Preemie Reauthorization Act of 2023
Floor Speech
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Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3226) to reauthorize the Prematurity Research Expansion and Education for Mothers who deliver Infants Early Act, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 3226
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``PREEMIE Reauthorization Act of 2023''. SEC. 2. RESEARCH RELATING TO PRETERM LABOR AND DELIVERY AND THE CARE, TREATMENT, AND OUTCOMES OF PRETERM AND LOW BIRTHWEIGHT INFANTS.
(a) In General.--Section 3(e) of the Prematurity Research Expansion and Education for Mothers who deliver Infants Early Act (42 U.S.C. 247b-4f(e)) is amended by striking ``fiscal years 2019 through 2023'' and inserting ``fiscal years 2024 through 2028''.
(b) Technical Correction.--Effective as if included in the enactment of the PREEMIE Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-328), section 2 of such Act is amended, in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking ``Section 2'' and inserting ``Section 3''. SEC. 3. INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP.
Section 5(a) of the PREEMIE Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-328) is amended by striking ``The Secretary of Health and Human Services, in collaboration with other departments, as appropriate, may establish'' and inserting ``Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of the PREEMIE Reauthorization Act of 2023, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in collaboration with other departments, as appropriate, shall establish''. SEC. 4. STUDY ON PRETERM BIRTHS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall enter into appropriate arrangements with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine under which the National Academies shall--
(1) not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, convene a committee of experts in maternal health to study premature births in the United States; and
(2) upon completion of the study under paragraph (1)--
(A) approve by consensus a report on the results of such study;
(B) include in such report--
(i) an assessment of each of the topics listed in subsection (b);
(ii) the analysis required by subsection (c); and
(iii) the raw data used to develop such report; and
(C) not later than 24 months after the date of enactment of this Act, transmit such report to--
(i) the Secretary of Health and Human Services;
(ii) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives; and
(iii) the Committee on Finance and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate.
(b) Assessment Topics.--The topics listed in this subsection are of each of the following:
(1) The financial costs of premature birth to society, including--
(A) an analysis of stays in neonatal intensive care units and the cost of such stays;
(B) long-term costs of stays in such units to society and the family involved post-discharge; and
(C) health care costs for families post-discharge from such units (such as medications, therapeutic services, co-pays visits and specialty equipment).
(2) The factors that impact pre-term birth rates.
(3) Opportunities for earlier detection of premature birth risk factors, including--
(A) opportunities to improve maternal and infant health; and
(B) opportunities for public health programs to provide support and resources for parents in-hospital, in non- hospital settings, and post-discharge.
(c) Analysis.--The analysis required by this subsection is an analysis of--
(1) targeted research strategies to develop effective drugs, treatments, or interventions to bring at-risk pregnancies to term;
(2) State and other programs' best practices with respect to reducing premature birth rates; and
(3) precision medicine and preventative care approaches starting early in the life course (including during pregnancy) with a focus on behavioral and biological influences on premature birth, child health, and the trajectory of such approaches into adulthood.
Mr. Speaker, I stand here today firmly committed to the principle that every life is worth living. That starts with giving babies born prematurely a fighting chance at growing up and living their lives to the fullest.
In 2021, the preterm birth rate increased to 10.5 percent, which was the highest recorded rate since 2007. Last year, 1 in 10 babies were born prematurely.
Premature babies have a higher risk of infant mortality, developmental delays, and chronic health conditions.
This is why I rise today in support of H.R. 3226, the PREEMIE Reauthorization Act of 2023, led by Energy and Commerce Committee members Dr. Burgess and Dr. Miller-Meeks, Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Eshoo, and Representative Robin Kelly.
The legislation would reauthorize programs that are critical to Federal research, education, and intervention activities to reduce preterm birth and infant mortality.
The bill would also authorize a study to identify best practices to help detect and prevent preterm births as well as better understand the factors that lead to such births.
This critical legislation will help to reduce preterm births and ensure that babies have effective treatments to give them the best start in life.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers and am prepared to close.
I think Ms. Eshoo just stepped off the floor, Mr. Speaker, but my good friend from California announced she is not running for reelection. She is the primary sponsor of this bill in the House, and it is an important bill.
All life is important. It is important that we move forward and give everybody an equal chance to live a full, productive, and happy life.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to vote for this bill.
I appreciate my friend from California, Mr. Speaker, for all of her hard work. We will miss her, but we have another year to continue to work on good things like this.
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