[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1131 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1131

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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 26, 2011

   Mrs. Hagan (for herself, Mr. Brown of Ohio, Ms. Landrieu, and Mr. 
    Conrad) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
  referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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 ``organization'' means an organization with a 
        demonstrated ability to provide, and experience providing, 
        specialized information on prenatal exposures and breastfeeding 
        exposures with oversight by a licensed health care provider.
            (2) 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 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.
            (3) 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 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 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 organizations in certain 
        states.--The Secretary, in making any grant under this 
        subsection, shall give preference to organizations, otherwise 
        equally qualified, operating in States that have or had a 
        pregnancy and breastfeeding information service in place on or 
        after January 1, 2006.
            (3) Matching funds.--The Secretary may award a grant under 
        this subsection only to an 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 that is 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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