[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 252 Reported in Senate (RS)]
Calendar No. 13
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 252
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
February 7, 2013
Mr. Alexander (for himself, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Isakson, Ms. Mikulski, Mr.
Reed, Mr. Menendez, Ms. Landrieu, and Mr. Coons) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
February 14, 2013
Reported by Mr. Harkin, without amendment
_______________________________________________________________________
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 Reauthorization Act''
or the ``PREEMIE Reauthorization Act''.
SEC. 2. 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 Preterm Birth.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary of Health and Human
Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, may, subject to the
availability of appropriations--
``(A) conduct epidemiological studies on the
clinical, biological, social, environmental, genetic,
and behavioral factors relating to prematurity, as
appropriate;
``(B) conduct activities to improve national data
to facilitate tracking the burden of preterm birth; and
``(C) continue efforts to prevent preterm birth,
including late preterm birth, through the
identification of opportunities for prevention and the
assessment of the impact of such efforts.
``(2) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of the PREEMIE Reauthorization 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 ``2007 through 2011'' and
inserting ``2014 through 2018''.
SEC. 3. ACTIVITIES AT THE HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES ADMINISTRATION.
(a) Telemedicine and High-risk Pregnancies.--Section 330I(i)(1)(B)
of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c-14(i)(1)(B)) is
amended by striking ``or case management services'' and inserting
``case management services, or prenatal care for high-risk
pregnancies'';
(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)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking subparagraphs (A)
through (F) and inserting the following:
``(A) the core risk factors for preterm labor and
delivery;
``(B) medically indicated deliveries before full
term;
``(C) the importance of preconception and prenatal
care, including--
``(i) smoking cessation;
``(ii) weight maintenance and good
nutrition, including folic acid;
``(iii) the screening for and the treatment
of infections; and
``(iv) stress management;
``(D) treatments and outcomes for premature
infants, including late preterm infants;
``(E) the informational needs of families during
the stay of an infant in a neonatal intensive care
unit; and
``(F) utilization of evidence-based strategies to
prevent birth injuries;''; and
(B) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the
following:
``(2) programs to increase the availability, awareness, and
use of pregnancy and post-term information services that
provide evidence-based, clinical information through
counselors, community outreach efforts, electronic or
telephonic communication, or other appropriate means regarding
causes associated with prematurity, birth defects, or health
risks to a post-term infant;''; and
(2) in subsection (c), by striking ``2007 through 2011''
and inserting ``2014 through 2018''.
SEC. 4. OTHER ACTIVITIES.
(a) Interagency Coordinating Council on Prematurity and Low
Birthweight.--The Prematurity Research Expansion and Education for
Mothers who deliver Infants Early Act is amended by striking section 5
(42 U.S.C. 247b-4g).
(b) Advisory Committee on Infant Mortality.--
(1) Establishment.--The Secretary of Health and Human
Services (referred to in this section as the ``Secretary'') may
establish an advisory committee known as the ``Advisory
Committee on Infant Mortality'' (referred to in this section as
the ``Advisory Committee'').
(2) Duties.--The Advisory Committee shall provide advice
and recommendations to the Secretary concerning the following
activities:
(A) Programs of the Department of Health and Human
Services that are directed at reducing infant mortality
and improving the health status of pregnant women and
infants.
(B) Strategies to coordinate the various Federal
programs and activities with State, local, and private
programs and efforts that address factors that affect
infant mortality.
(C) Implementation of the Healthy Start program
under section 330H of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 254c-8) and Healthy People 2020 infant mortality
objectives.
(D) Strategies to reduce preterm birth rates
through research, programs, and education.
(3) Plan for hhs preterm birth activities.--Not later than
1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the
Advisory Committee (or an advisory committee in existence as of
the date of enactment of this Act and designated by the
Secretary) shall develop a plan for conducting and supporting
research, education, and programs on preterm birth through the
Department of Health and Human Services and shall periodically
review and revise the plan, as appropriate. The plan shall--
(A) examine research and educational activities
that receive Federal funding in order to enable the
plan to provide informed recommendations to reduce
preterm birth and address racial and ethnic disparities
in preterm birth rates;
(B) identify research gaps and opportunities to
implement evidence-based strategies to reduce preterm
birth rates among the programs and activities of the
Department of Health and Human Services regarding
preterm birth, including opportunities to minimize
duplication; and
(C) reflect input from a broad range of scientists,
patients, and advocacy groups, as appropriate.
(4) Membership.--The Secretary shall ensure that the
membership of the Advisory Committee 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) Patient Safety Studies and Report.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall designate an
appropriate agency within the Department of Health and Human
Services to coordinate existing studies on hospital
readmissions of preterm infants.
(2) Report to secretary and congress.--Not later than 1
year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the agency
designated under paragraph (1) shall submit to the Secretary
and to Congress a report containing the findings and
recommendations resulting from the studies coordinated under
such paragraph, including recommendations for hospital
discharge and followup procedures designed to reduce rates of
preventable hospital readmissions for preterm infants.
Calendar No. 13
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 252
_______________________________________________________________________
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.
_______________________________________________________________________
February 14, 2013
Reported without amendment