[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 207 (Wednesday, December 1, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1292]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HEALTH BILLS UNDER CONSIDERATION

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ANNA G. ESHOO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 1, 2021

  Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of seven bills 
that originated in the Health Subcommittee of Energy & Commerce. I'm 
proud of my Subcommittee's bipartisan work on these critical bills 
which tackle hard problems, including substance use treatment, vaccine 
access, and the social inequities that result in poor health outcomes, 
especially for mothers and people of color.
  Two of the bills we're considering help address the overdose crisis 
our nation currently faces. According to the CDC, overdose deaths 
spiked after the start of the pandemic. There were 93,000 overdose 
deaths in 2020, a 30 percent increase from the year prior, making 2020 
the deadliest year for overdoses on record, with synthetic opioids the 
primary driver of the overall increase in overdose deaths across 
America.
  H.R. 2355, the ``Opioid Prescription Verification Act of 2021,'' 
enables HHS and the CDC to help combat this urgent overdose epidemic by 
facilitating responsible, informed dispensing of controlled substances. 
I thank my colleagues Reps. Rodney Davis, Gus Bilirakis, and Ann Wagner 
for authoring this legislation.
  H.R. 2364, the ``Synthetic Opioid Danger Awareness Act,'' directs the 
CDC to conduct a public awareness campaign on the dangers of synthetic 
opioids and available treatments. It also requires the National 
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to make educational 
materials for first responders about synthetic opioid exposure 
prevention. I thank my colleagues Reps. Andy Kim and Chris Pappas for 
authoring this legislation.
  The next three bills aim to ensure that every American, no matter 
their age. race, or income, are empowered to receive the ``dose of 
hope'' from vaccine protection. As we've seen during the pandemic, 
there are lifesaving benefits of safe, effective, and free vaccines.
  H.R. 951, the ``Maternal Vaccination Act,'' helps to enhance maternal 
health care quality and outcomes. It authorizes $2 million annually for 
the next four years to increase awareness of the importance of 
combatting vaccine-preventable infection diseases during pregnancy. In 
the United States, pregnant women and infants are disproportionately 
susceptible to complications of infectious diseases such as influenza 
and whooping cough. Available vaccine data shows that vaccinations 
against these diseases confer protection to both mothers and newborns 
with no increased risk of adverse effects on pregnancy outcomes, and 
they are highly recommended by the CDC. I thank my colleague Rep. Terri 
Sewell for authoring this legislation.
  H.R. 550, the ``Immunization Infrastructure Modernization Act of 
2021,'' will create a national policy framework and provide resources 
to improve immunization information systems allowing for better 
management of routine vaccinations and enhancing our public health 
response to future pandemics. I thank my colleagues Reps. Ann Kuster 
and Larry Bucshon for their leadership authoring this legislation.
  H.R. 1550, the ``PREVENT HPV Cancers Act of 2021,'' will create a 
national CDC public awareness campaign targeted to communities with the 
lowest HPV vaccination rates to increase vaccinations and prevent HPV 
cancers. I thank my colleague Rep. Kathy Castor for her leadership 
authoring this legislation.
  The final two bills address social inequities that result in poor 
health outcomes and hurt the most vulnerable amongst us.
  H.R. 4026, the ``Social Determinants of Health Data Analysis Act of 
2021,'' calls for a GAO report on the HHS Secretary's actions to help 
inform Congress' next steps in addressing the factors that are at the 
heart of the health disparities across the country. I thank my 
colleagues Reps. Michael Burgess and Lisa Blunt Rochester for authoring 
this legislation.
  H.R. 3894, the ``CARING for Social Determinants Act of 2021,'' 
directs the HHS to provide guidance to states on how to address social 
determinants of health through Medicaid and CHIP. I thank my colleagues 
Reps. Lisa Blunt Rochester and Gus Bilirakis for authoring this 
legislation.
  I urge my colleagues to vote for these bills and I thank the members 
of the House Health Subcommittee and the bipartisan sponsors of each 
bill for their good work.

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