S. 707 — PREEMIE Act

[109th Congress Public Law 450]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


[DOCID: f:publ450.109]

[[Page 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

[[Page 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;

[[Page 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:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

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.

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