[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 153 (Thursday, September 25, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H9920-H9922]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     POISON CENTER SUPPORT, ENHANCEMENT, AND AWARENESS ACT OF 2008

  Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate bill (S. 2932) to amend the Public Health Service Act to 
reauthorize the poison center national toll-free number, national media 
campaign, and grant program to provide assistance for poison 
prevention, sustain the funding of poison centers, and enhance the 
public health of people of the United States.
  The Clerk read the title of the Senate bill.
  The text of the Senate bill is as follows:

                                S. 2932

       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 ``Poison Center Support, 
     Enhancement, and Awareness Act of 2008''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) Poison control centers are the primary defense of the 
     United States against injury and deaths from poisoning. 
     Twenty-four hours a day, the general public as well as health 
     care practitioners contact their local poison control centers 
     for help in diagnosing and treating victims of poisoning. In 
     2007, more than 4,000,000 calls were managed by poison 
     control centers providing ready and direct access for all 
     people of the United States, including many underserved 
     populations in the United States, with vital emergency public 
     health information and response.
       (2) Poisoning is the second most common form of 
     unintentional death in the United States. In any given year, 
     there will be between 3,000,000 and 5,000,000 poison 
     exposures. Sixty percent of these exposures will involve 
     children under the age of 6 who are exposed to toxins in 
     their home. Poisoning accounts for 285,000 hospitalizations, 
     1,200,000 days of acute hospital care, and more than 26,000 
     fatalities in 2005.
       (3) In 2008, the Harvard Injury Control Research Center 
     reported that poisonings from accidents and unknown 
     circumstances more than tripled in rate since 1990. In 2005, 
     the last year for which data are available, 26,858 people 
     died from accidental or unknown poisonings. This represents 
     an increase of 20,000 since 1990 and an increase of 2,400 
     between 2004 and 2005. Fatalities from poisoning are 
     increasing in the United States in near epidemic proportions. 
     The funding of programs to reverse this trend is needed now 
     more than ever.
       (4) In 2004, The Institute of Medicine of the National 
     Academy of Sciences recommended that ``Congress should amend 
     the current Poison Control Center Enhancement and Awareness 
     Act Amendments of 2003 to provide sufficient funding to 
     support the proposed Poison Prevention and Control System 
     with its national network of poison centers. Support for the 
     core activities at the current level of service is estimated 
     to require more than $100 million annually.''.
       (5) Sustaining the funding structure and increasing 
     accessibility to poison control centers will promote the 
     utilization of poison control centers and reduce the 
     inappropriate use of emergency medical services and other 
     more costly health care services. The 2004 Institute of 
     Medicine Report to Congress determined that for every $1 
     invested in the Nation's poison control centers $7 of health 
     care costs are saved. In 2005, direct Federal health care 
     program savings totaled in excess of $525,000,000 as the 
     result of poison control center public health services.
       (6) More than 30 percent of the cost savings and financial 
     benefits of the Nation's network of poison control centers 
     are realized annually by Federal health care programs 
     (estimated to be more than $1,000,000,000), yet Federal 
     funding support (as demonstrated by the annual authorization 
     of $30,100,000 in Public Law 108-194) comprises less than 11 
     percent of the annual network expenditures of poison centers.
       (7) Real-time data collected from the Nation's certified 
     poison control centers can be an important source of 
     information for the detection, monitoring, and response for 
     contamination of the air, water, pharmaceutical, or food 
     supply.
       (8) In the event of a terrorist event, poison control 
     centers will be relied upon as a critical source for accurate 
     medical information and public health emergency response 
     concerning the treatment of patients who have had an exposure 
     to a chemical, radiological, or biological agent.

     SEC. 3. REAUTHORIZATION OF POISON CONTROL CENTERS NATIONAL 
                   TOLL-FREE NUMBER.

       Section 1271 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
     300d-71) is amended to read as follows:

     ``SEC. 1271. MAINTENANCE OF THE NATIONAL TOLL-FREE NUMBER.

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall provide coordination 
     and assistance to poison control centers for the 
     establishment of a nationwide toll-free phone number, and the 
     maintenance of such number, to be used to access such 
     centers.
       ``(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2009 to carry 
     out this section, and $700,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 
     through 2014 for the maintenance of the nationwide toll free 
     phone number under subsection (a).''.

     SEC. 4. REAUTHORIZATION OF NATIONWIDE MEDIA CAMPAIGN TO 
                   PROMOTE POISON CONTROL CENTER UTILIZATION.

       (a) In General.--Section 1272 of the Public Health Service 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 300d-72) is amended to read as follows:

     ``SEC. 1272. NATIONWIDE MEDIA CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE POISON 
                   CONTROL CENTER UTILIZATION.

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out, and 
     expand upon, a national media campaign to educate the public 
     and health care providers about poison prevention and the 
     availability of poison control center resources in local 
     communities and to conduct advertising campaigns concerning 
     the nationwide toll-free number established under section 
     1271(a).
       ``(b) Contract With Entity.--The Secretary may carry out 
     subsection (a) by entering into contracts with one or more 
     public or private entities, including nationally recognized 
     organizations in the field of poison control and national 
     media firms, for the

[[Page H9921]]

     development and implementation of a nationwide poison 
     prevention and poison control center awareness campaign, 
     which may include--
       ``(1) the development and distribution of poison prevention 
     and poison control center awareness materials;
       ``(2) television, radio, Internet, and newspaper public 
     service announcements; and
       ``(3) other activities to provide for public and 
     professional awareness and education.
       ``(c) Evaluation.--The Secretary shall--
       ``(1) establish baseline measures and benchmarks to 
     quantitatively evaluate the impact of the nationwide media 
     campaign carried out under this section; and
       ``(2) on an annual basis, prepare and submit to the 
     appropriate committees of Congress, an evaluation of the 
     nationwide media campaign.
       ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out this section, such sums as 
     may be necessary for fiscal year 2009, and $800,000 for each 
     of fiscal years 2010 through 2014.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section 
     shall be effective on the date of the enactment of this Act 
     and shall apply to contracts entered into on or after January 
     1, 2009.

     SEC. 5. REAUTHORIZATION OF THE POISON CONTROL CENTER GRANT 
                   PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--Section 1273 of the Public Health Service 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 300d-73) is amended to read as follows:

     ``SEC. 1273. MAINTENANCE OF THE POISON CONTROL CENTER GRANT 
                   PROGRAM.

       ``(a) Authorization of Program.--The Secretary shall award 
     grants to poison control centers certified under subsection 
     (c) (or granted a waiver under subsection (d)) and 
     professional organizations in the field of poison control for 
     the purposes of preventing, and providing treatment 
     recommendations for, poisonings and complying with the 
     operational requirements needed to sustain the certification 
     of the center under subsection (c).
       ``(b) Additional Uses of Funds.--In addition to the 
     purposes described in subsection (a), a poison center or 
     professional organization awarded a grant, contract, or 
     cooperative agreement under such subsection may also use 
     amounts received under such grant, contract, or cooperative 
     agreement--
       ``(1) to establish and evaluate best practices in the 
     United States for poison prevention, poison control center 
     outreach, and emergency and preparedness programs;
       ``(2) to research, develop, implement, revise, and 
     communicate standard patient management guidelines for 
     commonly encountered toxic exposures;
       ``(3) to improve national toxic exposure surveillance by 
     enhancing cooperative activities between poison control 
     centers in the United States and the Centers for Disease 
     Control and Prevention;
       ``(4) to develop, support, and enhance technology and 
     capabilities of professional organizations in the field of 
     poison control to collect national poisoning, toxic 
     occurrence, and related public health data;
       ``(5) to develop initiatives to foster the enhanced public 
     health utilization of national poison data collected by 
     organizations described in paragraph (4);
       ``(6) to support and expand the toxicologic expertise 
     within poison control centers; and
       ``(7) to improve the capacity of poison control centers to 
     answer high volumes of calls and respond during times of 
     national crisis or other public health emergencies.
       ``(c) Certification.--Except as provided in subsection (d), 
     the Secretary may award a grant to a poison control center 
     under subsection (a) only if--
       ``(1) the center has been certified by a professional 
     organization in the field of poison control, and the 
     Secretary has approved the organization as having in effect 
     standards for certification that reasonably provide for the 
     protection of the public health with respect to poisoning; or
       ``(2) the center has been certified by a State government, 
     and the Secretary has approved the State government as having 
     in effect standards for certification that reasonably provide 
     for the protection of the public health with respect to 
     poisoning.
       ``(d) Waiver of Certification Requirements.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary may grant a waiver of the 
     certification requirements of subsection (c) with respect to 
     a noncertified poison control center that applies for a grant 
     under this section if such center can reasonably demonstrate 
     that the center will obtain such a certification within a 
     reasonable period of time as determined appropriate by the 
     Secretary.
       ``(2) Renewal.--The Secretary may renew a waiver under 
     paragraph (1).
       ``(3) Limitation.--In no case may the sum of the number of 
     years for a waiver under paragraph (1) and a renewal under 
     paragraph (2) exceed 5 years. The preceding sentence shall 
     take effect as of the date of the enactment of the Poison 
     Center Support, Enhancement, and Awareness Act of 2008.
       ``(e) Supplement Not Supplant.--Amounts made available to a 
     poison control center under this section shall be used to 
     supplement and not supplant other Federal, State or local 
     funds provided for such center.
       ``(f) Maintenance of Effort.--A poison control center, in 
     utilizing the proceeds of a grant under this section, shall 
     maintain the expenditures of the center for activities of the 
     center at a level that is not less than the level of 
     expenditures maintained by the center for the fiscal year 
     preceding the fiscal year for which the grant is received.
       ``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out this section, $27,500,000 for 
     fiscal year 2009, and $28,600,000 for each of fiscal years 
     2010 through 2014. The Secretary may utilize not to exceed 8 
     percent of the amount appropriated under this preceding 
     sentence in each fiscal year for coordination, dissemination, 
     technical assistance, program evaluation, data activities, 
     and other program administration functions that do not 
     include grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements under 
     subsections (a) and (b), which are determined by the 
     Secretary to be appropriate for carrying out the program 
     under this section.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section 
     shall be effective as of the date of the enactment of this 
     Act and shall apply to grants made on or after January 1, 
     2009.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Pallone) and the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Terry) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.


                             General Leave

  Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 2932, the Poison 
Control Center Support Enhancement and Awareness Act sponsored by 
Senator Patty Murray of Washington.
  I also want to thank my colleagues on the Energy and Commerce 
Committee, Mr. Towns and Mr. Terry, who have worked very hard on the 
House companion legislation which they have cosponsored.
  Madam Speaker, Poison Control Centers are our Nation's primary 
defense against injury and deaths from poisoning. These centers are on 
call 24 hours a day to help providers and the public with possible 
exposures to poison.
  In addition, poison centers provide essential follow-up care, 
professional health care provider education, nationwide data collection 
on poisoning, as well as a number of other services.
  Madam Speaker, these centers are of tremendous value to our 
communities. The bill would provide our Nation's Poison Control Centers 
with the necessary funding to continue their important mission.
  I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to offer their 
support.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TERRY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  As the coauthor of the House version of the Poison Center Support 
Enhancement and Awareness Act, I rise in support of Senate 2932.
  I'd also like to commend Senator Murray and my fellow coauthor, 
Congressman Towns, for their work on this bill.
  The Poison Center Support Enhancement and Awareness Act of 2008 
reauthorizes the Poison Control Center program for an additional 5 
years. Poison Control Centers are medical facilities that provide 
immediate, free and expert treatment advice and assistance in case of 
exposure to poisonous or hazardous substances.
  As a parent of a young child, in fact, three young children, I 
recognize how important it is to be able to have the entity like Poison 
Control Centers to call in times of distress. I'm glad to see that this 
program can continue offering its much needed services in our local 
communities.
  Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this 
legislation.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the sponsor of the 
legislation, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Towns).
  Mr. TOWNS. Thank you very much, Chairman Pallone, and, of course, 
Congressman Terry and Chairman Dingell and Ranking Member Barton and 
Deal for their leadership on the Poison Control Center measure.
  Congressman Lee Terry and I introduced H.R. 5669, the Poison Center 
Support Enhancement and Awareness Act

[[Page H9922]]

of 2008, which passed by greater than 300 votes on the House floor. The 
Senate modified the measure slightly, and we now must pass the Senate 
version and quickly get it to the President.
  I again ask my colleagues to vote in support of S. 2932. This bill 
saves many lives. Especially children and seniors have been saved by 
the Poison Control Centers. Therefore, I encourage my colleagues to 
support this life-saving amendment.
  Mr. TERRY. Having no further speakers, Madam Speaker, I yield back 
the balance of our time.
  Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests. I urge 
support of the bill, and yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the Senate bill, S. 2932.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. TERRY. Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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