[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3029 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3029

 To revise and extend the Prematurity Research Expansion and Education 
        for Mothers who deliver Infants Early Act (PREEMIE Act).


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              June 7, 2018

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To revise and extend the Prematurity Research Expansion and Education 
        for Mothers who deliver Infants Early Act (PREEMIE Act).

    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 of 
2018'' or the ``PREEMIE Reauthorization Act of 2018''.

SEC. 2. RESEARCH RELATING TO PRETERM LABOR AND DELIVERY AND THE CARE, 
              TREATMENT, AND OUTCOMES OF PRETERM AND LOW BIRTHWEIGHT 
              INFANTS.

    Section 2 of the Prematurity Research Expansion and Education for 
Mothers who deliver Infants Early Act (42 U.S.C. 247b-4f) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking ``clinical, 
                biological, social, environmental, genetic, and 
                behavioral factors relating'' and inserting 
                ``biological, social, and other determinants that 
                contribute to health disparities and are related''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``concerning the 
                progress and any results of studies conducted under 
                paragraph (1)'' and inserting ``regarding activities 
                and studies conducted under paragraph (1), including 
                any applicable analyses of preterm birth. Such report 
                shall be posted on the Internet website of the 
                Department of Health and Human Services.'';
            (2) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:
    ``(c) Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring Survey.--The Secretary 
of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall--
            ``(1) continue systems for the collection of maternal-
        infant clinical and biomedical information, including 
        electronic health records, electronic databases, and biobanks, 
        to link with the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System 
        (PRAMS) and other epidemiological studies of prematurity in 
        order to track, to the extent practicable, all pregnancy 
        outcomes and prevent preterm birth; and
            ``(2) provide technical assistance, as appropriate, to 
        support States in improving the collection of information 
        pursuant to this subsection.''; and
            (3) in subsection (e), by striking ``except for subsection 
        (c), $1,880,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 
        2018'' and inserting ``$2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 
        through 2023''.

SEC. 3. PUBLIC AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDER EDUCATION AND SUPPORT SERVICES.

    Section 399Q of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280g-5) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by striking ``conduct demonstration projects 
                for the purpose of improving'' and inserting ``continue 
                efforts to improve''; and
                    (B) by striking ``for babies born preterm'' and 
                inserting ``mothers of infants born preterm, and 
                infants born preterm, including through demonstration 
                projects, as appropriate''; and
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
                striking ``under the demonstration project'';
                    (B) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
                        (A), by striking ``programs to test and 
                        evaluate various'' and inserting ``programs 
                        which, in collaboration with States, 
                        localities, and community organizations, 
                        support'';
                            (ii) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) 
                        through (F) as subparagraphs (C) through (G), 
                        respectively;
                            (iii) by inserting after subparagraph (A), 
                        the following:
                    ``(B) evidence-based strategies to prevent preterm 
                birth and associated outcomes;'';
                            (iv) in subparagraph (C), as so 
                        redesignated, by inserting ``, and the risks of 
                        non-medically indicated deliveries before full 
                        term'' before the semicolon;
                            (v) in subparagraph (D), as so 
                        redesignated--
                                    (I) in clause (ii), by inserting 
                                ``intake'' before the semicolon;
                                    (II) in clause (iii), by striking 
                                ``and'' at the end;
                                    (III) by redesignating clause (iv) 
                                as clause (vii); and
                                    (IV) by inserting after clause 
                                (iii), the following:
                            ``(iv) screening for and treatment of 
                        substance use disorders;
                            ``(v) screening and treatment of maternal 
                        depression;
                            ``(vi) maternal immunization; and'';
                            (vi) in subparagraph (E), as so 
                        redesignated, by adding ``and'' after the 
                        semicolon;
                            (vii) in subparagraph (F), as so 
                        redesignated, by striking ``; and'' and 
                        inserting a period; and
                            (viii) by striking subparagraph (G), as so 
                        redesignated; and
                    (C) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``, as well as 
                prevention of a future preterm birth'' before the 
                semicolon.

SEC. 4. ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON INFANT MORTALITY.

    Section 104(b) of the PREEMIE Reauthorization Act (42 U.S.C. 247b-
4f note) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (2)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by 
                striking ``and recommendations to the Secretary 
                concerning the following activities'' and inserting ``, 
                recommendations, or information to the Secretary as may 
                be necessary to improve activities and programs to 
                reduce severe maternal morbidity and infant mortality 
                and preterm birth, which may include recommendations, 
                advice, or information related to the following'';
                    (B) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``and 
                improving the health status of pregnant women and 
                infants'' and inserting ``, preterm birth, and 
                improving the health status of pregnant women and 
                infants, and information on cost-effectiveness and 
                outcomes of such programs'';
                    (C) in subparagraph (C), by striking 
                ``Implementation of the'' and inserting ``The''; and
                    (D) by striking subparagraph (D) and inserting the 
                following:
                    ``(D) Implementation of Healthy People objectives 
                related to maternal and infant health.
                    ``(E) Strategies to reduce racial, ethnic, 
                geographic, and other health disparities in birth 
                outcomes.
                    ``(F) Strategies, including the implementation of 
                such strategies, to address gaps in Federal research, 
                programs, and education efforts related to the 
                prevention of severe maternal morbidity and infant 
                mortality, and other adverse birth outcomes.'';
            (2) by striking paragraph (3) and redesignating paragraph 
        (4) as paragraph (3); and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) Biennial report.--Not later than 1 year after the 
        date of enactment of the PREEMIE Reauthorization Act of 2018, 
        and every 2 years thereafter, the Advisory Committee shall--
                    ``(A) publish a report summarizing activities and 
                recommendations of the Advisory Committee since the 
                publication of the previous report;
                    ``(B) submit such report to the Secretary and the 
                appropriate Committees of Congress; and
                    ``(C) post such report on the Internet website of 
                the Department of Health and Human Services.''.

SEC. 5. INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services may 
establish an interagency working group in order to improve coordination 
of programs and activities within the Department of Health and Human 
Services to prevent preterm birth, infant mortality, and related 
adverse birth outcomes.
    (b) Duties.--The working group established under subsection (a) 
shall--
            (1) identify gaps, duplication, or overlap in Federal 
        programs and activities related to preterm birth and infant 
        mortality;
            (2) assess the extent to which the goals and metrics of 
        relevant programs and activities within the Department of 
        Health and Human Services are aligned; and
            (3) assess the extent to which such programs are 
        coordinated across agencies within such Department; and
            (4) make specific recommendations, as applicable, to reduce 
        or minimize unnecessary duplication and overlap and improve 
        coordination of goals, programs, and activities across agencies 
        within such Department.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date on which the 
working group is established under subsection (a), the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services shall submit to the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report 
summarizing the findings of the working group under subsection (b) and 
the specific recommendations to improve Federal programs at the 
Department of Health and Human Services under subsection (b)(4).
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