[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 132 (Tuesday, September 28, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H7195-H7196]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
BIRTH DEFECTS PREVENTION, RISK REDUCTION, AND AWARENESS ACT OF 2010
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 5462) to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human
Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, to establish and implement a birth defects
prevention, risk reduction, and public awareness program, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 5462
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 ``Birth Defects Prevention,
Risk Reduction, and Awareness Act of 2010''.
SEC. 2. BIRTH DEFECTS PREVENTION, RISK REDUCTION, AND
AWARENESS.
(a) Program.--The Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 201
et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 317T (42
U.S.C. 247b-22) the following new section:
``SEC. 317U. BIRTH DEFECTS PREVENTION, RISK REDUCTION, AND
AWARENESS.
``(a) Grant Program.--The Secretary shall establish and
implement a birth defects prevention and public awareness
program to award grants to States or organizations for the
provision of pregnancy and breastfeeding information
services.
``(b) Preference.--In the case of States or organizations
that are otherwise equally qualified, the Secretary, in
awarding a grant under this section, shall give preference
to--
``(1) States that made pregnancy and breastfeeding
information services available on January 1, 2006; and
``(2) organizations that will provide pregnancy and
breastfeeding information services in such States.
``(c) Matching Funds.--The Secretary may only award a grant
under this section to a State or organization that agrees,
with respect to the costs to be incurred in carrying out the
grant activities, to make available (directly or through
donations from public or private entities) non-Federal funds
toward such costs in an amount equal to not less than 25
percent of the amount of the grant.
``(d) Coordination.--The Secretary shall ensure that
activities carried out using a grant under this section are
coordinated, to the maximum extent practicable, with other
birth defects prevention and environmental health activities
of the Federal Government, including activities carried out
by the Health Resources and Services Administration and the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with respect to
pediatric environmental health specialty units and children's
environmental health centers.
``(e) Evaluation.--In furtherance of the program
established under subsection (a), the Secretary shall provide
for an evaluation of pregnancy and breastfeeding information
services to identify efficient and effective models of--
``(1) providing information;
``(2) raising awareness and increasing knowledge about
birth defects prevention measures;
``(3) modifying risk behaviors; or
``(4) other outcome measures as determined appropriate by
the Secretary.
``(f) Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Information Services
Defined.--For purposes of this section, the term `pregnancy
and breastfeeding information services' includes only--
``(1) information services to provide accurate, evidence-
based, clinical information regarding maternal exposures
during pregnancy or breastfeeding that may be associated with
birth defects or other health risks to an infant that is
breastfed, such as exposures to medications, chemicals,
infections, foodborne pathogens, illnesses, nutrition, or
lifestyle factors;
``(2) the provision of accurate, evidence-based information
weighing risks of exposures during breastfeeding against the
benefits of breastfeeding; and
``(3) the provision of information described in paragraph
(1) or (2) through counselors, Web sites, fact sheets,
telephonic or electronic communication, community outreach
efforts, or other appropriate means.
``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this
section, there are authorized to be appropriated $4,500,000
for fiscal year 2012, $5,500,000 for fiscal year 2013,
$6,500,000 for fiscal year 2014, $7,500,000 for fiscal year
2015, and $8,500,000 for fiscal year 2016.''.
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.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
Mr. PALLONE. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
[[Page H7196]]
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5462, the Birth Defects Prevention, Risk Reduction
and Awareness Act, would establish a program to award grants for
evidence-based clinical information to mothers and their health care
professionals about exposures during pregnancy and breast feeding. I
would like to thank my colleague from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro) for her
leadership on this issue and so many issues that affect mothers and
children.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5462, the Birth Defects
Prevention, Risk Reduction and Awareness Act of 2010, legislation that
I authored with the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro).
This bill was developed over a period of several months with the
guidance of the Centers for Disease Control. It does speak volumes that
a bill can come this far in such a short period of time when we are
willing to do our due diligence prior to introduction.
I have dedicated my professional career to protecting mother and
child, while providing them with the most accurate information possible
and the health services that they need.
People like to think that doctors have all the answers. Doctors like
to think the CDC can provide all the information, but that isn't always
the way it works. I can't tell you the number of times that women came
into the hospital, usually late at night, because she was concerned
about the health of her baby. Maybe it was because of something she had
done, maybe she just had concerns. But this type of unnecessary
utilization can be reduced by education, particularly among populations
that may not have had the same level of health literacy as to how this
could have happened.
{time} 2240
H.R. 5462 will provide mothers with up-to-date, evidence-based
information through services designed to do targeted research. We have
such a service in Texas. I used them when I was in practice. Ideally,
they should be serving at least 4 percent of our pregnant population
but are only able to serve up to 3,000 persons today. Those cases are
important, but I know we can do better.
Many women with chronic diseases may discontinue or reduce
medications when they become pregnant due to fears about the risk of
birth defects. In fact, in many cases the medications cause a lower
risk of birth defects than the failure to treat and appropriately
manage the underlying disease during pregnancy.
Pregnancy risk information services provide information and expert
consultation to pregnant women and their health care providers
regarding exposures to medications, chemicals, illicit drugs, alcohol,
infections, and illness that may pose a risk of birth defects. These
services also provide information on exposures during breast-feeding.
The information provided reduces unnecessary concern about perceived
and nonexistent risk and ensures that women stay on the path to a
healthy pregnancy.
Currently, Federal agencies are only able to provide awareness and
information about pregnancy and breast-feeding issues. They do not
provide pregnancy and breast-feeding exposure risk assessment,
education, and counseling.
This legislation will establish a grant program to revitalize the
Nation's network of pregnancy risk information services. This will help
save health care costs by avoiding unnecessary doctor visits and
reducing the cost of treating uncontrolled chronic illness when
pregnant women discontinue their medications unnecessarily. I urge my
colleagues to support this legislation.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the bill.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I just wanted to point out that this legislation has the support of
the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the American Academy
of Pediatrics, the March of Dimes Foundation, amongst many others. I
join these organizations in urging my support for this legislation.
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. 5462, as amended.
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. BURGESS. Mr. 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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