards, epidemiology, and the provision of health services. Members of the Committee shall be appointed for terms of 4 years.

Members of the Committee shall be compensated in accordance with section 210(c) of this title.

In carrying out health statistical activities under this part, the Secretary shall consult with, and seek the advice of, the Committee and other appropriate professional advisory groups.

The Secretary, acting through the Center, may provide technical assistance, standards, and methodologies to grantees supported by this subsection in order to maximize the data quality and comparability with other studies.

Provisions of section 242m(d) of this title do not apply to surveys or studies conducted by grantees under this subsection unless the Secretary, in accordance with regulations the Secretary may issue, determines that such provisions are necessary for the conduct of the survey or study and receives adequate assurance that the grantee will enforce such provisions.

For health statistical and epidemiological activities undertaken or supported under subsections (a) through (l), there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1991 through 2003.

For activities authorized in paragraphs (1) through (3) of subsection (m), there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1999 through 2003. Of such amounts, the Secretary shall use not more than 10 percent for administration and for activities described in subsection (m)(2).

For activities authorized in subsection (m)(4), there are authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000 for fiscal year 1998, and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1999 through 2002.