U.S. Rep. Evan Jenkins (R-WV) praised consideration by the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee last week of a newly introduced bill that would include provisions focused on treating babies born in America who are addicted to drugs, an issue the congressman has championed in his home state and across the nation.
“Suffering through withdrawal from exposure to drugs such as heroin and other opioids is a horrific way to start one’s life, but tragically that’s still the reality for too many newborns in West Virginia,” Rep. Jenkins said, referring to neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), a postnatal addiction and withdrawal condition that results from the abrupt discontinuation of chronic fetal exposure to substances that were used or abused by the mother during pregnancy. NAS is most often caused by a pregnant woman’s use of opioids.
The bipartisan Maternal Opioid Treatment, Health, Education, and Recovery Act of 2018, H.R. 5492, introduced on April 12 by U.S. Reps. Brett Guthrie (R-KY) and Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), incorporates language from the discussion draft, Protecting Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) Babies Act, which the committee considered during an April 11 hearing on combating the opioid crisis. The committee is now also considering H.R. 5492, which would amend the Public Health Service Act to address the use of opioids and substance use disorders with respect to pregnant women and babies, among other purposes, according to the text of the bill.
The Protecting NAS Babies Act proceeds on the findings and recommendations contained in the Government Accountability Office (GAO) 2017 report, “Protecting Our Infants Act: Final Strategy.” According to Rep. Jenkins’ staff, the GAO report in part was spurred by his bipartisan Caring Recovery for Infants and Babies (CRIB) Act, H.R. 2501, introduced on May 17, 2017 with original cosponsors U.S. Reps. Michael Turner (R-OH) and Tim Ryan (D-OH). H.R. 2501 has been referred to the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health. U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) also on May 17, 2017 introduced related legislation, S. 1148, with Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) that is under consideration by the U.S. Senate Finance Committee.
“This report included a number of best practices that, when implemented, will increase access to care and help these newborns heal,” said Rep. Jenkins last week.
The GAO report recommends that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) expand access to parent education, prioritize early intervention efforts, and establish evidence-based protocols for identifying and treating babies suffering from NAS.
“Places in West Virginia like Lily’s Place and Cabell Huntington Hospital are leading the way with cutting-edge care, and we must make sure that all healthcare facilities are using the most updated and appropriate care methods,” Rep. Jenkins said. “I hope Congress will act quickly to pass legislation to implement these best practices and give more children the best chance for a healthy start in life.”