IIB 111th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5462 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES November 15, 2010 Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions AN ACT To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish and implement a birth defects prevention, risk reduction, and public awareness program.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Birth Defects Prevention, Risk Reduction, and Awareness Act of 2010.

2.

Birth defects prevention, risk reduction, and awareness

(a)

Program

The Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 201 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 317T (42 U.S.C. 247b–22) the following new section:

317U.

Birth defects prevention, risk reduction, and awareness

(a)

Grant program

The Secretary shall establish and implement a birth defects prevention and public awareness program to award grants to States or organizations for the provision of pregnancy and breastfeeding information services. (b)

Preference

In the case of States or organizations that are otherwise equally qualified, the Secretary, in awarding a grant under this section, shall give preference to— (1)States that made pregnancy and breastfeeding information services available on January 1, 2006; and (2)organizations that will provide pregnancy and breastfeeding information services in such States. (c)

Matching funds

The Secretary may only award a grant under this section to a State or organization that agrees, with respect to the costs to be incurred in carrying out the grant activities, to make available (directly or through donations from public or private entities) non-Federal funds toward such costs in an amount equal to not less than 25 percent of the amount of the grant. (d)

Coordination

The Secretary shall ensure that activities carried out using a grant under this section are coordinated, to the maximum extent practicable, with other birth defects prevention and environmental health activities of the Federal Government, including activities carried out by the Health Resources and Services Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with respect to pediatric environmental health specialty units and children’s environmental health centers. (e)

Evaluation

In furtherance of the program established under subsection (a), the Secretary shall provide for an evaluation of pregnancy and breastfeeding information services to identify efficient and effective models of— (1)providing information; (2)raising awareness and increasing knowledge about birth defects prevention measures; (3)modifying risk behaviors; or (4)other outcome measures as determined appropriate by the Secretary. (f)

Pregnancy and breastfeeding information services defined

For purposes of this section, the term pregnancy and breastfeeding information services includes only— (1)information services to provide accurate, evidence-based, clinical information regarding maternal exposures during pregnancy or breastfeeding that may be associated with birth defects or other health risks to an infant that is breastfed, such as exposures to medications, chemicals, infections, foodborne pathogens, illnesses, nutrition, or lifestyle factors; (2)the provision of accurate, evidence-based information weighing risks of exposures during breastfeeding against the benefits of breastfeeding; and (3)the provision of information described in paragraph (1) or (2) through counselors, Web sites, fact sheets, telephonic or electronic communication, community outreach efforts, or other appropriate means. (g)

Authorization of appropriations

To carry out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated $4,500,000 for fiscal year 2012, $5,500,000 for fiscal year 2013, $6,500,000 for fiscal year 2014, $7,500,000 for fiscal year 2015, and $8,500,000 for fiscal year 2016.

.

Passed the House of Representatives September 30 (legislative day September 29), 2010. Lorraine C. Miller, Clerk.