On July 29, 2015, the House Energy & Commerce Committee approved the following bipartisan bills that aim to improve health care for newborns, infants, and children:
- H.R. 2820, the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act, to reauthorize programs that promote bone marrow, adult stem cell, and cord blood donations, match donors and recipients, and link patients to care.
- H.R. 1462, the Protecting Our Infants Act of 2015, to address the rise of prenatal opioid abuse and neonatal abstinence syndrome.
- H.R. 1344, the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act of 2015, to reauthorize a program for early detection, diagnosis and treatment regarding deaf and hard-of-hearing newborns, infants, and young children.
In addition, the Committee approved H.R. 1725, the “National All Schedules Prescription Electronic Reporting Authorization Act of 2015,” to establish grants to support state controlled substance monitoring programs. The bills await consideration by the full House.