[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 206 (Tuesday, November 30, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H6696-H6697]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH DATA ANALYSIS ACT OF 2021

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 4026) to require the Comptroller General of the United 
States to submit to Congress a report on actions taken by the Secretary 
of Health and Human Services to address social determinants of health.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4026

       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 ``Social Determinants of 
     Health Data Analysis Act of 2021''.

     SEC. 2. REPORT ON ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH 
                   AND HUMAN SERVICES TO ADDRESS SOCIAL 
                   DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH.

       Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall 
     submit to Congress a report on actions taken by the Secretary 
     of Health and Human Services (in this section referred to as 
     the ``Secretary'') to address social determinants of health. 
     Such report shall include the following:
       (1) An analysis of how any data collection undertaken by 
     the Secretary in furtherance of such actions complies with 
     Federal and State privacy laws and regulations.
       (2) A description of any coordination undertaken by the 
     Secretary with other relevant Federal agencies and State and 
     local authorities as part of such actions.
       (3) An identification of any potential for duplication of 
     such actions or other barriers to such actions.
       (4) Recommendations on how to foster private-public 
     partnerships, as well as how best to leverage private sector 
     efforts, to address social determinants of health.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Pallone) and the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) 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 on H.R. 4026.
  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 yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, social determinants, or social drivers, of health affect 
every single person in our communities. They are aspects of our daily 
living, such as the conditions in the places where we live, learn, 
work, and play, which can positively or negatively affect a wide range 
of health risks and outcomes.
  Through our healthcare system, social determinants of health are 
being examined as part of a holistic view of a person's healthcare.
  A noted example was highlighted by The New England Journal of 
Medicine linking the loop that determinants can play throughout a 
person's life. Poor health or lack of education can impact employment 
opportunities which, in turn, constrains income. Low incomes reduce 
access to healthcare and nutritious food and overall increase hardship. 
Hardship causes stress which, in turn, promotes unhealthy coping 
mechanisms, such as substance abuse and poor nutrition choices. And 
poor nutrition increases risk factors for heart disease, obesity, and 
diabetes.
  When not given an equal opportunity to thrive, these social factors 
can compound and snowball to negatively impact a person and their 
community. Fortunately, States are becoming innovative in addressing 
social needs in the communities to improve health and decrease costs.

                              {time}  1645

  Today, we are taking another step in the right direction by 
considering H.R. 4026, the Social Determinants of Health Data Analysis 
Act of 2021. This bipartisan legislation requires a report on programs 
undertaken by the Department of Health and Human Services to address 
social determinants of health. The report would include recommendations 
to foster private-public partnerships and include an analysis of 
privacy measures as part of social determinants of health data 
collection.
  The report and research, Mr. Speaker, will help inform our future 
work on social determinants, and, therefore, it is important that we 
pass this bill.
  I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4026, the Social 
Determinants of Health Data Analysis Act of 2021, led by the gentleman 
from Texas (Mr. Burgess) and the gentlewoman from Delaware (Ms. Blunt 
Rochester), my Energy and Commerce Committee colleagues.
  Social determinants of health impact the quality of an individual's 
life and

[[Page H6697]]

can drive health outcomes. These determinants are not routinely 
collected or utilized by healthcare providers to help address patients' 
health conditions and improve their quality of life.
  The Social Determinants of Health Data Analysis Act requires the GAO 
to submit a report to Congress on existing actions taken by the 
Department of Health and Human Services to address social determinants 
of health. This legislation would, therefore, allow us to better 
understand existing Federal initiatives to address social determinants 
of health.
  It will also inform us of potential future interventions that would 
be most effective in fully addressing these needs in our communities.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance 
of my time.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close. I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this 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. 4026.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mrs. BOEBERT. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
are postponed.

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