Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Health Subcommittee Chairwoman Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA) released the following joint statement today after the House of Representatives passed four bills that will reauthorize critical public health programs at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and were advanced out of the Full Committee last week:
“Today the House of Representatives passed bipartisan legislation to improve Americans’ access to quality and affordable health care by reauthorizing and strengthening four critical public health programs.
“Taken together these bills will support newborn screenings across the country to improve health outcomes for children, invest in emergency medical care for children, expand respite care services to assist family caregivers, and support critical research, surveillance, education, early detection, and intervention programs for people living with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
“We thank each of the bill sponsors for their leadership and dedication to improving health care for American families and urge the Senate to act quickly on passing these bills."
The House of Representatives passed the following bills:
H.R. 776, the “Emergency Medical Services for Children Program Reauthorization Act of 2019," introduced by Reps. Peter King (R-NY), Kathy Castor (D-FL), G.K. Butterfield (D-NC), and Chris Stewart (R-UT), would reauthorize the Emergency Medical Services for Children Program at $22.3 million dollars each year through FY 2024. The bill passed on the House Floor by voice vote.
H.R. 1058, the “Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education, and Support Act of 2019" or the “Autism CARES Act of 2019," introduced by Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Mike Doyle (D-PA), would reauthorize funding for programs at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) through FY 2024. The bill passed on the House Floor by voice vote.
H.R. 2035, the “Lifespan Respite Care Reauthorization Act of 2019," introduced by Reps. James Langevin (D-RI) and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), would reauthorize the Lifespan Respite Care program at $20 million in FY 2020, and increase the authorized funding level by ten million dollars each year thereafter through FY 2024. The bill passed on the House Floor by voice vote.
H.R. 2507, the “Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act of 2019," introduced by Reps. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Michael Simpson (R-ID), and others, would reauthorize newborn screening programs for five years with appropriations of $60.65 million per year through FY 2024. The bill passed on the House Floor by voice vote.
