U.S. Senate Approves Bill Aimed at

Preventing Premature Births

(Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy)
Thursday, August 03,2006

The Senate on Tuesday approved by voice vote a bill (S 707) aimed at preventing premature births, CQ Today reports (CQ Today, 8/2). The bill, sponsored by Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), would expand and coordinate research through NIH and CDC on preventing preterm births and caring for preterm infants; authorize grants for demonstration projects on treatments for prematurity; authorize the creation of the Interagency Coordinating Council on Prematurity and Low-Birthweight, which would require HHS representatives to report annually to Congress and the HHS secretary about their work on the issue; and authorize additional funding for the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, according to Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), a co-sponsor of the bill. The bill also would provide funding for research on the needs of parents and families with infants in neonatal intensive care (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 6/29). Similar legislation (HR 2861), sponsored by Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and introduced in the House on June 9, 2005, is before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce for consideration, according to CQ Today (CQ Today, 8/2).