[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5284 Introduced in House (IH)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5284

 To establish an interagency task force to develop a national strategy 
      to combat the increase in infertility in the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 3, 2006

 Mr. Pallone introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish an interagency task force to develop a national strategy 
      to combat the increase in infertility in the United States.

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

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds as follows:
            (1) The number of couples reporting infertility has 
        increased from 6.1 million in 2002 to more than 7.5 million 
        currently.
            (2) Studies reveal that 80 to 90 percent of infertility is 
        acquired and could be prevented.
            (3) Sexually transmitted diseases (``STDs'') are the most 
        preventable causes of infertility and potentially fatal tubal 
        pregnancies.
            (4) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
        estimates that 19 million new STD infections occur each year, 
        with almost half of them among young people ages 15 to 24 and 
        with an increased incidence in minority populations.
            (5) New data reveals that environmental toxins, including 
        lead and mercury, as well as tobacco and alcohol, are a direct 
        threat to reproductive health.
            (6) The Nation's expanding aging population requires that 
        health care providers and government agencies be prepared to 
        address the fertility complications of aging.
            (7) In 10 percent of infertility cases, the causes cannot 
        be explained.
            (8) Public awareness of the causes of infertility can 
        reduce its incidence.
            (9) Many medical schools lack the resources to adequately 
        train students in the causes, treatment, and patient counseling 
        needed to reduce the incidence of infertility.

SEC. 2. INTERAGENCY INFERTILITY PREVENTION TASK FORCE.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established a task force to be known 
as the ``Infertility Prevention Task Force'' (in this section referred 
to as the ``Task Force'').
    (b) Duties.--The Task Force shall develop a strategy for the 
Federal Government to facilitate activities to prevent infertility, 
including strategies for--
            (1) maximizing cooperation among departments and agencies 
        of the Federal Government and the use of resources of the 
        Federal Government in compiling data on the incidence of 
        infertility and the incidence and impact of the various 
        contributing factors;
            (2) coordinating and encouraging research in the public and 
        private sector on the causes and treatment of infertility;
            (3) developing integrated Federal policies to promote 
        public awareness of the causes of infertility that would 
        include substantial participation by the private sector;
            (4) creating an infertility prevention curriculum to serve 
        as a model for the Nation's medical schools; and
            (5) establishing partnerships with industry, organized 
        labor, academia, and State and local governments--
                    (A) to collect and disseminate information on 
                infertility prevention; and
                    (B) to coordinate appropriate agency resources, 
                including grants, loans, and scholarships in the area 
                of infertility prevention, including research on the 
                causes and treatment, increased public awareness and 
                improved medical education.
    (c) Membership.--
            (1) Number and appointment.--The Task Force shall be 
        composed of 10 members, as follows:
                    (A) One member shall be the Assistant Secretary for 
                Health.
                    (B) One member shall be a representative of the 
                National Institutes of Health and shall be designated 
                by the Director of such agency.
                    (C) One member shall be a representative of the 
                Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and shall be 
                designated by the Director of such agency.
                    (D) One member shall be a representative of the 
                Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and shall be 
                designated by the Director of such agency.
                    (E) One member shall be a representative of the 
                Environmental Protection Agency and shall be designated 
                by the Administrator of such agency.
                    (F) One member shall be a representative of the 
                Association of American Medical Colleges and shall be 
                appointed by the Secretary of Health and Human 
                Services.
                    (G) Four members shall be practicing or retired 
                obstetrics-and-gynecology physicians specializing in 
                fertility techniques and infertility prevention. Of 
                such members--
                            (i) one shall be appointed by the Speaker 
                        of the House of Representatives;
                            (ii) one shall be appointed by the minority 
                        leader of the House;
                            (iii) one shall be appointed by the 
                        majority leader of the Senate; and
                            (iv) one shall be appointed by the minority 
                        leader of the Senate.
            (2) Chairperson.--The Assistant Secretary for Health shall 
        serve as the chairperson of the Task Force.
            (3) Deadline for appointment.--Each of the members of the 
        Task Force shall be designated or appointed under subsection 
        (c) for service on the Task Force not later than 90 days after 
        the date of the enactment of this Act.
            (4) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Task Force shall be filled 
        in the manner in which the original appointment was made.
            (5) Prohibition of compensation.--Members of the Task Force 
        may not receive pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of their 
        service on the Task Force.
    (d) Meetings.--
            (1) In general.--The Task Force shall meet at the call of 
        the Chairperson.
            (2) Frequency.--The Task Force shall meet not less than 
        four times each year.
            (3) Quorum.--Six members of the Task Force shall constitute 
        a quorum.
    (e) Annual Reports.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for the succeeding four 
years, the Task Force shall submit to the Congress, and make available 
to the public, a report detailing the activities of the Task Force and 
containing the findings, strategies, recommendations, policies, and 
initiatives developed pursuant to the duties of the Task Force under 
subsection (b).
    (f) Termination.--The Task Force shall terminate on the date of the 
submission of the final report under subsection (e).
                                 <all>