Congenital Heart Futures Reauthorization Act of 2024

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7189) to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize a national congenital heart disease research, surveillance, and awareness program, and for other purposes, 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 rise in support of my bill, H.R. 7189, the Congenital Heart Futures Reauthorization Act of 2024, and I urge my colleagues to support this particular bill.

This bipartisan, bicameral legislation will reauthorize a national congenital heart disease research, surveillance, and awareness program at HHS for the next 5 years through FY 2029.

I am so proud to have been involved in the creation of this pivotal program and its reauthorization efforts, and I am grateful to my colleagues on this bill; Representatives Schiff, Carter, Soto, Salazar, and Cardenas, as well as our bicameral partners, Senators Durbin and Young, and I thank them for their efforts.

I have been glad to lead the Congressional Congenital Heart Caucus with Representative Schiff. Over the last years, we have become all too familiar with the struggles this patient community faces on a daily basis, unfortunately.

In particular, I also thank the broad set of stakeholders that support this initiative and the thousands of advocates speaking on behalf of the approximately 2 million patients living with congenital heart defects.

This includes the Adult Congenital Heart Association, Conquering CHD, Mended Little Hearts, and The Children's Heart Foundation.

I thank them for their partnership on this issue and again for support of this bill. We have to get this done together, folks. Let's pass this in a bipartisan fashion.

Now, the advocates that come up here do an outstanding job for family members and friends that have congenital heart defects as well as the patients.

In the United States, more than 40,000 babies are born with heart defects each year, making it the most common type of birth defect.

It is estimated that more than 2 million people are currently living with a heart defect nationwide, but thankfully, they are living much longer into adulthood.

Thankfully, medical care and treatments have advanced. Individuals with heart defects, as I said, are living longer and healthier lives. Thank goodness.

This bill will continue the support for research and education regarding congenital heart disease and the impact heart defects have on individuals throughout every stage of life.

It would also require HHS to develop a strategy to address any research gaps and workforce shortages, particularly as it relates to healthcare providers who treat adult patients living with congenital heart disease.

Importantly, this strategy will be developed with the input of expert stakeholder groups and relevant Federal entities.

I urge my colleagues to support this particular bill. It is so very important, Mr. Speaker. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I encourage a ``yes'' vote on this particular bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of H.R. 7189, the Congenital Heart Futures Reauthorization Act, sponsored by Representative Bilirakis and cosponsored by Representative Soto. The bipartisan legislation will reauthorize a national congenital heart disease program through 2029.

In the United States, about 40,000 babies are born with congenital heart disease, or CHD, every year. Congenital heart disease prevents normal blood flow through the heart and can become a critical issue that results in a baby needing surgery or other procedures early in life.

Thanks to scientific advancements in diagnosis and treatment, many babies and children can reach adulthood living with CHD. To continue our progress, we have to continue to support research, surveillance, and awareness for CHD.

First passed in 2010, the bipartisan Congenital Heart Futures Act authorized research and data collection related to CHD.

The act expands the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's infrastructure to track epidemiological data for CHD. It also increased the National Institutes of Health's research to study lifelong CHD to see how those with the disease can still live a long and healthy life.

H.R. 7189 will reauthorize our national congenital heart disease program so we can continue to make strides in addressing CHD. It also builds on our Nation's CHD program.

This bill will assess current research efforts at NIH to ensure we have a better understanding of CHD. The bill also expands research at the CDC by directing the agency to understand healthcare utilization, demographics, and best practices for CHD.

Finally, the bill allows CDC to establish and implement an awareness campaign so that those with CHD and their families understand the healthcare needs related to this birth defect.

Again, I thank my colleagues, Representatives Bilirakis and Soto, for their leadership in reauthorizing the Congenital Heart Futures Act.

Thanks to their efforts, we can pass this bill and continue to make strides in addressing CHD.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes'' to reauthorize this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that we support this important bill on a bipartisan basis to continue to address the Nation's CHD program effectively.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 7189, which was received from the House and is at the desk.

I further ask that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate.