The Subcommittee on Health has scheduled a markup on Thursday, July 23, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. in room 2123 of the Rayburn House Office Building to consider four bipartisan bills to strengthen the public health. The Energy and Commerce Committee looks to build upon its #RecordOfSuccess in health care after having over two dozen bills to improve the public health become law last Congress.
H.R. 1344, the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act
H.R. 1344, authored by Health Subcommittee Vice Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-KY) and Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA), amends the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize a program for early detection, diagnosis and treatment regarding deaf and hard-of-hearing newborns, infants, and young children.
H.R. 1462, the Protecting Our Infants Act
H.R. 1462, authored by Reps. Katherine Clark (D-MA) and Steve Stivers (R-OH), will combat the rise of prenatal opioid abuse and neonatal abstinence syndrome. In recent years, there has been a steady rise in the number of overdose deaths involving heroin. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the death rate for heroin overdose doubled from 2010 to 2012. This bill will address the growing problem and help protect newborns and infants.
H.R. 1725, the National All Schedules Prescription Electronic Reporting Reauthorization Act (NASPER)
H.R. 1725, authored by Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY) and Rep. Joseph Kennedy (D-MA), would reauthorize the NASPER program to support state prescription drug monitoring programs.
H.R. 2820, the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act
H.R. 2820, authored by Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Doris Matsui (D-CA), would reauthorize the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act, which provides federal support for cord blood donation, a national bone marrow registry, and research essential to increasing patient access to transplants. Stem cells from both cord blood and bone marrow are used to treat nearly 80 life-threatening diseases - from cancers to blood diseases to immune disorders.
An electronic copy of the legislation can be found on the Energy and Commerce Committee’s website here. A background memo, amendments, and votes will be available at the same link as they are posted.
