[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 186 (Thursday, December 1, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S6946]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          EARLY HEARING DETECTION AND INTERVENTION ACT OF 2022

  Mr. KING. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 442, S. 4052.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will report the bill by 
title.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 4052) to reauthorize a program for early 
     detection, diagnosis, and treatment regarding deaf and hard-
     of-hearing newborns, infants, and young children, and for 
     other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill, 
which had been reported from the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 
and Pensions, with an amendment to strike all after the enacting clause 
and insert in lieu thereof the following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Early Hearing Detection and 
     Intervention Act of 2022''.

     SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF PROGRAM FOR EARLY DETECTION, 
                   DIAGNOSIS, AND TREATMENT REGARDING DEAF AND 
                   HARD-OF-HEARING NEWBORNS, INFANTS, AND YOUNG 
                   CHILDREN.

       Section 399M of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
     280g-1) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (e), by inserting ``(3)'' before ``The 
     term `medical evaluation' ''; and
       (2) in subsection (f)--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``$17,818,000 for fiscal 
     year 2018, $18,173,800 for fiscal year 2019, $18,628,145 for 
     fiscal year 2020, $19,056,592 for fiscal year 2021, and 
     $19,522,758 for fiscal year 2022'' and inserting 
     ``$17,818,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027''; 
     and
       (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``$10,800,000 for fiscal 
     year 2018, $11,026,800 for fiscal year 2019, $11,302,470 for 
     fiscal year 2020, $11,562,427 for fiscal year 2021, and 
     $11,851,488 for fiscal year 2022'' and inserting 
     ``$10,760,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027''.

     SEC. 3. GAO STUDY ON STATE EARLY HEARING DETECTION AND 
                   INTERVENTION PROGRAMS.

       (a) In General.--The Comptroller General of the United 
     States shall conduct a study reviewing State early hearing 
     detection and intervention (in this section referred to as 
     ``EHDI'') programs. Such study shall--
       (1) analyze how information collected through such programs 
     informs what is known about EHDI activities to ensure that 
     newborns, infants, and young children have access to timely 
     hearing screenings and early interventions, including 
     information on any disparities in such access;
       (2) analyze what is known about how parents use State EHDI 
     websites to seek health and programmatic guidance related to 
     their child's hearing loss diagnosis; and
       (3) identify efforts and any promising practices of the 
     Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Health 
     Resources and Services Administration, the National Institute 
     on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, and State EHDI 
     programs--
       (A) to address disparities in outreach for, or access to, 
     timely hearing screenings and early interventions; and
       (B) to ensure that EHDI follow-up services are communicated 
     and made available to medically underserved populations, 
     including racial and ethnic minorities.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall--
       (1) complete the study under subsection (a) and submit a 
     report on the results of the study to--
       (A) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
     Representatives; and
       (B) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 
     of the Senate; and
       (2) make such report publicly available.

  Mr. KING. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
committee-reported substitute amendment be considered and agreed to and 
that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  The committee-reported amendment in the nature of a substitute was 
agreed to.
  The bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading and was read 
the third time.
  Mr. KING. I know of no further debate on the bill, as amended.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is there further debate on the 
bill, as amended?
  Hearing none, the bill having been read the third time, the question 
is, Shall the bill pass?
  The bill (S. 4052), as amended, was passed.
  Mr. KING. I ask that the motion to reconsider be considered made and 
laid upon the table.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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