[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 127 (Tuesday, September 24, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6900-S6901]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      PREEMIE REAUTHORIZATION ACT

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed 
to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 13, S. 252.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 252) to reduce preterm labor and delivery and 
     the risk of pregnancy-related deaths and complications due to 
     pregnancy, and to reduce infant mortality caused by 
     prematurity.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent the Alexander amendment at the desk 
be agreed to.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 1981) was agreed to, as follows:

    (Purpose: To modify provisions relating to the authorization of 
                            appropriations)

       On page 3, strike lines 14 and 15, insert the following: 
     ``amended by striking `$5,000,000' and all that follows 
     through `2011.' and inserting `$1,880,000 for each of fiscal 
     years 2014 through 2018.' ''.
       On page 5, strike lines 13 and 14, and insert the 
     following:
       ``(2) in subsection (c), by striking `$5,000,000' and all 
     that follows through `2011.' and inserting `$1,900,000 for 
     each of fiscal years 2014 through 2018.' ''.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I know of no further debate on this measure.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there further debate? If not, the question 
is on agreeing to the measure.
  The bill (S. 252), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a 
third reading, was read the third time and passed, as follows:

                                 S. 252

       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 ``Prematurity Research 
     Expansion and Education for Mothers who deliver Infants Early 
     Reauthorization Act'' or the ``PREEMIE Reauthorization Act''.

     SEC. 2. RESEARCH AND ACTIVITIES AT THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE 
                   CONTROL AND PREVENTION.

       (a) Epidemiological Studies.--Section 3 of the Prematurity 
     Research Expansion and Education for Mothers who deliver 
     Infants Early Act (42 U.S.C. 247b-4f) is amended by striking 
     subsection (b) and inserting the following:
       ``(b) Studies and Activities on Preterm Birth.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary of Health and Human 
     Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for 
     Disease Control and Prevention, may, subject to the 
     availability of appropriations--
       ``(A) conduct epidemiological studies on the clinical, 
     biological, social, environmental, genetic, and behavioral 
     factors relating to prematurity, as appropriate;
       ``(B) conduct activities to improve national data to 
     facilitate tracking the burden of preterm birth; and
       ``(C) continue efforts to prevent preterm birth, including 
     late preterm birth, through the identification of 
     opportunities for prevention and the assessment of the impact 
     of such efforts.
       ``(2) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
     enactment of the PREEMIE Reauthorization Act, and every 2 
     years thereafter, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, 
     acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease 
     Control and Prevention, shall submit to the appropriate 
     committees of Congress reports concerning the progress and 
     any results of studies conducted under paragraph (1).''.
       (b) Reauthorization.--Section 3(e) of the Prematurity 
     Research Expansion and Education for Mothers who deliver 
     Infants Early Act (42 U.S.C. 247b-4f(e)) is amended by 
     striking ``$5,000,000'' and all that follows through 
     ``2011.'' and inserting ``$1,880,000 for each of fiscal years 
     2014 through 2018.''.

     SEC. 3. ACTIVITIES AT THE HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES 
                   ADMINISTRATION.

       (a) Telemedicine and High-risk Pregnancies.--Section 
     330I(i)(1)(B) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
     254c-14(i)(1)(B)) is amended by striking ``or case management 
     services'' and inserting ``case management services, or 
     prenatal care for high-risk pregnancies'';
       (b) Public and Health Care Provider Education.--Section 
     399Q of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280g-5) is 
     amended--
       (1) in subsection (b)--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by striking subparagraphs (A) through 
     (F) and inserting the following:
       ``(A) the core risk factors for preterm labor and delivery;
       ``(B) medically indicated deliveries before full term;
       ``(C) the importance of preconception and prenatal care, 
     including--
       ``(i) smoking cessation;
       ``(ii) weight maintenance and good nutrition, including 
     folic acid;
       ``(iii) the screening for and the treatment of infections; 
     and
       ``(iv) stress management;
       ``(D) treatments and outcomes for premature infants, 
     including late preterm infants;
       ``(E) the informational needs of families during the stay 
     of an infant in a neonatal intensive care unit; and
       ``(F) utilization of evidence-based strategies to prevent 
     birth injuries;''; and
       (B) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
       ``(2) programs to increase the availability, awareness, and 
     use of pregnancy and post-term information services that 
     provide evidence-based, clinical information through 
     counselors, community outreach efforts, electronic or 
     telephonic communication, or other appropriate means 
     regarding causes associated with prematurity, birth defects, 
     or health risks to a post-term infant;''; and
       (2) in subsection (c), by striking ``$5,000,000'' and all 
     that follows through ``2011.'' and inserting ``$1,900,000 for 
     each of fiscal years 2014 through 2018.''.

     SEC. 4. OTHER ACTIVITIES.

       (a) Interagency Coordinating Council on Prematurity and Low 
     Birthweight.--The Prematurity Research Expansion and 
     Education for Mothers who deliver Infants Early Act is 
     amended by striking section 5 (42 U.S.C. 247b-4g).
       (b) Advisory Committee on Infant Mortality.--
       (1) Establishment.--The Secretary of Health and Human 
     Services (referred to in this section as the ``Secretary'') 
     may establish an advisory committee known as the ``Advisory 
     Committee on Infant Mortality'' (referred to in this section 
     as the ``Advisory Committee'').
       (2) Duties.--The Advisory Committee shall provide advice 
     and recommendations to the Secretary concerning the following 
     activities:
       (A) Programs of the Department of Health and Human Services 
     that are directed at reducing infant mortality and improving 
     the health status of pregnant women and infants.
       (B) Strategies to coordinate the various Federal programs 
     and activities with State, local, and private programs and 
     efforts that address factors that affect infant mortality.
       (C) Implementation of the Healthy Start program under 
     section 330H of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
     254c-8) and Healthy People 2020 infant mortality objectives.
       (D) Strategies to reduce preterm birth rates through 
     research, programs, and education.
       (3) Plan for hhs preterm birth activities.--Not later than 
     1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the 
     Advisory Committee (or an advisory committee in existence as 
     of the date of enactment of this Act and designated by the 
     Secretary) shall develop a plan for conducting and supporting 
     research, education, and programs on preterm birth through 
     the Department of Health and Human Services and shall 
     periodically review and revise the plan, as appropriate. The 
     plan shall--
       (A) examine research and educational activities that 
     receive Federal funding in order to enable the plan to 
     provide informed recommendations to reduce preterm birth and 
     address racial and ethnic disparities in preterm birth rates;
       (B) identify research gaps and opportunities to implement 
     evidence-based strategies to reduce preterm birth rates among 
     the programs and activities of the Department of Health and 
     Human Services regarding preterm birth, including 
     opportunities to minimize duplication; and
       (C) reflect input from a broad range of scientists, 
     patients, and advocacy groups, as appropriate.
       (4) Membership.--The Secretary shall ensure that the 
     membership of the Advisory Committee includes the following:
       (A) Representatives provided for in the original charter of 
     the Advisory Committee.
       (B) A representative of the National Center for Health 
     Statistics.
       (c) Patient Safety Studies and Report.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall designate an 
     appropriate agency within the Department of Health and Human 
     Services to coordinate existing studies on hospital 
     readmissions of preterm infants.

[[Page S6901]]

       (2) Report to secretary and congress.--Not later than 1 
     year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the agency 
     designated under paragraph (1) shall submit to the Secretary 
     and to Congress a report containing the findings and 
     recommendations resulting from the studies coordinated under 
     such paragraph, including recommendations for hospital 
     discharge and followup procedures designed to reduce rates of 
     preventable hospital readmissions for preterm infants.

Passed the Senate September 25 (legislative day, September 24), 2013.
  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent the motions to reconsider be 
considered made and laid on the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________