[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 121 (Friday, September 6, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S10022]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             THE NEWBORNS AND MOTHERS HEALTH PROTECTION ACT

 Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, yesterday, by unanimous vote, the 
Senate passed the Newborns and Mothers Health Protection Act as an 
amendment to the VA-HUD appropriations bill. There is no more important 
issue before this Congress than the health of mothers and their 
newborns, and so I applaud the Senate. This amendment is vital. I want 
to express my pride in being a cosponsor, and my thanks to Senator 
Bradley and Senator Frist for all of their hard work.
  This amendment will require health insurers to allow moms and their 
newborns to stay in the hospital for a minimum of 48 hours after a 
normal delivery and 96 hours after a cesarean section, unless the 
mother and her attending health care provider decide a shorter stay is 
in the child's best interest.
  I sent a letter, along with Senator Snowe of Maine, to Senator Dole 
back on May 1 of this year, asking for a vote on this bill. That letter 
was signed by all the women Senators, from both parties. I am glad we 
have finally had a debate and approved this language.
  This amendment has many cosponsors from both sides of the aisle, and 
has the support of numerous organizations from around the country. 
These organizations represent the broad range of health care providers 
that work with mothers, newborns, and the full range of their health 
concerns. There are experts from every corner of the country who will 
attest to the importance of this amendment, and as Senator Bradley has 
noted, more than 80,000 Americans have sent in letters asking us to 
pass this legislation, because they know it can mean the difference 
between life and death for a loved one.
  Protecting mothers and their infants is the right thing to do, and is 
overdue. Many States already provide these protections, and hospitals 
such as Tacoma General in my State are already allowing these decisions 
to be made by the mother and her care provider, which is the way it 
should be.
  We know from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that 
hospital stays for new mothers decreased by almost half between 1970 
and 1992--from 3.9 days to 2.1 days. We know the length of stay has 
continued to decrease, and is now about 24 hours after normal delivery. 
We know there can be serious health complications within the first 48 
hours even after a normal delivery. Most important, we know these 
decisions should be in the hands of the mother and her attending health 
care provider.
  I am glad the Senate has taken this action, and I think it is a good 
first step toward improving the health of infants and other children in 
this country.
  We need to give all newborns every advantage possible. In my mind, a 
healthy start on life is a good start on life.

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