Diary Prequel Package — page 40

Dec. 7, 2001 - Negotiated with Ed Sontag (Asst Secr. For Management at DHHS) regarding restructuring and consolidation of the NIH from an administrative standpoint, i.e. Budget, HR, Legislation, Procurement, Public Affairs, Grants Management, IT, etc. I had an agreement with Tommy Thompson that Budget should be sacrosanct and should stay in the ICDs as opposed to consolidating at the level of NIH. Ruth Kirschstein (Acting Director, NIH) almost gave away the farm in the negotiations. I stepped in and took over the meeting for NIH. Ruth was about to agree to give up 850 FTEs. I insisted that we could not cut down by any more than 200. Sontag came down to 275; we agreed upon 250. Also, Sontag was concerned that the new Clinical Research Center was projected to be $142 million over. Ed asked how we were going to handle it and Ruth said that this did not happen on her watch and that it was someone else's fault at NIH and she would see that this person (Steve Ficca) would be held responsible (?fired). She gave no indication how she would handle the real problem except to say that she would take it out of the IRP. I insisted that we would need major flexibility from the Department regarding how we could make up this money and that we could not hurt the IRP so abruptly and severely. Sontag agreed to help. Poor Ruth is in way over her head. I will have to make some difficult decisions if I become NIH Director about keeping her on as Deputy. I may need to appoint another Deputy and have her keep her title, but not her responsibilities. Dec. 8, 2001 - Thompson tried to call me at home last night (Friday), but I was out. He called me on Saturday in my office and told me that President Bush has agreed to appoint me NIH Director. Thompson wants me to speak with Sen. Brownback to try and alleviate his concerns about my position on stem cells, embryos, etc. I will set up to meet him next week. Thompson wants to make announcement before Christmas. Dec. 12, 2001 - Met with Sen. Brownback and his aide Rob Wassinger. Brownback was concerned about statements that I made 13 years ago! Concerning the then new SCID mouse that could be reconstituted with fetal tissue to regenerate a human immune system in a mouse. I stated at an ACT-UP meeting in NYC that this was a promising area of research and that it would require the use of fetal tissue. At the time there was the beginning of a moratorium by President Reagan and later Bush on the use of fetal tissue for transplantation into humans. I apparently (reported in the press) urged the ACT-UP people to make their concerns known so that this could be taken into consideration by the administration and lawmakers. Brownback and Wassinger said that several "right-tolifers" had called them very concerned that I was being considered for NIH Director when I had been a vocal advocate for the use of fetal tissue. I had a lengthy (1 1⁄2 hour) discussion with Sen. Brownback about embryonic stem cells, fetal tissue, etc. I believe that the conversation went as well as could be expected. He was very cordial, but concerned about "how I would advise the President if I were NIH Director". I told him that I do not advise the President on Ethical or Moral issues since I trust that the President has his own strong moral compass. I mentioned that I am a scientists and that I merely give him accurate scientific facts and he can make up his own mind within the framework of his own values. I think that Brownback respected that answer. We left with his still being concerned about me, but I do not think that he will try to block me.