Fauci Awards Package (Redacted) — page 37
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← p.36 p.38 → · this page in the original PDF · package
of "person" supports a finding that NAM is not a subsidiary of corporate parent NAS. The regulation explains that "for
purposes of [Part 2635], a corporation will be deemed to control a subsidiary if it owns 50 percent or more of the
subsidiary's voting securities." NAM does not issue voting securities, so NAS cannot control such securities; accordingly,
NAM is not a subsidiary of NAS, but rather an independent entity. Furthermore, pursuant to NAM's Articles of
Organization (AoO), adopted May 19, 2015 (copy attached), "the governance of [NAM] shall reside in the President and
Council to be elected from among the membership," AoO Art. III, § 1, "NAM shall be solely responsible for the content of
reports on projects that it undertakes, and such reports may be issued in its own name." AoO Art. VI, § 2. NAM's
governing documents repeatedly show NAM's independence from NAS. Last, NAM's AoO gives it its own authority to
establish awards. AoO Art. V. Thus, the Lienhard award and its associated cash prize are from NAM and NIAID's
commissioned studies and other projects from NAS do not make the award an impermissible gift under section
2635.204(d).
Finally, if NAS and NAM are a "person," then they are not persons who are substantially affected by the performance or
nonperformance of Dr. Fauci's duties because both "compensation" in NAS' charter as well as "substantially" in section
2635.204(d) must have meaning. NAS' charter states: "[NAS] shall receive no compensation whatever for any services to
the Government of the United States." This is consistent with NAS' status as a not-for-profit entity. NAS' charter was
codified in Title 36 at Sections 150301-150304, and Section 150303 reiterates that NAS "may not receive compensation
for services to the Government, but the actual expense of the investigation, examination, experimentation, and report
shall be paid by the Government from an appropriation for that purpose." If the statutory language means that NAS
cannot receive any compensation for its investigations, examinations, experiments or reports commissioned by Federal
agencies, but rather only reimbursement of expenses, then NAS is not substantially affected by NIAID's projects.
Furthermore, two of NIAID's projects with NAS were mandated by Congress. One project was started by another NIH
Institute which NIAID later joined. Other collaborations were formed at the agency or department level, and not from the
direct action of NIAID. Most importantly, every NAS project in which NIAID is involved is a large-scale project with
numerous members. Being one of many means that NIAID's proportional contribution does not affect NAS substantially.
For all of these reasons, Dr. Fauci would not be accepting an award from a person (NAS and/or NAM) who has interest
that may be substantially affected by the performance or nonperformance of his official duties.
For the reasons provided above, a finding should be made that Dr. Fauci may accept the Lienhard Award and the cash
prize associated with it from NAM. If you have any questions, please contact Holli Beckerman Jaffe, cc'd above.
Thank you for your consideration.
With best wishes,
Larry
Lawrence A. Tabak, DDS, PhD
Principal Deputy Director, NIH
Deputy Ethics Counselor, NIH
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Records on this page
| Record | Date | Type | Pages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Request for concurrence -Gustav O. Lienhard Award -A. Fauci | 2021-02-05 | 35–37 |