[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2598 Introduced in House (IH)]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2598
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for increased funding
for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to carry out
activities toward increasing the number of medically underserved, at-
risk adults and adolescents who are immunized against vaccine-
preventable diseases, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 23, 2001
Ms. Roybal-Allard (for herself, Mrs. Jones of Ohio, Mr. Pallone, Mr.
Murtha, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, Mr. Wynn, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Waxman,
Mr. Serrano, Mr. Lantos, Ms. Norton, and Mr. Bonior) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for increased funding
for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to carry out
activities toward increasing the number of medically underserved, at-
risk adults and adolescents who are immunized against vaccine-
preventable diseases, and for other purposes.
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 ``Underserved Adult and Adolescent
Immunization Act of 2001''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds as follows:
(1) While the United States achieved record levels of
immunization in the 1990s and childhood immunization coverage
has dramatically increased, certain problems persist within the
national immunization system. The Nation still needs to address
persistent disparities in childhood levels of immunization
coverage in high-poverty areas. In addition, immunization
coverage rates for adults are well below those achieved for
childhood immunizations. Thus, there is a vital need to step up
our activities to immunize underserved adults and adolescents.
(2) Presently, many at-risk adults and adolescents are not
getting the vaccines they need, such as influenza,
pneumococcal, hepatitis B, chickenpox and mennigitis vaccine.
Moreover, adolescents and certain adult subpopulations
(minorities, seniors, the uninsured, persons with chronic
diseases) have significantly lower coverage.
(3) This past season's shortage of influenza vaccine
emphasized that the United States has no comprehensive flu
vaccination plan. Delays in vaccine production and a haphazard
distribution system creates shortages, and drives up vaccine
prices. This past season, much of the available vaccine went to
programs that immunize mostly lower-risk people (colleges,
workplaces, shopping malls), leaving out the elderly and sick,
for whom immunization could make the difference between life or
death.
(4) Vaccine-preventable diseases in adults cause staggering
deaths and illnesses. Each year, about 20,000 Americans die due
to influenza or influenza-related pneumonia. Over 90 percent of
the deaths occur in persons aged 65 years and older. Moreover,
pneumonia and influenza together are the fifth leading cause of
death among older adults. The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention estimates that the overall cost to society from
these vaccine-preventable diseases of adults exceeds $10
billion per year.
(5) The problem is exacerbated by the fact that Federal
resources for immunizations have decreased over the last five
years. This unpredictable funding has created uncertainty in
State and local planning efforts. Increasingly, State health
departments are facing difficulties in monitoring the
effectiveness of immunizations, since the majority of vaccines
are delivered in private health care facilities. Thus, long-
range data collection, assessment of immunization rates and
strategic planning efforts have suffered.
SEC. 3. PROGRAM FOR INCREASING IMMUNIZATION RATES FOR ADULTS AND
ADOLESCENTS; COLLECTION OF ADDITIONAL IMMUNIZATION DATA.
(a) Activities of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.--
Section 317(j) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247b(j)) is
amended by adding at the end the following paragraphs:
``(3)(A) For the purpose of carrying out activities toward
increasing immunization rates for adults and adolescents through the
immunization program under this subsection, and for the purpose of
carrying out subsection (k)(2), there are authorized to be appropriated
$50,000,000 for fiscal year 2002, and such sums as may be necessary for
each of the fiscal years 2003 through 2005. Such authorization is in
addition to amounts available under paragraphs (1) and (2) for such
purposes.
``(B) In expending amounts appropriated under subparagraph (A), the
Secretary shall give priority to adults and adolescents who are
medically underserved and are at risk for vaccine-preventable diseases,
including as appropriate populations identified through projects under
subsection (k)(2)(E).
``(C) The purposes for which amounts appropriated under
subparagraph (A) are available include (with respect to immunizations
for adults and adolescents) payment of the costs of storing vaccines,
outreach activities to inform individuals of the availability of the
immunizations, and other program expenses necessary for the
establishment or operation of immunization programs carried out or
supported by States or other public entities pursuant to this
subsection.
``(4) The Secretary shall annually submit to the Congress a report
that--
``(A) evaluates the extent to which the immunization system
in the United States has been effective in providing for
adequate immunization rates for adults and adolescents, taking
into account the applicable year 2010 health objectives
established by the Secretary regarding the health status of the
people of the United States; and
``(B) describes any issues identified by the Secretary that
may affect such rates.
``(5) In carrying out this subsection and paragraphs (1) and (2) of
subsection (k), the Secretary shall consider recommendations regarding
immunizations that are made in reports issued by the Institute of
Medicine.''.
(b) Research, Demonstrations, and Education.--Section 317(k) of the
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247b(k)) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (4) as
paragraphs (3) through (5), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following
paragraph:
``(2) The Secretary, directly and through grants under
paragraph (1), shall provide for a program of research,
demonstration projects, and education in accordance with the
following:
``(A) The Secretary shall coordinate with public
and private entities (including nonprofit private
entities), and develop and disseminate guidelines,
toward the goal of ensuring that immunizations are
routinely offered to adults and adolescents by public
and private health care providers.
``(B) The Secretary shall cooperate with public and
private entities to obtain information for the annual
evaluations required in subsection (j)(4)(A).
``(C) The Secretary shall (relative to fiscal year
2001) increase the extent to which the Secretary
collects data on the incidence, prevalence, and
circumstances of diseases and adverse events that are
experienced by adults and adolescents and may be
associated with immunizations, including collecting
data in cooperation with commercial laboratories.
``(D) The Secretary shall ensure that the entities
with which the Secretary cooperates for purposes of
subparagraphs (A) through (C) include managed care
organizations, community based organizations that
provide health services, and other health care
providers.
``(E) The Secretary shall provide for projects to
identify racial and ethnic minority groups and other
health disparity populations for which immunization
rates for adults and adolescents are below such rates
for the general population, and to determine the
factors underlying such disparities.''.
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