[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 132 (Tuesday, September 28, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H7191-H7192]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NEGLECTED INFECTIONS OF IMPOVERISHED AMERICANS ACT OF 2010
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 5986) to require the submission of a report to the Congress
on parasitic disease among poor Americans.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 5986
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 ``Neglected Infections of
Impoverished Americans Act of 2010''.
SEC. 2. REPORT TO CONGRESS ON THE CURRENT STATE OF PARASITIC
DISEASES THAT HAVE BEEN OVERLOOKED AMONG THE
POOREST AMERICANS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 12 months after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human
Services shall report to the Congress on the epidemiology of,
impact of, and appropriate funding required to address
neglected diseases of poverty, including neglected parasitic
diseases such as--
(1) Chagas disease;
(2) cysticercosis;
(3) toxocariasis;
(4) toxoplasmosis;
(5) trichomoniasis;
(6) the soil-transmitted helminths; and
(7) other related diseases, as designated by the Secretary.
(b) Required Information.--The report under subsection (a)
should provide the information necessary to guide future
health policy to--
(1) accurately evaluate the current state of knowledge
concerning diseases described in such subsection and define
gaps in such knowledge; and
(2) address the threat of such diseases.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Pallone) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.
General Leave
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material in the Record.
[[Page H7192]]
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R.
5986, the Neglected Infections of Impoverished Americans Act of 2010.
This bill requires a report that will help CDC and Congress to
determine the best and most effective next steps for addressing
neglected infections of poverty in the United States.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
H.R. 5986, the Neglected Infections of Impoverished Americans Act of
2010, would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue
a report on neglected diseases of poverty, including parasitic
diseases. Researchers have suggested that poor citizens are affected by
infections, including those caused by parasites. Under the bill, the
Health and Human Services Department must conduct a study within 12
months on the epidemiology and impact of neglected parasitic infections
associated with poverty. The report would provide the information to
guide future health policy so we can accurately evaluate the current
state of knowledge concerning such diseases and define gaps in the
knowledge so that we can properly address the threat of such illnesses.
It's a worthwhile endeavor. It's been significantly modified by the
committee process, and I urge my colleagues to support it.
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my
bill H.R. 5986, the Neglected Infections of Impoverished Americans Act
of 2010. This bill would require the Secretary of Health and Human
Services to report to Congress on the epidemiology of, impact of, and
appropriate funding required to address neglected diseases of poverty,
including neglected parasitic diseases such as Chagas disease,
cysticercosis, toxocariasis, toxoplasmosis, trichomoniasis, the soil-
transmitted helminths, and other related diseases. The bill requires
the report to provide the information necessary to guide future health
policy to accurately evaluate the current state of knowledge concerning
these diseases and define gaps in such knowledge and address the threat
of these diseases.
Mr. Speaker, according to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), neglected infections of poverty are a group of
parasitic, bacterial, and viral infections that disproportionately
affect impoverished groups, cause illness in a significant number of
people, and receive limited attention in tracking, prevention, and
treatment. A CDC fact sheet on Neglected Infections of Poverty states
that improved tracking and research would help combat these diseases.
Neglected infections of poverty are associated with communities with
contaminated playgrounds or other public spaces and lack of access to
the health care system. This bill will help public health officials
understand where these illnesses are and how many Americans are
infected so that we can begin to deal with the negative health outcomes
associated with these infections.
I support our efforts to fight neglected infections abroad and it is
time that we begin to fight these infections here at home.
This bill has bipartisan support because we can all agree that better
information is necessary to understand the threat of these diseases and
guide future health policy.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. BURGESS. I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the bill, and I 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 bill, H.R. 5986.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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