[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 120, 109th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

120 STAT. 3341

Public Law 109-450
109th Congress

An Act


 
To reduce preterm labor and delivery and the risk of pregnancy-related
deaths and complications due to pregnancy, and to reduce infant
mortality caused by prematurity.  NOTE: Dec. 22, 2006 -  [S. 707]

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress  NOTE: Prematurity Research
Expansion and Education for Mothers who deliver Infants Early Act. 42
USC 201 note. 42 USC 247b-4f note.  assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Prematurity Research Expansion and
Education for Mothers who deliver Infants Early Act'' or the ``PREEMIE
Act''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

It is the purpose of this Act to--
(1) reduce rates of preterm labor and delivery;
(2) work toward an evidence-based standard of care for
pregnant women at risk of preterm labor or other serious
complications, and for infants born preterm and at a low
birthweight; and
(3) reduce infant mortality and disabilities caused by
prematurity.

SEC. 3.  NOTE: 42 USC 247b-4f.  RESEARCH RELATING TO PRETERM LABOR AND
DELIVERY AND THE CARE, TREATMENT, AND OUTCOMES OF PRETERM
AND LOW BIRTHWEIGHT INFANTS.

(a) General Expansion of CDC Research.--Section 301 of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 241 et seq.) is amended by adding at the
end the following:
``(e) The Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, shall expand, intensify, and coordinate
the activities of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with
respect to preterm labor and delivery and infant mortality.''.
(b) Studies on Relationship Between Prematurity and Birth Defects.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services,
acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, shall, subject to the availability of
appropriations, conduct ongoing epidemiological studies on the
relationship between prematurity, birth defects, and
developmental disabilities.
(2) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, and every 2 years thereafter, the
Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the
Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
shall submit

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120 STAT. 3342

to the appropriate committees of Congress reports concerning the
progress and any results of studies conducted under paragraph
(1).

(c) Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring Survey.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services,
acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, shall establish systems for the collection of
maternal-infant clinical and biomedical information, including
electronic health records, electronic databases, and biobanks,
to link with the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System
(PRAMS) and other epidemiological studies of prematurity in
order to track pregnancy outcomes and prevent preterm birth.
(2) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized to
be appropriated to carry out paragraph (1) $3,000,000 for each
of fiscal years 2007 through 2011.

(d) Evaluation of Existing Tools and Measures.--The Secretary of
Health and Human Services shall review existing tools and measures to
ensure that such tools and measures include information related to the
known risk factors of low birth weight and preterm birth.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section, except for subsection (c),
$5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 through 2011.

SEC. 4. PUBLIC AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDER EDUCATION AND SUPPORT SERVICES.

Part P of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280g
et seq.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating the second section 399O  NOTE: 42 USC
280g-4.  (relating to grants to foster public health responses
to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and
stalking) as section 399P; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 399Q.  NOTE: 42 USC 280g-5.  PUBLIC AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDER
EDUCATION AND SUPPORT SERVICES.

``(a) In General.--The Secretary, directly or through the awarding
of grants to public or private nonprofit entities, may conduct
demonstration projects for the purpose of improving the provision of
information on prematurity to health professionals and other health care
providers and the public and improving the treatment and outcomes for
babies born preterm.
``(b) Activities.--Activities to be carried out under the
demonstration project under subsection (a) may include the establishment
of--
``(1) programs to test and evaluate various strategies to
provide information and education to health professionals, other
health care providers, and the public concerning--
``(A) the signs of preterm labor, updated as new
research results become available;
``(B) the screening for and the treating of
infections;
``(c) counseling on optimal weight and good
nutrition, including folic acid;
``(D) smoking cessation education and counseling;
``(E) stress management; and
``(F) appropriate prenatal care;

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120 STAT. 3343

``(2) programs to improve the treatment and outcomes for
babies born premature, including the use of evidence-based
standards of care by health care professionals for pregnant
women at risk of preterm labor or other serious complications
and for infants born preterm and at a low birthweight;
``(3) programs to respond to the informational needs of
families during the stay of an infant in a neonatal intensive
care unit, during the transition of the infant to the home, and
in the event of a newborn death; and
``(4) such other programs as the Secretary determines
appropriate to achieve the purpose specified in subsection (a).

``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2007 through 2011.''.

SEC. 5.  NOTE: 42 USC 247b-4g.  INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COUNCIL ON
PREMATURITY AND LOW BIRTHWEIGHT.

(a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to stimulate
multidisciplinary research, scientific exchange, and collaboration among
the agencies of the Department of Health and Human Services and to
assist the Department in targeting efforts to achieve the greatest
advances toward the goal of reducing prematurity and low birthweight.
(b) Establishment.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall
establish an Interagency Coordinating Council on Prematurity and Low
Birthweight (referred to in this section as the Council) to carry out
the purpose of this section.
(c) Composition.--The Council shall be composed of members to be
appointed by the Secretary, including representatives of the agencies of
the Department of Health and Human Services.
(d) Activities.--The Council shall--
(1)  NOTE: Reports.  annually report to the Secretary of
Health and Human Services and Congress on current Departmental
activities relating to prematurity and low birthweight;
(2) carry out other activities determined appropriate by the
Secretary of Health and Human Services; and
(3) oversee the coordination of the implementation of this
Act.

SEC. 6. SURGEON GENERAL'S CONFERENCE ON PRETERM BIRTH.

(a) Convening of Conference.--Not  NOTE: Deadline.  later than 1
year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health
and Human Services, acting through the Surgeon General of the Public
Health Service, shall convene a conference on preterm birth.

(b) Purpose of Conference.--The purpose of the conference convened
under subsection (a) shall be to--
(1) increase awareness of preterm birth as a serious,
common, and costly public health problem in the United States;
(2) review the findings and reports issued by the
Interagency Coordinating Council, key stakeholders, and any
other relevant entities; and
(3) establish an agenda for activities in both the public
and private sectors that will speed the identification of, and
treatments for, the causes of and risk factors for preterm labor
and delivery.

(c)  NOTE: Public information.  Report.--The Secretary of Health
and Human Services shall submit to the Congress and make available to
the public a report on the agenda established under subsection (b)(3),
including


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recommendations for activities in the public and private sectors that
will speed the identification of, and treatments for, the causes of and
risk factors for preterm labor and delivery.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section (other than subsection (c))
$125,000.

SEC. 7. EFFECTIVE DATE OF CERTAIN HEAD START REGULATIONS.

Section 1310.12(a) of title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations
(October 1, 2004) shall not be effective until June 30, 2007, or 60 days
after the date of the enactment of a statute that authorizes
appropriations for fiscal year 2007 to carry out the Head Start Act,
whichever date is earlier.

Approved December 22, 2006.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 707:
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SENATE REPORTS: No. 109-298 (Comm. on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 152 (2006):
Aug. 1, considered and passed Senate.
Dec. 8, considered and passed House, amended. Senate
concurred in House amendment.