[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 33 (Wednesday, February 22, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E395]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E395]]
           REGARDING THE BIRTH DEFECTS PREVENTION ACT OF 1995

                                 ______


                         HON. SOLOMON P. ORTIZ

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 22, 1995
  Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, today, I am joined by a bipartisan group of 
Members in introducing a bill whose objective is to reduce the rate of 
birth defects in this country. I am particularly pleased that my 
colleague from Texas, Congressman Henry Bonilla, is the lead cosponsor 
of this vital legislation. The legislation addresses a national health 
care issue that crosses all geographic areas and affects children of 
all races and economic classes and is imperative to the public health 
of all Americans.
  Many people may not realize that birth defects are the leading cause 
of infant mortality in the United States as well as a leading cause of 
disability and shortened life expectancy. Currently, over 150,000 
children are born with a serious birth defect every year. Nevertheless, 
the United States lacks a coherent, comprehensive national strategy to 
address the birth defects problem. As a result, there are inadequate 
State and local resources that work to combat the incidence of birth 
defects. Consequently, most Americans have insufficient knowledge about 
birth defects, and remain unaware of the high rate of birth defects in 
our country.
  This legislation, in many ways, is a product of a tragedy in part of 
my district, Cameron County, TX. It is the result of great anguish and 
misery experienced by mothers, fathers, and all who sympathize with the 
loss of a child, or the sadness of a baby born with a deformity.
  The discovery of this tragedy began to unfold in March 1991, when a 
nurse helped deliver two babies in a 36-hour period. Both babies had 
anencephaly, a lethal birth defect in which the baby either has only a 
partial brain or no brain at all. This pattern triggered this competent 
nurse to review recent hospital birth records where she found a pattern 
of six babies born with anencephaly in the previous month.
  The Texas Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control 
were notified of the extremely high rate, and a case study of the 
cluster was initiated. Further research by the Centers for Disease 
Control and the Texas Department of Health
 revealed even more anencephaly cases, the largest cluster of such 
cases ever recorded in such a short period of time in the United 
States.

  The revelation of this cluster created an atmosphere of anxiety and 
fear in this close-knit community along the United States-Mexico 
border. Families expecting or planning to one day have a child were 
fearful of the possibility of anencephaly. Many have put family plans 
on hold, waiting until the cause or causes of this sinister epidemic 
are found.
  In an effort to unearth the causes of the cluster, the Centers for 
Disease Control and the Texas Department of Health began a full blown 
investigation. Much has been revealed with the unfolding of this 
intense investigation, which has included an examination of 
environmental, nutritional, and genetic factors.
  First, we have learned that folic acid has proven to be effective in 
reducing the recurrence of neural tube defects and may possibly reduce 
the chance of initial occurrence. In fact, in September 1992, the U.S. 
Public Health Service issued a recommendation on folic acid stating 
that all women of childbearing age in the United States who are capable 
of becoming pregnant should consume 0.4 mg of folic acid per day for 
the purpose of reducing the risk of having a pregnancy affected with 
spina bifida or other neural tube defects. The discovery that folic 
acid can contribute to preventing neural tube birth defects could save 
many babies each year from disability and death. This news is greatly 
welcomed.
  The events in Brownsville, TX, also called attention to the fact that 
the prevalence of neural tube defects in Hispanic children was twice 
the national average. Additional studies show that the Hispanic 
community, on a nationwide level as well as in some Latin American 
countries, seems to experience higher rates of anencephaly and other 
neural tube defects than other ethnic groups.
  In order to address the issue of birth defects, this legislation 
seeks to establish a national, State-based, birth defects surveillance 
system with regional centers of excellence to determine the unknown 
causes of birth defects. The bill also enables States to begin or 
enhance their own birth defects registries. This will ensure that basic 
information on birth defects can be gathered and analyzed so clusters 
like that in Cameron County would not have to be discovered 
accidentally.
  The bill also establishes regional birth defects centers of 
excellence whose purpose is to monitor the changes in the incidence of 
birth defects by studying surveillance information. This will create a 
mechanism so that we can act quickly when a cluster is identified, 
thereby alerting and directing all pertinent Federal, State, and local 
agencies so that all possible causes, whether environmental, 
nutritional, or genetic, will be explored. These centers will develop 
and evaluate preventive services so that we can work to prevent birth 
defects, and not act in instances after the fact.
  The bill also establishes a clearinghouse at the Centers for Disease 
Control so that information is centralized. We must have the capability 
of collection, storage, and interpretation of data generated from State 
birth defects surveillance programs and regional birth defects centers, 
as well as the ability to disseminate that information in a timely and 
useful manner.
  The Centers for Disease Control is the Federal agency charged with 
protecting the public health of the Nation by providing leadership and 
direction in the prevention and control of disease and other 
preventable conditions. As the agency responsible for responding to 
public health emergencies, the Centers for Disease Control was 
obviously the best choice as the lead agency to coordinate the Federal, 
State, and local efforts for this national birth defects program.
  In these times of budgetary constraints, many may have concerns about 
the cost of this bill. A close examination, however, will show that 
this bill will actually serve to reduce expenditures. It will help save 
money by reducing the incidence of birth defects, which cost the States 
and the Federal Government millions of dollars each year in treatment, 
special education, insurance, and loss of income.
  This legislation has already gained bipartisan support, and I am 
thankful that it has the blessing of so many distinguished Members, 
particularly Congressman Henry Bonilla. Additionally, I would like to 
thank Senator Bond for his lead on this legislation in the Senate. I 
would also like to thank the March of Dimes for their invaluable 
contributions and dedication to working toward the prevention of birth 
defects. The March of Dimes' commitment toward enacting the Birth 
Defects Prevention Act of 1995 only strengthens this legislation. Other 
major health organizations have also endorsed this legislation, and I 
am pleased to submit a list for the record.
  The concept of this bill may have derived from a crisis in 
Brownsville, TX, however, its provisions are important to the Nation as 
a whole. Birth defects are not simply a regional problem, they are a 
health issue that should be addressed seriously by all Americans. The 
Birth Defects Prevention Act of 1995 will serve as an investment in the 
health of all people of the United States.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bipartisan Birth 
Defects Prevention Act of 1995 by cosponsoring this legislation.
 National Organizations Endorsing the Birth Defects Prevention Act of 
                                  1995

       American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association of 
     Mental Retardation, American Association of University 
     Affiliated Programs, American College of Medical Genetics, 
     and American Counseling Association.
       American Mental Health Counselors Association, American 
     Occupational Therapy Association, American Public Health 
     Association, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 
     and The Arc.
       Epilepsy Foundation of America, Learning Disabilities 
     Association of America, March of Dimes Birth Defects 
     Foundation, National Association of Children's Hospitals and 
     Related Institutions, and National Center for Learning 
     Disabilities.
       National Easter Seal Society, National Society of Genetics 
     Counselors, Society of Craniofacial Genetics, Spina Bifida 
     Association of America, and Teratology Society.
       February 17, 1995.


       

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