[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1384 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
106th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1384
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for a national folic
acid education program to prevent birth defects, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 16, 1999
Mr. Abraham (for himself, Mr. Bond and Mr. Kohl) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for a national folic
acid education program to prevent birth defects, and for other
purposes.
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 ``Folic Acid Promotion and Birth
Defects Prevention Act of 1999''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds as follows:
(1) Each year an estimated 2,500 infants are born in the
United States with serious birth defects of the brain and
spine, called neural tube defects.
(2) The most common neural tube defects are spina bifida
and anencephaly.
(3) Spina bifida, the incomplete closure of the spinal
column, is a leading cause of childhood paralysis.
(4) Anencephaly is a fatal condition in which an infant is
born with a severely underdeveloped brain and skull.
(5) As many as 70 percent of neural tube birth defects
could be prevented if all women of childbearing age consumed
400 micrograms of folic acid daily, beginning before pregnancy.
(6) Folic acid is a B vitamin found naturally in foods such
as leafy green vegetables, beans, citrus fruits, and juices.
(7) Since January 1, 1998, the Food and Drug Administration
has required that all foods containing enriched flour, such as
breads, pasta and breakfast cereal, be fortified with folic
acid.
(8) In addition to consuming a diet high in folate rich
foods, a daily multivitamin is one of the most reliable sources
of folic acid.
(9) A majority of women are not aware of this prevention
opportunity, nor are they consuming the recommended daily
amount.
(10) A national folic acid education campaign is needed to
urge women to take this simple step to prevent neural tube
defects.
SEC. 3. PROGRAM REGARDING EFFECTS OF FOLIC ACID IN PREVENTION OF BIRTH
DEFECTS.
Part B of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 243
et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 317G the following
section:
``effects of folic acid in prevention of birth defects
``Sec. 317H. (a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the
Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall carry
out a program (directly or through grants or contracts) for the
following purposes:
``(1) To provide education and training for health
professionals and the general public for purposes of explaining
the effects of folic acid in preventing birth defects and for
purposes of encouraging each woman of reproductive capacity
(whether or not planning a pregnancy) to consume on a daily
basis a dietary supplement that provides an appropriate level
of folic acid.
``(2) To conduct research with respect to such education
and training, including identifying effective strategies for
increasing the rate of consumption of folic acid by women of
reproductive capacity.
``(3) To conduct research to increase the understanding of
the effects of folic acid in preventing birth defects,
including understanding with respect to cleft lip, cleft
palate, and heart defects.
``(4) To provide for appropriate epidemiological activities
regarding folic acid and birth defects, including
epidemiological activities regarding neural tube defects.
``(b) Consultations With States and Private Entities.--In carrying
out subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with the States and
with other appropriate public or private entities, including national
nonprofit private organizations, health professionals, and providers of
health insurance and health plans.
``(c) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary may (directly or through
grants or contracts) provide technical assistance to public and
nonprofit private entities in carrying out the activities described in
subsection (a).
``(d) Evaluations.--The Secretary shall (directly or through grants
or contracts) provide for the evaluation of activities under subsection
(a) in order to determine the extent to which such activities have been
effective in carrying out the purposes of the program under such
subsection, including the effects on various demographic populations.
Methods of evaluation under the preceding sentence may include surveys
of knowledge and attitudes on the consumption of folic acid and on
blood folate levels. Such methods may include complete and timely
monitoring of infants who are born with neural tube defects.
``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying
out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated $20,000,000
for fiscal year 2000, and such sums as may be necessary for each of the
fiscal years 2001 through 2004.''.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8740)
Read twice and referred to the Committee on HELP.
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