8 
In light of our experiences in developing and implementing the NIH 
Guidelines, we believe that enactment of H.R. 11192 with our suggested 
changes will enable the Department to proceed expeditiously and in a 
spirit of cooperation. The Interagency Committee has been an invaluable 
forum for developing coherent and coordinated policies through the 
representation of all the relevant research and regulatory agencies. It 
has played an effective role in ensuring a commonality of standards 
among the research agencies, for example, the National Science Foundation 
and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Interagency Committee, or a 
similar entity, should continue to provide such oversight for the develop- 
ment of Federal policies. Advisory committees, both technical and 
public, must be present within the Department. The Recombinant Advisory 
Committee, the scientific and technical committee responsible for developing 
the standards, will need to be continued in some fashion. A public 
advisory committee like the Advisory Committee to the Director, NIH, 
should continue to consider recommendations from the technical group. 
The study commission, as designated in H.R. 11192, clearly could play 
some role here as well. 
Finally, regulatory responsibility will need to be defined. Testify- 
ing before the Subcommittee on Health and Scientific Research of the 
Senate Human Resources Committee, April 6, 1977, Secretary Calif ano 
said : 
[Appendix B — 184] 
