A bill to establish within the National Institutes of Health an agency to be known as the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jul 31, 1998

Amends the Public Health Service Act to repeal provisions regarding the Office of Alternative Medicine. Establishes a National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine as a National Institutes of Health (NIH) agency, to be headed by a Director appointed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Requires the Director of the Center to study the integration of alternative treatment, diagnostic and prevention systems, modalities, and disciplines with the practice of conventional medicine as a complement to such medicine and into U.S. health care delivery systems. Sets forth additional responsibilities of the Director, including the establishment of an advisory council, a bibliographic system for the collection of worldwide research relating to complementary and alternative medicine, a related information clearinghouse, and multipurpose research centers. Requires the Director to submit biennial activity reports to the Director of NIH. Authorizes appropriations for the Center for FY 1999 through 2003. Transfers current employees and funds of the Office of Alternative Medicine to the Center.

Read the summary on Congress.gov

PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

People & committees

Who introduced it

Sen. Harkin, Tom [D-IA] · D–IA

Committees

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

8 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Jul 31, 1998
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources.
Jul 31, 1998
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9593)
Jul 31, 1998
Introduced in Senate

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in Senate · Jul 31, 1998 Formatted Text PDF

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Apr 21, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze S.2420 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.2420, 105th Congress: A bill to establish within the National Institutes of Health an agency to be known as the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/senate-bill/2420

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 1998-07-31.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/105/bills/s2420/BILLS-105s2420is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-04-21T12:26:20Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze S.2420 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.2420 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.2420, 105th Congress: A bill to establish within the National Institutes of Health an agency to be known as the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/senate-bill/2420

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 1998-07-31.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/105/bills/s2420/BILLS-105s2420is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-04-21T12:26:20Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.2420 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.2420 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.2420, 105th Congress: A bill to establish within the National Institutes of Health an agency to be known as the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/senate-bill/2420

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 1998-07-31.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/105/bills/s2420/BILLS-105s2420is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-04-21T12:26:20Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.2420 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.2420 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.2420, 105th Congress: A bill to establish within the National Institutes of Health an agency to be known as the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/senate-bill/2420

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 1998-07-31.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/105/bills/s2420/BILLS-105s2420is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-04-21T12:26:20Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.2420 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.