[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6746 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 6746

    To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for a public 
          awareness campaign with respect to iron deficiency.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 13, 2023

Ms. Caraveo (for herself, Ms. Budzinski, Ms. Sewell, Ms. Clarke of New 
 York, Ms. Pettersen, Mr. Carter of Louisiana, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Davis 
of North Carolina, and Mr. Garcia of Illinois) introduced the following 
    bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for a public 
          awareness campaign with respect to iron deficiency.

    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 ``Iron Deficiency Education and 
Awareness Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Iron deficiency occurs when there are insufficient 
        amounts of iron in the body. Without enough iron, the body 
        cannot produce sufficient amounts of hemoglobin, which is the 
        protein that enables red blood cells to carry oxygen.
            (2) Menstrual bleeding and pregnancy are major reasons for 
        lower levels of iron in the body. The symptoms of iron 
        deficiency include fatigue, cold extremities, hair loss, 
        cognitive issues, shortness of breath, headaches, and sleep 
        disorders.
            (3) Iron deficiency often goes undiagnosed due to 
        difficulty recognizing symptoms and lack of urgency in 
        diagnosing. When left untreated, the condition can progress to 
        iron-deficiency anemia. This may increase the risk of 
        developing organ complications, such as an abnormally fast 
        heartbeat, or tachycardia, and heart failure.
            (4) Among pregnant women, iron deficiency and iron-
        deficiency anemia has been linked to increased maternal 
        illness, premature birth and low birth weight among babies, and 
        intrauterine growth restriction.
            (5) Approximately 35 percent of women of reproductive age 
        in the United States do not have a sufficient amount of iron in 
        their bodies. Additionally, nearly 40 percent of girls and 
        young women ages 12 to 21 are affected by iron deficiency, and 
        6 percent are iron-deficient anemic.
            (6) Children under the age of two are at a high risk for 
        iron deficiency. About 6 percent of children ages 1-2 have iron 
        deficiency.
            (7) Eliminating barriers to awareness, education, and 
        screening will assist in preventing and treating iron 
        deficiency, iron deficiency anemia, and related health issues 
        among women and children under the age of two.

SEC. 3. IRON DEFICIENCY AWARENESS CAMPAIGN.

    (a) In General.--Section 317 of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 247b) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(o) Iron Deficiency Public Awareness Campaign.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a national 
        campaign to--
                    ``(A) increase awareness of the importance of iron 
                deficiency screening;
                    ``(B) combat misconceptions about iron deficiency, 
                including misconceptions in diagnosis and management of 
                iron deficiency;
                    ``(C) increase awareness about missed diagnoses due 
                to inadequate screening tests; and
                    ``(D) increase iron deficiency screening among 
                women and children under the age of two.
            ``(2) Consultation.--In carrying out the national campaign 
        required by paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consult with the 
        National Academy of Medicine, health care providers, public 
        health associations, nonprofit organizations, State and local 
        public health departments, and institutions of higher education 
        to solicit advice on evidence-based information for policy 
        development and program development, implementation, and 
        evaluation.
            ``(3) Requirements.--The national campaign required by 
        paragraph (1) shall--
                    ``(A) include the use of evidence-based media and 
                public engagement;
                    ``(B) be carried out through competitive grants or 
                cooperative agreements awarded to 1 or more private, 
                nonprofit entities with a history developing and 
                implementing similar campaigns;
                    ``(C) include the development of culturally and 
                linguistically competent resources that shall be 
                tailored for--
                            ``(i) women who are pregnant, recently gave 
                        birth, or are breastfeeding;
                            ``(ii) women who menstruate, especially if 
                        menstrual periods are heavy;
                            ``(iii) women who have undergone major 
                        surgery or physical trauma;
                            ``(iv) women with limited English 
                        proficiency;
                            ``(v) women with gastrointestinal diseases, 
                        such as Celiac disease and inflammatory bowel 
                        diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's 
                        disease;
                            ``(vi) women with peptic ulcer disease;
                            ``(vii) populations with a high prevalence 
                        of iron deficiency (such as Black and Hispanic 
                        women);
                            ``(viii) parents with children under the 
                        age of two;
                            ``(ix) rural communities; and
                            ``(x) such other communities as the 
                        Secretary determines appropriate;
                    ``(D) include the dissemination of iron deficiency 
                information and communication resources to health care 
                providers and health care facilities (including 
                pediatricians, primary care providers, community health 
                centers, dentists, obstetricians, and gynecologists), 
                State and local public health departments, elementary 
                and secondary schools, child care centers, and colleges 
                and universities;
                    ``(E) be complementary to, and coordinated with, 
                any other Federal efforts with respect to iron 
                deficiency awareness;
                    ``(F) include message testing to identify 
                culturally competent and effective messages for 
                behavioral change; and
                    ``(G) include the award of grants or cooperative 
                agreements to State, local, and Tribal public health 
                departments to engage with--
                            ``(i) communities specified in subparagraph 
                        (C);
                            ``(ii) local educational agencies;
                            ``(iii) health care providers;
                            ``(iv) community organizations; or
                            ``(v) other groups the Secretary determines 
                        are appropriate to develop and deliver 
                        effective strategies to decrease iron 
                        deficiency rates.
            ``(4) Options for dissemination of information.--The 
        national campaign required by paragraph (1) may--
                    ``(A) include the use of--
                            ``(i) social media, television, radio, 
                        print, the internet, and other media;
                            ``(ii) in-person or virtual public 
                        communications; and
                            ``(iii) recognized, trusted figures;
                    ``(B) be targeted to specific communities specified 
                in paragraph (3)(C); and
                    ``(C) include the dissemination of information 
                highlighting--
                            ``(i) appropriate screening for iron 
                        deficiency, including the recommended 
                        populations to be screened by age range or 
                        other criteria;
                            ``(ii) the prevalence of iron deficiency;
                            ``(iii) symptoms of iron deficiency; and
                            ``(iv) mechanisms of preventing and 
                        managing iron deficiency.
            ``(5) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
        to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $7,000,000 for 
        each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028.''.
    (b) Report to Congress.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than the end of fiscal year 
        2027, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit 
        to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
        Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 
        and Pensions of the Senate a report on the campaign under 
        section 317(o) of the Public Health Service Act, as added by 
        subsection (a).
            (2) Qualitative assessment.--The report under paragraph (1) 
        shall include a qualitative assessment of--
                    (A) the overall campaign under section 317(o) of 
                the Public Health Service Act, as added by subsection 
                (a); and
                    (B) the impacts of the activities conducted through 
                the campaign, including such impacts on iron 
                deficiency, and iron deficiency anemia, among women and 
                children under the age of two.
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