[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 29 (Thursday, February 15, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E367]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               INTRODUCTION OF WOMEN'S HEALTH OFFICE ACT

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                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 15, 2007

  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, today I introduce the 
Women's Health Office Act with my Republican colleague, Deborah Pryce 
from Ohio. This Act establishes permanent authorization for the offices 
or officers of women's health in five federal agencies: the Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Health and Human 
Services, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Health 
Resources and Services Administration, and the Food and Drug 
Administration.
  Women's health research has been historically underfunded in the 
United States and for years women have been banned from clinical 
trials. For example, in 1977, the FDA barred all women of child bearing 
potential from participating in most early phase clinical research, and 
this continued for 16 years. Unfortunately, sex differences continue to 
be ignored in medical research today and we have not made up for the 
dearth of information on women's health.
  The offices of women's health in these federal agencies were intended 
to provide a much needed focus on women's health including research, 
service delivery, policy, education, and outreach. However, these 
offices are currently unable to perform their responsibilities due to a 
lack of support from our federal government. They are severely 
underfunded and understaffed, and vulnerable to elimination in the 
future.
  The work of these offices is essential to improving the health of 
women in the United States. Creating a permanent authorization would 
ensure that these offices retain their allocated funding, are 
sufficiently staffed, and can accomplish the important work for which 
they were established.

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