; and (5) the maintenance of effort provisions must be strictly enforced and proposals to weaken the maintenance of effort provisions must not be considered. 425. Protection of the HHS Offices of Minority Health (a) In general Pursuant to section 1707A of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 300u–6a ), the Offices of Minority Health established within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, are offices that, regardless of change in the structure of the Department of Health and Human Services, shall report to the Secretary of Health and Human Services. (b) Sense of Congress It is the sense of the Congress that any effort to eliminate or consolidate such Offices of Minority Health undermines the progress achieved so far. 426. Office of Minority Health in Veterans Health Administration of Department of Veterans Affairs (a) Establishment and functions Subchapter I of chapter 73 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section: 7310. Office of Minority Health (a) Establishment There is established in the Department within the Office of the Under Secretary for Health an office to be known as the Office of Minority Health (in this section referred to as the Office ). (b) Head The Director of the Office of Minority Health shall be the head of the Office. The Director of the Office of Minority Health shall be appointed by the Under Secretary for Health from among individuals qualified to perform the duties of the position. (c) Functions The functions of the Office are as follows: (1) To establish short-range and long-range goals and objectives and coordinate all other activities within the Veterans Health Administration that relate to disease prevention, health promotion, health care services delivery, and health care research