[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16854]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      PREEMIE ACT REAUTHORIZATION

  (Mr. COHEN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the PREEMIE Act 
reauthorization, which will be considered in the House under 
suspensions later today.
  I am grateful for the support of my Tennessee Senator Lamar 
Alexander, who has brought this legislation in the Senate, and I 
cosponsored a House version of it.
  I am also the sponsor of the NEWBORN Act, a bill aimed at reducing 
infant mortality rates around our country that will be introduced soon.
  My interest in this is because this is important for our future. 
America, unfortunately, is way back in the countries on infant 
mortality. Memphis, unfortunately, is a leader in that situation where 
we have a tremendously high infant mortality rate that rivals Third 
World countries.
  The PREEMIE Act's many provisions aimed at reducing the rate of 
infant mortality are vital to having a better Nation.
  Like the PREEMIE Act, the Affordable Care Act has made great strides 
in advancing this agenda by requiring maternity coverage in all health 
plans. The United States has a long way to go, but legislation like the 
PREEMIE Act, the NEWBORN Act, and the Affordable Care Act can put the 
United States on the right track where it needs to be in the rates of 
premature births and infant mortality.

                          ____________________