WASHINGTON—A bill calling for the creation of a national advisory panel on AIDS is moving swiftly through Congress.
The bill, which passed the House last month and could be taken up as early as this month by the Senate, would authorize the president and Congress to appoint a 15-member panel to make policy recommendations in the areas of AIDS research, testing, treatment and education The bill specifies that at least eight members would be “recognized experts” in the fields of science, medicine, law or ethics. The panel would be required to make preliminary recommendations to Congress within one year, and issue a final report in two years.
The bill received bipartisan support in the House despite objections that President Reagan’s recently appointed commission preempted the need for a congressional panel.
“This will complement the president’s commission,” responded Rep. J. Roy Rowland (D-Ga.), sponsor of the bill. “The two groups will ...
