[House Report 112-23]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


112th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session                                                     112-23

======================================================================



 
       NEGLECTED INFECTIONS OF IMPOVERISHED AMERICANS ACT OF 2011

                                _______
                                

 March 2, 2011.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

         Mr. Upton, from the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 528]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Energy and Commerce, to whom was referred 
the bill (H.R. 528) to require the submission of a report to 
the Congress on parasitic disease among poor Americans, having 
considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment 
and recommend that the bill do pass.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
Purpose and Summary..............................................     1
Background and Need for Legislation..............................     2
Hearings.........................................................     2
Committee Consideration..........................................     2
Committee Votes..................................................     2
Committee Oversight Findings.....................................     2
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives............     2
New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures     3
Earmark..........................................................     3
Committee Cost Estimate..........................................     3
Congressional Budget Office Estimate.............................     3
Federal Mandates Statement.......................................     4
Advisory Committee Statement.....................................     4
Applicability to Legislative Branch..............................     4
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation...................     4
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............     4

                          PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

    H.R. 528, the ``Neglected Infections of Impoverished 
Americans Act of 2011'', was introduced on February 8, 2011, by 
Rep. Henry Johnson (D-GA) and subsequently referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce.
    H.R. 528 requires the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services to conduct a study within 12 months on the 
epidemiology and impact of neglected parasitic infectious 
disease associated with poverty.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    H.R. 528 would require the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services to submit a report to the Congress on the epidemiology 
and impact of neglected diseases of poverty and the appropriate 
level of funding required to address those diseases. The bill 
specifies that such diseases include: Chagas disease, 
cysticercosis, toxocariasis, toxoplasmosis, trichomoniasis, the 
soil-transmitted helminths, and other related parasitic 
diseases as designated by the Secretary. The report would also 
include an evaluation of the current state of knowledge of 
these diseases and address any threats from such diseases.
    The House passed legislation similar to H.R. 528 in the 
111th Congress. No further action was taken on the legislation 
in that Congress.

                                HEARINGS

    The Committee on Energy and Commerce has not held hearings 
on the legislation. However, the Subcommittee held a 
legislative hearing on similar legislation, H.R. 5986, in the 
111th Congress on September 15, 2010 (H. Rept. 111-154).

                        COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

    On February 11, 2011, the Subcommittee on Health met in 
open markup session and approved H.R. 528 for Full Committee 
consideration, without amendment, by a voice vote.

                            COMMITTEE VOTES

    Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives requires the Committee to list the record votes 
on the motion to report legislation and amendments thereto. 
There were no record votes taken in connection with ordering 
H.R. 528 reported. A motion by Mr. Upton to order H.R. 528 
reported to the House, without amendment, was agreed to by a 
voice vote.

                      COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the oversight findings and 
recommendations of the Committee are reflected in the 
descriptive portions of this report, including the finding on 
the usefulness of a report by the Secretary on the impact of 
neglected diseases of poverty.

         STATEMENT OF GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

    In accordance with clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules 
of the House of Representatives, the performance goals and 
objectives of the Committee are reflected in the descriptive 
portions of this report.

   NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY, ENTITLEMENT AUTHORITY, AND TAX EXPENDITURES

    In compliance with clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules 
of the House of Representatives, the Committee finds that H.R. 
528, the ``Neglected Infections of Impoverished Americans Act 
of 2011'', would result in no new or increased budget 
authority, entitlement authority, or tax expenditures or 
revenues.

                                EARMARK

    In compliance with clauses 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule 
XXI, the Committee finds that H.R. 528, the ``Neglected 
Infections of Impoverished Americans Act of 2011'', contains no 
earmarks.

                        COMMITTEE COST ESTIMATE

    The Committee adopts as its own the cost estimate prepared 
by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to 
section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.

                  CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE ESTIMATE

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the following is the cost estimate 
provided by the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 
402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974:

                                                 February 25, 2011.
Hon. Fred Upton,
Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 528, the Neglected 
Infections of Impoverished Americans Act of 2011.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Lisa Ramirez-
Branum.
            Sincerely,
                                              Douglas W. Elmendorf.
    Enclosure.

H.R. 528--Neglected Infections of Impoverished Americans Act of 2011

    H.R. 528 would require the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services to submit a report to the Congress on the epidemiology 
and impact of neglected diseases of poverty and the appropriate 
level of funding required to address those diseases. The bill 
specifies that such diseases include: Chagas disease, 
cysticercosis, toxocariasis, toxoplasmosis, trichomoniasis, the 
soil-transmitted helminths, and other related diseases as 
designated by the Secretary. The report would also include an 
evaluation of the current state of knowledge of these diseases 
and address any threats from such diseases.
    CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 528 would cost less 
than 500,000, subject to the availability of appropriated 
funds. The costs of this legislation fall within budget 
function 550 (health). Enacting H.R. 528 would not affect 
direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go 
procedures do not apply.
    H.R. 528 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and 
would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Lisa Ramirez-
Branum. This estimate was approved by Holly Harvey, Deputy 
Assistant Director of Budget Analysis.

                       FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT

    The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of Federal 
mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform 
Act.

                      ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT

    No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b) 
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this 
legislation.

                  APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

    The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to 
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public 
services or accommodations within the meaning of section 
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.

             SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF THE LEGISLATION

Section 1. Short title

    Section 1 designates the short title of the Act as the 
``Neglected Infections of Impoverished Americans Act of 2011''.

Section 2. Report to Congress on the current state of parasitic 
        diseases that have been overlooked among the poorest Americans

    Section 2(a) directs the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services to report to Congress on the epidemiology, impact, and 
appropriate funding required to address the designated 
parasitic diseases.
    Section 2(b) requires that the report include information 
necessary to (1) accurately evaluate the current state of 
knowledge of the designated parasitic diseases and define the 
gaps in such knowledge; and (2) address the threat of these 
diseases.

         CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

    No changes are made to existing law.

                                  
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