[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 137 (Monday, October 5, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1901-E1902]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E1901]]



 INTRODUCTION OF THE WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH AND PREVENTION AMENDMENTS 
                                OF 1998

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL BILIRAKIS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 2, 1998

  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, on Friday, I introduced legislation to 
revise and extend a number of important women's health research and 
prevention programs at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). My bill is a 
companion measure to S. 1722, the ``Women's Health Research and 
Prevention Amendments of 1998.'' S. 1722 was introduced in March by 
Senator Bill Frist and enjoys strong bipartisan support, including 
members of the Senate Leadership.
  Both the NIH and the CDC play critical roles in efforts to improve 
women's health through research, screening, prevention, treatment, 
education and data collection. My bill reauthorizes programs at the NIH 
for vital research into the causes, prevention and treatment of some of 
the major diseases affecting women--including osteoporosis, breast and 
ovarian cancer--and for research into the aging processes of women.
  In addition, the bill authorizes a new research program at the 
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to target heart attack, 
stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases in women. This program will 
advance research into cardiovascular disease, which is the leading 
cause of death in women. In the past, the medical community has focused 
on men in research, treatment and counseling for heart disease and 
stroke. Clearly, the need exists to study these diseases in women to 
prevent and treat them.
  My bill also reauthorizes several major programs at the CDC for 
prevention and education activities on women's health issues. These 
include the National Center for Health Statistics, the National Program 
of Cancer Registries, the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early 
Detection Program and the Centers for Research and Demonstration of 
Health Promotion and Disease Prevention.
  As Chairman of the Health and Environment Subcommittee of the House 
Commerce Committee, I believe Congress must play an active role in 
promoting women's health research and prevention efforts. My bill 
reauthorizes a number of these critical women's health programs, and I 
urge all Members to join me in supporting passage of this important 
legislation.

  Summary of the Women's Health Research and Prevention Amendments of 
             1998 Introduced by the Hon. Michael Bilirakis

       Purpose: To amend the Public Health Service Act to revise 
     and extend certain programs with respect to women's health 
     research and prevention activities at the National Institutes 
     of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and 
     Prevention (CDC).


  Title I: Provisions Relating to Women's Health Research at the NIH.

       Section 101. Research Program and Authorization of National 
     Education Program Regarding Drug DES. Amends PHS Act Sec. 
     403A to extend the research program on DES 
     (diethylstilbestrol), a drug widely prescribed to American 
     women from 1938 to 1971 which has been shown to be harmful to 
     pregnant women and their children. Adds to the PHS Act a new 
     Sec. 1710 to establish a national program through the Public 
     Health Service agencies for education of health professionals 
     and the public with respect to DES.
       Section 102. Research on Osteoporosis, Paget's Disease and 
     Related Bone Disorders. Amends PHS Act Sec. 409A(d) to extend 
     the research program on osteoporosis, Paget's disease and 
     related bone disorders at the National Institute on Aging, 
     the National Institute for Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and 
     Skin Diseases, the National Institute of Dental Research and 
     the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney 
     Diseases.
       Section 103. Research on Cancer, Breast Cancer, and Ovarian 
     and Related Cancer. Amends PHS Act Sec. 417B(b) to extend the 
     research programs for basic and clinical research and 
     education efforts with respect to cancer, breast cancer, and 
     ovarian and related cancer.
       Section 104. Research on Heart Attack, Stroke, and other 
     Cardiovascular Diseases in Women. Adds to the PHS Act a new 
     Sec. 424A to expand, intensify, and coordinate research and 
     related activities with respect to heart attack, stroke, and 
     other cardiosvascular diseases in women at the National 
     Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. This new authorization is 
     included to support research into cardiovascular disease, 
     which has been shown to be the leading cause of death in 
     women in the United States.
       Section 105. Aging Processes Regarding Women. Amends PHS 
     Act Sec. 445H to extend the research programs at the National 
     Institute on Aging into the aging processes of women, which 
     give particular emphasis to the effects of menopause and the 
     diagnosis, disorders, and complications related to aging and 
     loss of ovarian hormones in women.
       Section 106. Office of Research on Women's Health. Amends 
     PHS Act Sec. 486(d) to allow the Director of NIH to make 
     appointments to the Advisory Committee on Research on Women's 
     Health.


      Title II: Provisions Relatings to Women's Health at the CDC.

       Section 201. National Center for Health Statistics. Amends 
     PHS Act Sec. 306(n) to extend the authority for statistical 
     and epidemiological activities conducted by the NCHS, the 
     federal government's principal health statistical agency. 
     NCHS maintains more than a dozen data systems, including 
     vital statistics data acquired from states, data derived from 
     personal interviews, physical examinations, and laboratory 
     tests, review of records of health care providers, and other 
     survey methods. Data produced by these systems identify and 
     address a broad spectrum of health concerns from birth to 
     death, including overall health status, lifestyle, exposure 
     to unhealthful influences, the onset and diagnosis of illness 
     and disability, and the use of health care and rehabilitation 
     services. Grant for Special Populations. The legislation 
     extends the program for grants and studies on the health of 
     ethnic and racial populations and on improving methods for 
     developing statistics on ethnic and racial groups. The data 
     collection supported by the NCHS is often the only national 
     data available on the health status of U.S. women and their 
     use of the health care system.
       Section 202. National Program of Cancer Registries. Amends 
     PHS Act Sec. 399L to extend the National Cancer Registries 
     Program. The NPCR provides for the development of a 
     comprehensive national cancer database for analysis of the 
     cancer burden in the United States on a state, regional and 
     national population basis. CDC provides funds to States and 
     territories to enhance existing cancer registries; to 
     implement registries in additional states; to develop model 
     legislation and regulations for States to enhance viability 
     of registry operations; to set standards for completeness, 
     timeliness, and quality; and to provide training. This 
     program generates reliable cancer surveillance data needed to 
     monitor trends; guide cancer control programs; assist in 
     allocations of health resources; advance population-based 
     epidemiologic and health services research; and serve as the 
     foundation of a national comprehensive cancer control 
     strategy. CDC provides support to 42 states and the District 
     of Columbia.
       Section 203. National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early 
     Detection Program. Amends PHS Act Sec. 1510(a) to extend the 
     program, which provides for regular screening for breast and 
     cervical cancers to underserved women, prompt follow-up if 
     necessary, and assurances that the tests are performed in 
     accordance with current quality recommendations. Amends PHS 
     Act Sec. 1501(a)(2) to include support services such as case 
     management under the purposes of the program. Amends PHS Act 
     Sec. 1501(b) to authorize states to contract with for-profit 
     entities to provide all types of services and to clarify that 
     states may give priority to applications of equivalent 
     quality submitted by nonprofit private entities. CDC supports 
     activities at the state and national level in the areas of 
     screening referral and follow-up services, quality assurance, 
     public and provider education, surveillance, collaboration 
     and partnership development.
       Section 204. Centers for Research and Demonstration of 
     Health Promotions and Disease Prevention (Prevention 
     Centers). Amends PHS Act Sec. 1706(e) to extend authorization 
     for grants to academic health institutions to establish 
     centers for research and demonstration of health promotion 
     and disease prevention. CDC funds 14 academic centers across 
     the country. Areas of special emphasis include quality of 
     life for special populations and curbing premature morbidity 
     and mortality that lead to excessive health care costs. The 
     NIH Women's Health Initiative and CDC Prevention Research 
     Centers in Maryland, North Carolina, and Alabama are working 
     together to develop strategies for prevention of 
     cardiovascular disease in women.


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