PREEMIE Reauthorization Act of 2023

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of H.R. 3226, the PREEMIE Reauthorization Act of 2023. This bipartisan legislation sponsored by Representative Eshoo, the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Health, plays a crucial role in improving the care and outcomes for premature babies and their families.

According to the March of Dimes, about 383,000 premature babies were born in the United States last year. These babies oftentimes have more health problems or need to stay in the hospital longer than full-term babies. Some premature babies also face long-term health effects like problems that affect the brain, lungs, hearing, or vision.

Reauthorization of the PREEMIE program will help us to better understand the cause of preterm birth and what more can be done to prevent preterm births.

In 2006, Congress passed the PREEMIE Act, which marked a significant milestone by pioneering a comprehensive public-private national agenda aimed at spurring innovative research initiatives.

In 2013 and then again in 2018, we reauthorized 5-year extensions to the program to continue our country's commitment to address preterm birth through Federal research, promoting known interventions and successful community outreach programs.

With this legislation today, we will reauthorize key programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Health Resources and Services Administration. These programs support research and programs on preterm birth, improved tracking of national data, and activities aimed at promoting healthy pregnancies and preventing preterm birth.

H.R. 3226 also provides for the study of the costs, impact of social factors, and gaps in public health programs that lead to prematurity, providing us with more vital information. It also calls for the Department of Health and Human Services to make recommendations to Congress to prevent preterm birth.

Importantly, the legislation establishes an interagency working group at HHS to coordinate all Federal activities and programs related to preterm birth, infant mortality, and other adverse birth outcomes.

Again, I thank Representative Eshoo for her leadership on this legislation. I know that she always takes leadership, particularly on issues that affect the healthcare of children.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to support this legislation to make a significant impact in the fight against preterm birth complications in all of our districts and communities.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Eshoo), the ranking member of our Subcommittee on Health.

Mr. Speaker, I ask for support of the bill on a bipartisan basis. Obviously, reauthorizing and expanding this program for preemies is very important for children.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3226) to reauthorize the Prematurity Research Expansion and Education for Mothers who deliver Infants Early Act, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record on the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I stand here today firmly committed to the principle that every life is worth living. That starts with giving babies born prematurely a fighting chance at growing up and living their lives to the fullest.

In 2021, the preterm birth rate increased to 10.5 percent, which was the highest recorded rate since 2007. Last year, 1 in 10 babies were born prematurely.

Premature babies have a higher risk of infant mortality, developmental delays, and chronic health conditions.

This is why I rise today in support of H.R. 3226, the PREEMIE Reauthorization Act of 2023, led by Energy and Commerce Committee members Dr. Burgess and Dr. Miller-Meeks, Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Eshoo, and Representative Robin Kelly.

The legislation would reauthorize programs that are critical to Federal research, education, and intervention activities to reduce preterm birth and infant mortality.

The bill would also authorize a study to identify best practices to help detect and prevent preterm births as well as better understand the factors that lead to such births.

This critical legislation will help to reduce preterm births and ensure that babies have effective treatments to give them the best start in life.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter).

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers and am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

I think Ms. Eshoo just stepped off the floor, Mr. Speaker, but my good friend from California announced she is not running for reelection. She is the primary sponsor of this bill in the House, and it is an important bill.

All life is important. It is important that we move forward and give everybody an equal chance to live a full, productive, and happy life.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to vote for this bill.

I appreciate my friend from California, Mr. Speaker, for all of her hard work. We will miss her, but we have another year to continue to work on good things like this.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member of the full committee for yielding time.

Today, the House is going to vote on my legislation, H.R. 3226, the PREEMIE Reauthorization Act. I thank the co-leads of this legislation: Representatives Miller-Meeks, Kelly of Illinois, Burgess, Blunt Rochester, and Kiggans for their work on this important effort.

I first introduced the PREEMIE Act in 2005. It is the first and remains the only law to focus solely on the prevention of preterm births.

H.R. 3226 will improve future policy by studying the current gaps in our healthcare system that have kept rates of preterm births high and by crafting recommendations for how to address them.

Every day in the United States, 1 in 10 infants are born prematurely, placing them and their mothers at an increased risk of complicated health problems.

America's prematurity rate is one of the highest in the developed world, and it is the leading cause of newborn death.

Even babies born just a few weeks prematurely can face serious health challenges. We saw a significant 4 percent increase in preterm births in 2021, the highest recorded rate since 2007.

This bill was advanced by the Subcommittee on Health and the full Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously and enjoys bipartisan cosponsorship.

The PREEMIE Act will help prevent newborn death and disability, expand research into the causes of preterm birth, and promote the development, availability, and uses of evidence-based standards of care for pregnant women. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the PREEMIE Reauthorization Act of 2023, which will reauthorize critical programs to expand research and education into premature birth prevention.

Every year, 10 percent of babies are born prematurely, putting them and their mothers at an increased risk of complicated health problems.

In 2022, there were over 380,000 preterm births, and every year, almost 20,000 babies in the United States will die before their first birthday, many of them from complications of premature birth. Unfortunately, Georgia has one of the highest preterm birth rates in the country.

Babies born prematurely shouldn't be at a disadvantage because of a lack of resources. Every single baby born deserves a healthy start and a fair chance at life.

That is why it is so important for us to reauthorize the PREEMIE Act, which will continue lifesaving research to prevent premature births and give mothers and babies healthy starts in both motherhood and life.

The bipartisan effort will reauthorize critical Federal research, education, and intervention activities to reduce preterm birth and infant mortality.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support the reauthorization of this bill and support maternal health.