[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1682 Introduced in House (IH)]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1682
To provide the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary
of Education with increased authority with respect to asthma programs,
and to provide for increased funding for such programs.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 2, 2001
Mrs. Lowey introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on
Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined
by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as
fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary
of Education with increased authority with respect to asthma programs,
and to provide for increased funding for such programs.
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 ``Asthma Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds as follows:
(1) Despite improved therapies, the prevalence rate of
asthma continues to rise, affecting an estimated 17 million
Americans; nearly 5 million under the age of 18. The prevalence
of pediatric asthma has risen dramatically since 1980. Rates
are increasing for all ethnic groups, especially for African-
American and Hispanic children.
(2) Asthma is the third leading cause of preventable
hospitalizations. Improper diagnosis and poor management of
asthma resulted in 1.6 million people being treated for asthma
attacks in the emergency room in 1995.
(3) Asthma can be life-threatening if not properly managed.
Most asthma-related deaths are preventable, yet such deaths
continue to rise in the U.S. Each day, 14 Americans die of
asthma.
(4) The cost of asthma to the U.S. was $11.3 billion in
1998, and the rise in asthma prevalence will lead to higher
costs in the future.
(5) With early recognition of the signs and symptoms of
asthma, proper diagnosis and treatment, and patient education
and self-management, asthma is a controllable disease.
(6) Public health interventions have been proven effective
in the treatment and management of asthma. Population-based
research supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
has effectively demonstrated the benefits of combining
aggressive medical treatment with patient education to improve
the management of asthma. The National Asthma Education and
Prevention Program (NAEPP) helps raise awareness that asthma is
a serious chronic disease, and helps promote more effective
management of asthma through patient and professional
education.
(7) The alarming rise in prevalence, asthma-related deaths,
and expenditures demonstrate that, despite extensive knowledge
on effective asthma management strategies, current federal
policy and funding regarding the education, treatment, and
management of asthma is inadequate.
(8) Additional federal direction, funding, and support is
necessary to increase awareness of asthma as a chronic illness,
its symptoms, and the environmental factors (indoor and
outdoor) that affect the disease, as well as to promote
education programs that teach patients how to better manage
asthma.
SEC. 3. PROVISIONS REGARDING NATIONAL ASTHMA EDUCATION AND PREVENTION
PROGRAM OF NATIONAL HEART, LUNG, AND BLOOD INSTITUTE.
(a) Additional Funding; Expansion of Program.--In addition to any
other authorization of appropriations that is available to the National
Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute for the purpose of carrying out the
National Asthma Education and Prevention Program, there is authorized
to be appropriated to such Institute for such purpose $4,100,000 for
each of the fiscal years 2002 through 2006. Amounts appropriated under
the preceding sentence shall be expended to expand such Program.
(b) Coordinating Committee.--
(1) Report to congress.--With respect to the coordinating
committee established for the National Asthma Education and
Prevention Program of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood
Institute, such committee shall submit to the Congress a report
that--
(A) contains a determination by the committee of
the scope of the problem of asthma in the United
States;
(B) identifies all Federal programs that carry out
asthma-related activities; and
(C) contains the recommendations of the committee
for strengthening and better coordinating the asthma-
related activities of the Federal Government.
(2) Inclusion of representative of department of
education.--The Secretary of Education or a designee of the
Secretary shall be included in the membership of the
coordinating committee referred to in paragraph (1).
SEC. 4. ASTHMA-RELATED ACTIVITIES OF CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND
PREVENTION.
(a) Expansion of Public Health Surveillance Activities; Program for
Providing Information and Education to Public.--The Secretary of Health
and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, shall collaborate with the States to
expand the scope of--
(1) activities that are carried out to determine the
incidence and prevalence of asthma; and
(2) activities that are carried out to prevent the health
consequences of asthma, including through the provision of
information and education to the public regarding asthma, which
may include the use of public service announcements through the
media and such other means as such Director determines to be
appropriate.
(b) Compilation of Data.--The Secretary of Health and Human
Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention and in consultation with the National Asthma
Education Prevention Program Coordinating Committee, shall--
(1) conduct local asthma surveillance activities to collect
data on the prevalence and severity of asthma and the quality
of asthma management, including--
(A) telephone surveys to collect sample household
data on the local burden of asthma; and
(B) health care facility specific surveillance to
collect asthma data on the prevalence and severity of
asthma, and on the quality of asthma care; and
(2) compile and annually publish data on--
(A) the prevalence of children suffering from
asthma in each State; and
(B) the childhood mortality rate associated with
asthma nationally and in each State.
(c) Additional Funding.--In addition to any other authorization of
appropriations that is available to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention for the purpose of carrying out this section, there is
authorized to be appropriated to such Centers for such purpose
$8,200,000 for each of the fiscal years 2002 through 2006.
SEC. 5. GRANTS FOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH REGARDING ASTHMA INFORMATION,
EDUCATION, AND SERVICES.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services (in
this section referred to as the ``Secretary'') may make grants to
nonprofit private entities for projects to carry out, in communities
identified by entities applying for the grants, outreach activities to
provide for residents of the communities the following:
(1) Information and education on asthma.
(2) Referrals to health programs of public and nonprofit
private entities that provide asthma-related services,
including such services for low-income individuals. The grant
may be expended to make arrangements to coordinate the
activities of such entities in order to establish and operate
networks or consortia regarding such referrals.
(b) Preferences in Making Grants.--In making grants under
subsection (a), the Secretary shall give preference to applicants that
will carry out projects under such subsection in communities that are
disproportionately affected by asthma or underserved with respect to
the activities described in such subsection and in which a significant
number of low-income individuals reside.
(c) Evaluations.--A condition for a grant under subsection (a) is
that the applicant for the grant agree to provide for the evaluation of
the projects carried out under such subsection by the applicant to
determine the extent to which the projects have been effective in
carrying out the activities referred to in such subsection.
(d) Funding.--For the purpose of carrying out this section, there
is authorized to be appropriated $4,100,000 for each of the fiscal
years 2002 through 2006.
SEC. 6. ACTION PLANS OF STATES REGARDING ASTHMA; FINANCIAL INCENTIVES
REGARDING CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services (in
this section referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall in accordance with
subsection (b) carry out a program to encourage the States to implement
plans to carry out activities to assist children with respect to asthma
in accordance with guidelines of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood
Institute.
(b) Relation to Children's Health Insurance Program.--
(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), if a State plan
under title XXI of the Social Security Act provides for
activities described in subsection (a) to an extent
satisfactory to the Secretary, the Secretary shall, with
amounts appropriated under subsection (c), make a grant to the
State involved to assist the State in carrying out such
activities.
(2) Requirement of matching funds.--
(A) In general.--With respect to the costs of the
activities to be carried out by a State pursuant to
paragraph (1), the Secretary may make a grant under
such paragraph only if the State agrees to make
available (directly or through donations from public or
private entities) non-Federal contributions toward such
costs in an amount that is not less than 50 percent of
the costs ($1 for each $1 of Federal funds provided in
the grant).
(B) Determination of amount contributed.--Non-
Federal contributions required in subparagraph (A) may
be in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated, including
plant, equipment, or services. Amounts provided by the
Federal Government, or services assisted or subsidized
to any significant extent by the Federal Government,
may not be included in determining the amount of such
non-Federal contributions.
(3) Criteria regarding eligibility for grant.--The
Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register criteria
describing the circumstances in which the Secretary will
consider a State plan to be satisfactory for purposes of
paragraph (1).
(4) Technical assistance.--With respect to State plans
under title XXI of the Social Security Act, the Secretary,
acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, shall make available to the States technical
assistance in developing the provisions of such plans that will
provide for activities pursuant to paragraph (1).
(c) Funding.--For the purpose of carrying out this section, there
is authorized to be appropriated $4,100,000 for each of the fiscal
years 2002 through 2006.
SEC. 7. ACTION PLANS OF LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES REGARDING ASTHMA.
(a) In General.--
(1) School-based asthma activities.--The Secretary of
Education (in this section referred to as the ``Secretary''),
in consultation with the Director of the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention and the Director of the National
Institutes of Health, may make grants to local educational agencies for
programs to carry out at elementary and secondary schools specified in
paragraph (2) asthma-related activities for children who attend such
schools.
(2) Eligible schools.--The elementary and secondary schools
referred to in paragraph (1) are such schools that are located
in communities with a significant number of low-income or
underserved individuals (as defined by the Secretary).
(b) Development of Programs.--Programs under subsection (a) shall
include grants under which local education agencies and State public
health officials collaborate to develop programs to improve the
management of asthma in school settings.
(c) Certain Guidelines.--Programs under subsection (a) shall be
carried out in accordance with applicable guidelines or other
recommendations of the National Institutes of Health (including the
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) and the Environmental
Protection Agency.
(d) Certain Activities.--Activities that may be carried out in
programs under subsection (a) include the following:
(1) Identifying and working directly with local hospitals,
community clinics, advocacy organizations, parent-teacher
associations, and asthma coalitions.
(2) Identifying asthmatic children and training them and
their families in asthma self-management.
(3) Purchasing asthma equipment.
(4) Hiring school nurses.
(5) Training teachers, nurses, coaches, and other school
personnel in asthma-symptom recognition and emergency
responses.
(6) Simplifying procedures to improve students' safe access
to their asthma medications.
(7) Such other asthma-related activities as the Secretary
determines to be appropriate.
(e) Definitions.--For purposes of this section, the terms
``elementary school'', ``local educational agency'', and ``secondary
school'' have the meanings given such terms in the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965.
(f) Funding.--For the purpose of carrying out this section, there
is authorized to be appropriated $4,100,000 for each of the fiscal
years 2002 through 2006.
SEC. 8. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING HOSPITALS AND MANAGED CARE PLANS.
It is the sense of the Congress that--
(1) hospitals should be encouraged to offer asthma-related
education and training to asthma patients and their families
upon discharge from the hospital of such patients;
(2) hospitals should, with respect to information on
asthma, establish telephone services for patients and
communicate with providers of primary health services; and
(3) managed care organizations should--
(A) be encouraged to disseminate to health care
providers asthma clinical practice guidelines developed
or endorsed by the Public Health Service;
(B) collect and maintain asthma data; and
(C) offer asthma-related education and training to
asthma patients and their families.
SEC. 9. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING IMPLEMENTATION OF ACT.
It is the sense of the Congress that all Federal, State, and local
asthma-related activities should--
(1) promote the guidelines and other recommendations of the
Public Health Service on asthma diagnosis and management; and
(2) be designed in consultation with national and local
organizations representing the medical, educational, and
environmental communities, as well as advocates that represent
those affected by asthma.
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