[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3906 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3906

To reduce preterm labor and delivery and the risk of pregnancy-related 
    deaths and complications due to pregnancy, and to reduce infant 
                    mortality caused by prematurity.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 29, 2010

Mr. Alexander (for himself and Mr. Dodd) introduced the following bill; 
     which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, 
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To reduce preterm labor and delivery and the risk of pregnancy-related 
    deaths and complications due to pregnancy, and to reduce infant 
                    mortality caused by prematurity.

    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 ``Prematurity Research Expansion and 
Education for Mothers who deliver Infants Early Act'' or the ``PREEMIE 
Act''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

    It is the purpose of this Act to--
            (1) reduce preterm birth, its associated disabilities, and 
        deaths of babies born preterm;
            (2) expand research into the causes of preterm birth; and
            (3) promote the development, availability, and use of 
        evidence-based standards of care for pregnant women at risk of 
        preterm labor or other serious pregnancy-related complications 
        and for infants born preterm.

SEC. 3. RESEARCH AND ACTIVITIES AT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH.

    Part B of title IV of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 284 
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 409K. EXPANSION AND COORDINATION OF RESEARCH RELATING TO PRETERM 
              LABOR AND DELIVERY AND INFANT MORTALITY.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Director of 
NIH, shall expand, intensify, and coordinate the activities of the 
National Institutes of Health with respect to research on the causes of 
preterm labor and delivery, tools to detect, prevent, or reduce 
prevalence of preterm labor and delivery, and the care and treatment of 
preterm infants. Research supported under this section shall integrate 
clinical, public health, basic, and behavioral and social science 
disciplines together with bioinformatics, engineering, mathematical, 
and computer sciences to address the causes of preterm labor and 
delivery collaboratively.
    ``(b) Clinical Program.--There shall be established within the 
National Institutes of Health a multi-center clinical program (that 
shall be initially established utilizing existing networks) designed 
to--
            ``(1) investigate problems in clinical obstetrics, 
        particularly those related to prevention of low birth weight, 
        prematurity, and medical problems of pregnancy;
            ``(2) improve the care and outcomes of neonates, especially 
        very-low-birth weight infants; and
            ``(3) enhance the understanding of DNA and proteins as they 
        relate to the underlying processes that lead to preterm birth 
        to aid in formulating more effective interventions to prevent 
        preterm birth.
    ``(c) Trans-Disciplinary Centers for Preterm Birth Research.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Director of NIH shall award grants 
        and contracts to public and nonprofit private entities to pay 
        all or part of the cost of planning, establishing, improving 
        and providing basic operating support for trans-disciplinary 
        research centers for prematurity.
            ``(2) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant or 
        contract under paragraph (1), an entity shall submit to the 
        Director an application at such time, in such manner, and 
        containing such information as the Director may require, 
        including, if appropriate, an assurance that the entity will 
        carry out programs related to prematurity research that include 
        neonatal and maternal-fetal medicine multi-center research 
        networks with a focus on clinical trials.
            ``(3) Focus.--Activities carried out under this subsection 
        shall focus primarily on basic research and progress logically 
        over time to include the need for translational, 
        interventional, and clinical research.
    ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section, such sums as may be necessary 
for each of fiscal years 2011 through 2016, of which--
            ``(1) for fiscal year 2011, such sums as may be necessary 
        shall be made available for planning grants under subsection 
        (c); and
            ``(2) for each of fiscal years 2012 through 2016, such sums 
        as may be necessary for each such fiscal year for establishing 
        centers under such subsection.
    ``(e) Report.--The Director of NIH shall include in the report 
under section 402A(c) information on the activities of the trans-
disciplinary research centers for prematurity under subsection (c).''.

SEC. 4. RESEARCH AND ACTIVITIES AT THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND 
              PREVENTION.

    (a) Epidemiological Studies.--Section 3 of the Prematurity Research 
Expansion and Education for Mothers who deliver Infants Early Act (42 
U.S.C. 247b-4f) is amended by striking subsection (b) and inserting the 
following:
    ``(b) Studies and Activities on the Relationship Between 
Prematurity and Birth Defects.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary of Health and Human 
        Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for 
        Disease Control and Prevention, shall, subject to the 
        availability of appropriations--
                    ``(A) conduct ongoing epidemiological studies on 
                the clinical, biological, social, environmental, 
                genetic and behavioral factors relating to prematurity;
                    ``(B) conduct activities to improve national data 
                to facilitate tracking the burden of preterm birth;
                    ``(C) develop, implement, and evaluate novel 
                methods for prevention to better understand the growing 
                problem of late preterm birth;
                    ``(D) conduct etiologic and epidemiologic studies 
                of preterm birth;
                    ``(E) expand research on obesity, racial, and 
                ethnic disparities as they relate to preterm birth; and
                    ``(F) conduct ongoing epidemiological studies on 
                the effectiveness of community based interventions.
            ``(2) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, and every 2 years thereafter, the 
        Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the 
        Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
        shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress reports 
        concerning the progress and any results of studies conducted 
        under paragraph (1).''.
    (b) Reauthorization.--Section 3(e) of the Prematurity Research 
Expansion and Education for Mothers who deliver Infants Early Act (42 
U.S.C. 247b-4f(e)) is amended by striking ``$5,000,000'' and all that 
follows through ``2011'' and inserting the following: ``such sums as 
may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2012 through 2016''.

SEC. 5. RESEARCH AND ACTIVITIES AT THE HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES 
              ADMINISTRATION.

    (a) Telemedicine Demonstration Project on High Risk Pregnancies.--
Section 330I of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c-14) is 
amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsections (q) through (s) as 
        subsections (r) through (t), respectively;
            (2) by inserting after subsection (p), the following:
    ``(q) Telemedicine Demonstration Project on High Risk 
Pregnancies.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Director shall award grants under 
        this section to eligible entities to establish demonstration 
        projects for--
                    ``(A) the provision of preconception, antepartum, 
                intrapartum, and obstetric services to high risk women 
                of child bearing age remotely by Ob/Gyn's, nurse 
                practitioners, certified nurse-midwives, certified 
                midwives, or other health care providers using 
                telehealth; and
                    ``(B) for the conduct of educational activities 
                regarding risk factors for preterm birth.
            ``(2) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
        paragraph (1), an entity shall submit an application to the 
        Director at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
        information as the Director my require.''; and
            (3) in subsection (t) (as so redesignated)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking the period and 
                inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) for grants under subsection (q), such sums as may be 
        necessary for each of fiscal years 2011 through 2015.''.
    (b) Public and Health Care Provider Education.--Section 399Q of the 
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280g-5) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b), by striking subparagraphs (A) 
        through (F) and inserting the following:
                    ``(A) the core risk factors for preterm labor;
                    ``(B) medically indicated deliveries before 39 
                weeks;
                    ``(C) outcomes for infants born before 39 weeks;
                    ``(D) risk factors for preterm delivery;
                    ``(E) the importance of preconception- and prenatal 
                care;
                    ``(F) smoking cessation and weight maintenance;
                    ``(G) treatments and outcomes for babies born 
                premature;
                    ``(H) the informational needs of families during 
                the stay of an infant in a neonatal intensive care 
                unit;
                    ``(I) preventable birth injuries;
                    ``(J) oral health; and
                    ``(K) the use of progesterone;''; and
            (2) in subsection (c), by striking ``$5,000,000'' and all 
        that follows through ``2011'' and insert the following: ``such 
        sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2011 through 
        2016''.

SEC. 6. OTHER ACTIVITIES.

    (a) National Educational Campaign.--
            (1) Establishment.--The Secretary of Health and Human 
        Services, (referred to in this section as the ``Secretary'') 
        acting through the Surgeon General and in consultation with 
        Director of the National Institute on Child Health and Human 
        Development, shall establish and implement a national science-
        based consumer education campaign on the prevention of preterm 
        birth.
            (2) Targeting.--The campaign established under paragraph 
        (1) shall target women of childbearing age, high risk 
        populations, ethnic and minority groups, and individuals with a 
        low socioeconomic status.
            (3) Contracts.--The Secretary shall implement the campaign 
        under paragraph (1) through the awarding of competitive 
        contracts to entities submitting applications to the Secretary 
        (at such time and in such form and manner as the Secretary may 
        require), and may include the use of television, radio, the 
        Internet, and other commercial marketing venues.
    (b) Advisory Committee on Infant Mortality.--
            (1) Strategic plan.--The Advisory Committee on Infant 
        Mortality of the Department of Health and Human Services shall 
        annually develop and annually update and submit to the 
        Secretary a strategic plan for the conduct of preterm birth 
        related research.
            (2) Annual report.--Not later than January 1, 2011, and 
        each January 1 thereafter, the Advisory Committee on Infant 
        Mortality shall submit to the Secretary, and make available to 
        the general public, a report concerning the activities of the 
        Advisory Committee related to infant mortality, prematurity, 
        and low birthweight.
            (3) Membership.--The Secretary shall ensure that the 
        membership of the Advisory Committee on Infant Mortality 
        includes the following:
                    (A) Representatives provided for in the original 
                charter of the Advisory Committee.
                    (B) A representative of the National Center for 
                Health Statistics.
    (c) Pilot Programs.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the 
        Administration of the Agency for Healthcare Research and 
        Quality, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and 
        Prevention, the Administrator of the Health Resources and 
        Services Administration, the Director of the Centers for 
        Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Assistant Secretary for 
        Planning and Evaluation of the Department of Health and Human 
        Services, and the heads of other appropriate agencies, shall 
        conduct and report on research studies and demonstration 
        projects that test maternity care models that are designed to 
        reduce the rate of preterm birth.
            (2) Grants.--The Secretary may carry out this subsection 
        through the awarding of grants to eligible entities.
            (3) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
        this section an entity shall--
                    (A) be--
                            (i) a hospital or hospital systems that 
                        utilizes evidence-based best practices; or
                            (ii) a prematurity prevention network or 
                        other types of collaborative; and
                    (B) submit to the Secretary an application at such 
                time, in such manner, and containing such information 
                as the Secretary may require.
            (4) Targeting.--In awarding grants under this subsection, 
        the Secretary shall target those areas with a demonstrated 
        persistent high rate of preterm birth.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section, such sums as may be necessary 
for each of fiscal years 2011 through 2016.
                                 <all>