[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1418 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1418
To provide assistance to improve the health of newborns, children, and
mothers in developing countries, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 17, 2007
Mr. Dodd (for himself, Mr. Brown, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Leahy) introduced
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee
on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide assistance to improve the health of newborns, children, and
mothers in developing countries, 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 ``United States Commitment to Global
Child Survival Act of 2007''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
(a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
(1) In 2000, the United States joined 188 countries in
committing to achieve 8 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by
2015, including ``MDG 4'' and ``MDG 5'' that aim to reduce the
mortality rate of children under the age of 5 by \2/3\ and
maternal mortality rate by \3/4\ in developing countries,
respectively.
(2) The significant commitment of the United States to
reducing child mortality in the developing world contributed to
a 50-percent reduction in the mortality rate of children under
the age of 5 between 1960 and 1990, and over the past 20 years,
the United States has invested over $6,000,000,000 in child
survival programs run by the United States Agency for
International Development.
(3) According to one of the world's leading medical
journals, the Lancet, despite United States and global efforts
to achieve MDG 4, of the 60 countries that account for 94
percent of under-5 child deaths, ``only seven countries are on
track to meet MDG 4, thirty-nine countries are making some
progress, although they need to accelerate the speed, and
fourteen countries are cause for serious concern''.
(4) 10,500,000 children under the age of 5 die annually,
over 29,000 children per day, from easily preventable and
treatable causes, including 4,000,000 newborns who die in the
first 4 weeks of life.
(5) 3,000,000 children die each year due to lack of access
to low-cost antibiotics and antimalarial drugs, and 1,700,000
die from diseases for which vaccines are readily available.
(6) Maternal health is an important determinant of neonatal
survival with maternal death increasing death rates for
newborns to as high as 100 percent in certain countries in the
developing world.
(7) Approximately 525,000 women die every year in the
developing world from causes related to pregnancy and
childbirth.
(8) Risk factors for maternal death in developing countries
include pregnancy and childbirth at an early age, closely
spaced births, infectious diseases, malnutrition, and
complications during childbirth.
(9) According to the Lancet, nearly \2/3\ of annual child
and newborn deaths, 6,000,000 children, can be avoided in
accordance with MDG 4 if a package of high impact, low-cost
interventions were made available at a total, additional,
annual cost of $5,100,000,000, including oral rehydration
therapy for diarrhea ($0.06 per treatment) and antibiotics to
treat respiratory infections ($0.25 per treatment).
(10) 2,000,000 lives could be saved annually by providing
oral rehydration therapy prepared with clean water.
(11) Exclusive breastfeeding--giving only breast milk for
the first 6 months of life--could prevent an estimated
1,300,000 newborn and infant deaths each year, primarily by
protecting against diarrhea and pneumonia.
(12) Expansion of clinical care for newborns and mothers,
such as clean delivery by skilled attendants, emergency
obstetric care, and neonatal resuscitation, can avert 50
percent of newborn deaths and reduce maternal mortality.
(13) The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), with
support from the World Health Organization, the World Bank, and
the African Union, has successfully demonstrated the
accelerated child survival and development program in Senegal,
Mali, Benin, and Ghana, reducing mortality of children under
the age of 5 by 20 percent in targeted areas using low-cost,
high-impact interventions.
(14) On September 14, 2005, President George W. Bush stated
before the United Nations High-Level Plenary Meeting that the
United States is ``committed to the Millennium Development
Goals''.
(15) Nearing the halfway point of attaining the MDGs by
2015 with thousands of avoidable newborn, child, and maternal
deaths still occurring, the United States must immediately
scale up its funding and delivery of proven low-cost, life-
saving interventions in order to fulfill its commitment to help
ensure that MDGs 4 and 5 are met.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
(1) to develop a strategy to reduce mortality and improve
the health of newborns, children, and mothers, and authorize
assistance for its implementation; and
(2) to establish a task force to assess, monitor, and
evaluate the progress and contributions of relevant departments
and agencies of the United States Government in achieving MDGs
4 and 5.
SEC. 3. ASSISTANCE TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF NEWBORNS, CHILDREN, AND
MOTHERS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.
(a) In General.--Chapter 1 of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act
of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.) is amended--
(1) in section 104(c)--
(A) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3); and
(B) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph
(2); and
(2) by inserting after section 104C the following new
section:
``SEC. 104D. ASSISTANCE TO REDUCE MORTALITY AND IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF
NEWBORNS, CHILDREN, AND MOTHERS.
``(a) Authorization.--Consistent with section 104(c), the President
is authorized to furnish assistance, on such terms and conditions as
the President may determine, to reduce mortality and improve the health
of newborns, children, and mothers in developing countries.
``(b) Activities Supported.--Assistance provided under subsection
(a) shall, to the maximum extent practicable, be used to carry out the
following activities:
``(1) Activities to improve newborn care and treatment.
``(2) Activities to treat childhood illness, including
increasing access to appropriate treatment for diarrhea,
pneumonia, and other life-threatening childhood illnesses.
``(3) Activities to improve child and maternal nutrition,
including the delivery of iron, zinc, vitamin A, iodine, and
other key micronutrients and the promotion of breastfeeding.
``(4) Activities to strengthen the delivery of immunization
services, including efforts to eliminate polio.
``(5) Activities to improve birth preparedness and
maternity services.
``(6) Activities to improve the recognition and treatment
of obstetric complications and disabilities.
``(7) Activities to improve household-level behavior
related to safe water, hygiene, exposure to indoor smoke, and
environmental toxins such as lead.
``(8) Activities to improve capacity for health governance,
health finance, and the health workforce, including support for
training clinicians, nurses, technicians, sanitation and public
health workers, community-based health works, midwives, birth
attendants, peer educators, volunteers, and private sector
enterprises.
``(9) Activities to address antimicrobial resistance in
child and maternal health.
``(10) Activities to establish and support the management
information systems of host country institutions and the
development and use of tools and models to collect, analyze,
and disseminate information related to newborn, child, and
maternal health.
``(11) Activities to develop and conduct needs assessments,
baseline studies, targeted evaluations, or other information-
gathering efforts for the design, monitoring, and evaluation of
newborn, child, and maternal health efforts.
``(12) Activities to integrate and coordinate assistance
provided under this section with existing health programs for--
``(A) the prevention of the transmission of HIV
from mother-to-child and other HIV/AIDS counseling,
care, and treatment activities;
``(B) malaria;
``(C) tuberculosis; and
``(D) child spacing.
``(c) Guidelines.--To the maximum extent practicable, programs,
projects, and activities carried out using assistance provided under
this section shall be--
``(1) carried out through private and voluntary
organizations, including faith-based organizations, and
relevant international and multilateral organizations,
including the GAVI Alliance and UNICEF, that demonstrate
effectiveness and commitment to improving the health of
newborns, children, and mothers;
``(2) carried out with input by host countries, including
civil society and local communities, as well as other donors
and multilateral organizations;
``(3) carried out with input by beneficiaries and other
directly affected populations, especially women and
marginalized communities; and
``(4) designed to build the capacity of host country
governments and civil society organizations.
``(d) Annual Report.--Not later than January 31 of each year, the
President shall transmit to Congress a report on the implementation of
this section for the prior fiscal year.
``(e) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) AIDS.--The term `AIDS' has the meaning given the term
in section 104A(g)(1) of this Act.
``(2) HIV.--The term `HIV' has the meaning given the term
in section 104A(g)(2) of this Act.
``(3) HIV/AIDS.--The term `HIV/AIDS' has the meaning given
the term in section 104A(g)(3) of this Act.''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22
U.S.C. 2151 et seq.) is amended--
(1) in section 104(c)(2) (as redesignated by subsection
(a)(1)(B) of this section), by striking ``and 104C'' and
inserting ``104C, and 104D'';
(2) in section 104A--
(A) in subsection (c)(1), by inserting ``and
section 104D'' after ``section 104(c)''; and
(B) in subsection (f), by striking ``section
104(c), this section, section 104B, and section 104C''
and inserting ``section 104(c), this section, section
104B, section 104C, and section 104D'';
(3) in subsection (c) of section 104B, by inserting ``and
section 104D'' after ``section 104(c)'';
(4) in subsection (c) of section 104C, by inserting ``and
section 104D'' after ``section 104(c)''; and
(5) in the first sentence of section 119(c), by striking
``section 104(c)(2), relating to Child Survival Fund'' and
inserting ``section 104D''.
SEC. 4. DEVELOPMENT OF STRATEGY TO REDUCE MORTALITY AND IMPROVE THE
HEALTH OF NEWBORNS, CHILDREN, AND MOTHERS IN DEVELOPING
COUNTRIES.
(a) Development of Strategy.--The President shall develop and
implement a comprehensive strategy to improve the health of newborns,
children, and mothers in developing countries.
(b) Components.--The comprehensive United States Government
strategy developed pursuant to subsection (a) shall include the
following:
(1) An identification of not less than 60 countries with
priority needs for the 5-year period beginning on the date of
the enactment of this Act based on--
(A) the number and rate of neonatal deaths;
(B) the number and rate of child deaths; and
(C) the number and rate of maternal deaths.
(2) For each country identified in paragraph (1)--
(A) an assessment of the most common causes of
newborn, child, and maternal mortality;
(B) a description of the programmatic areas and
interventions providing maximum health benefits to
populations at risk and maximum reduction in mortality;
(C) an assessment of the investments needed in
identified programs and interventions to achieve the
greatest results;
(D) a description of how United States assistance
complements and leverages efforts by other donors and
builds capacity and self-sufficiency among recipient
countries; and
(E) a description of goals and objectives for
improving newborn, child, and maternal health,
including, to the extent feasible, objective and
quantifiable indicators.
(3) An expansion of the Child Survival and Health Grants
Program of the United States Agency for International
Development, at least proportionate to any increase in child
and maternal health assistance, to provide additional support
programs and interventions determined to be efficacious and
cost-effective.
(4) Enhanced coordination among relevant departments and
agencies of the United States Government engaged in activities
to improve the health and well-being of newborns, children, and
mothers in developing countries.
(5) A description of the measured or estimated impact on
child morbidity and mortality of each project or program.
(c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the President shall transmit to Congress a
report that contains the strategy described in this section.
SEC. 5. INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE ON CHILD SURVIVAL AND MATERNAL HEALTH IN
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.
(a) Establishment.--There is established a task force to be known
as the Interagency Task Force on Child Survival and Maternal Health in
Developing Countries (in this section referred to as the ``Task
Force'').
(b) Duties.--
(1) In general.--The Task Force shall assess, monitor, and
evaluate the progress and contributions of relevant departments
and agencies of the United States Government in achieving MDGs
4 and 5 in developing countries, including by--
(A) identifying and evaluating programs and
interventions that directly or indirectly contribute to
the reduction of child and maternal mortality rates;
(B) assessing effectiveness of programs,
interventions, and strategies toward achieving the
maximum reduction of child and maternal mortality
rates;
(C) assessing the level of coordination among
relevant departments and agencies of the United States
Government, the international community, international
organizations, faith-based organizations, academic
institutions, and the private sector;
(D) assessing the contributions made by United
States-funded programs toward achieving MDGs 4 and 5;
(E) identifying the bilateral efforts of other
nations and multilateral efforts toward achieving MDGs
4 and 5; and
(F) preparing the annual report required by
subsection (f).
(2) Consultation.--To the maximum extent practicable, the
Task Force shall consult with individuals with expertise in the
matters to be considered by the Task Force who are not officers
or employees of the United States Government, including
representatives of United States-based nongovernmental
organizations (including faith-based organizations and private
foundations), academic institutions, private corporations, the
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the World Bank.
(c) Membership.--
(1) Number and appointment.--The Task Force shall be
composed of the following members:
(A) The Administrator of the United States Agency
for International Development.
(B) The Assistant Secretary of State for
Population, Refugees and Migration.
(C) The Coordinator of United States Government
Activities to Combat HIV/AIDS Globally.
(D) The Director of the Office of Global Health
Affairs of the Department of Health and Human Services.
(E) The Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and
Consumer Services of the Department of Agriculture.
(F) The Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium
Challenge Corporation.
(G) Other officials of relevant departments and
agencies of the Federal Government who shall be
appointed by the President.
(H) Two ex officio members appointed by the Speaker
of the House of Representatives in consultation with
the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.
(I) Two ex officio members appointed by the
Majority Leader of the Senate in consultation with the
Minority Leader of the Senate.
(2) Chairperson.--The Administrator of the United States
Agency for International Development shall serve as chairperson
of the Task Force.
(d) Meetings.--The Task Force shall meet on a regular basis, not
less often than quarterly, on a schedule to be agreed upon by the
members of the Task Force, and starting not later than 90 days after
the date of the enactment of this Act.
(e) Definition.--In this subsection, the term ``Millennium
Development Goals'' means the key development objectives described in
the United Nations Millennium Declaration, as contained in United
Nations General Assembly Resolution 55/2 (September 2000).
(f) Report.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, and not later than April 30 of each year
thereafter, the Task Force shall submit to Congress and the President a
report on the implementation of this section.
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to carry
out this Act, and the amendments made by this Act, $600,000,000 for
fiscal year 2008, $900,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, $1,200,000,000 for
fiscal year 2010, and $1,600,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011 and
2012.
(b) Availability of Funds.--Amounts appropriated pursuant to the
authorization of appropriations under subsection (a) are authorized to
remain available until expended.
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