[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3724 Introduced in House (IH)]

  2d Session
                                H. R. 3724

To provide for the continuation of the demonstration program, known as 
 the Healthy Start Initiative, that is carried out by the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services as a program of grants to reduce the rate of 
                           infant mortality.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 23, 1998

Mr. Cummings (for himself, Ms. Kilpatrick, Ms. DeLauro, Ms. Pelosi, Mr. 
  Pallone, Mr. Meehan, Mr. Frost, Mr. Hoyer, Mr. Coyne, Ms. Brown of 
 Florida, Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Mr. Scott, Mr. Olver, Mr. Lewis of 
   Georgia, Mr. Nadler, Mr. Hilliard, Ms. Slaughter, Mr. Lantos, Mr. 
 Kennedy of Massachusetts, Mr. Rush, Mr. Frank of Massachusetts, Mrs. 
 Maloney of New York, Mr. Stark, Mr. Moakley, Ms. Lofgren, Mr. Owens, 
 Mr. Kucinich, Mr. Borski, Mr. Gonzalez, Mr. Barrett of Wisconsin, Mr. 
  Thompson, Mr. Meeks of New York, Mr. Bonior, Mr. Clay, Mr. Davis of 
   Illinois, and Mr. Payne) introduced the following bill; which was 
                 referred to the Committee on Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To provide for the continuation of the demonstration program, known as 
 the Healthy Start Initiative, that is carried out by the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services as a program of grants to reduce the rate of 
                           infant mortality.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Healthy Start Initiative 
Continuation Act''.

SEC. 2. CONTINUATION OF HEALTHY START PROGRAM.

    Subpart I of part D of title III of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 254b et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 330C the 
following section:

``SEC. 330D. HEALTHY START FOR INFANTS.

    ``(a) In General.--
            ``(1) Continuation and expansion of program.--The 
        Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health 
        Resources and Services Administration, shall continue in effect 
        the Healthy Start Initiative and may, during fiscal year 1999 
        and subsequent years, carry out such program on a national 
        basis.
            ``(2) Definition.--For purposes of paragraph (1), the term 
        `Healthy Start Initiative' is a reference to the program that, 
        as an initiative to reduce the rate of infant mortality, makes 
        grants for project areas with high annual rates of infant 
        mortality and that, prior to fiscal year 1999, was a 
        demonstration program carried out under section 301.
    ``(b) Preferences in Making Grants.--In making grants under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall give preference to applicants that 
(in addition to meeting all eligibility criteria established by the 
Secretary) establish, for project areas under such subsection, 
consortia of public health departments, hospitals, health centers under 
section 330, or other entities designated by the Secretary as 
significant sources of health care that are appropriate for 
participation in projects under subsection (a).
    ``(c) Rule of Construction.--Except to the extent inconsistent with 
subsection (b), this section may not be construed as affecting the 
authority of the Secretary to make modifications in the program carried 
out under subsection (a). Any such modification shall be made by 
regulation.
    ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying 
out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as 
may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1999 through 2003.''.
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