[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2029 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2029

To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through 
  the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to 
establish and implement a birth defects prevention, risk reduction, and 
                       public awareness program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 26, 2011

Ms. DeLauro (for herself, Mr. Barrow, Mr. Bilbray, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. 
 Butterfield, Mrs. Capps, Ms. Castor of Florida, Mrs. Christensen, Ms. 
 DeGette, Mr. Engel, Ms. Eshoo, Mr. Gonzalez, Mr. Gene Green of Texas, 
Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Hall, Mr. Hinchey, Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Mr. King 
   of New York, Mr. Lance, Ms. Lee of California, Mr. Matheson, Ms. 
 Matsui, Mr. Markey, Mr. McCaul, Mr. McDermott, Mrs. McMorris Rodgers, 
Mr. Miller of North Carolina, Ms. Moore, Mr. Murphy of Connecticut, Ms. 
 Roybal-Allard, Mr. Rush, Mr. Sarbanes, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Sessions, 
   Ms. Slaughter, Ms. Sutton, Mr. Towns, Mr. Weiner, and Mr. Welch) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                          Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through 
  the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to 
establish and implement a birth defects prevention, risk reduction, and 
                       public awareness program.

    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 ``Birth Defects Prevention, Risk 
Reduction, and Awareness Act of 2011''.

SEC. 2. BIRTH DEFECTS PREVENTION, RISK REDUCTION, AND AWARENESS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish and implement a 
birth defects prevention and public awareness program, consisting of 
the activities described in subsections (c) and (d).
    (b) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) The term ``pregnancy and breastfeeding information 
        services'' includes only--
                    (A) information services to provide accurate, 
                evidence-based, clinical information regarding maternal 
                exposures during pregnancy that may be associated with 
                birth defects or other health risks, such as exposures 
                to medications, chemicals, infections, foodborne 
                pathogens, illnesses, nutrition, or lifestyle factors;
                    (B) information services to provide accurate, 
                evidence-based, clinical information regarding maternal 
                exposures during breastfeeding that may be associated 
                with health risks to a breast-fed infant, such as 
                exposures to medications, chemicals, infections, 
                foodborne pathogens, illnesses, nutrition, or lifestyle 
                factors;
                    (C) the provision of accurate, evidence-based 
                information weighing risks of exposures during 
                breastfeeding against the benefits of breastfeeding; 
                and
                    (D) the provision of information described in 
                subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) through counselors, Web 
                sites, fact sheets, telephonic or electronic 
                communication, community outreach efforts, or other 
                appropriate means.
            (2) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Health 
        and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers 
        for Disease Control and Prevention.
    (c) Nationwide Media Campaign.--In carrying out subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall conduct or support a nationwide media campaign to 
increase awareness among health care providers and at-risk populations 
about pregnancy and breastfeeding information services.
    (d) Grants for Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Information Services.--
            (1) In general.--In carrying out subsection (a), the 
        Secretary shall award grants to State or regional agencies or 
        organizations for any of the following:
                    (A) Information services.--The provision of, or 
                campaigns to increase awareness about, pregnancy and 
                breastfeeding information services.
                    (B) Surveillance and research.--The conduct or 
                support of--
                            (i) surveillance of or research on--
                                    (I) maternal exposures and maternal 
                                health conditions that may influence 
                                the risk of birth defects, prematurity, 
                                or other adverse pregnancy outcomes; 
                                and
                                    (II) maternal exposures that may 
                                influence health risks to a breastfed 
                                infant; or
                            (ii) networking to facilitate surveillance 
                        or research described in this subparagraph.
            (2) Preference for certain states.--The Secretary, in 
        making any grant under this subsection, shall give preference 
        to States, otherwise equally qualified, that have or had a 
        pregnancy and breastfeeding information service in place on or 
        after January 1, 2006.
            (3) Matching funds.--The Secretary may only award a grant 
        under this subsection to a State or regional agency 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.
            (4) Coordination.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
        activities funded through a grant under this subsection are 
        coordinated, to the maximum extent practicable, with other 
        birth defects prevention and environmental health activities of 
        the Federal Government, including with respect to pediatric 
        environmental health specialty units and children's 
        environmental health centers.
    (e) Evaluation.--In furtherance of the program 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) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this Act, there 
are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2012, 
$6,000,000 for fiscal year 2013, $7,000,000 for fiscal year 2014, 
$8,000,000 for fiscal year 2015, and $9,000,000 for fiscal year 2016.
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