U.S. Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) on Dec. 12 joined the U.S. Senate in unanimously approving the bipartisan, bicameral Congenital Heart Futures Reauthorization Act of 2017 to support the 1 million children and 1.4 million adults in the United States who live with congenital heart disease (CHD), a birth defect.
The Senate by unanimous consent passed the U.S. House version of the bill, H.R. 1222, introduced on Feb. 28, 2017 by U.S. Reps. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Adam Schiff (D-CA). Sen. Young cosponsored the same-named Senate bill, S. 477, also introduced that day by U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL).
“I’m proud this bipartisan legislation has passed the Senate and is now one step closer to becoming law and saving lives,” said Sen. Young on Dec. 14.
The bill would amend the Public Health Service Act to replace the authorization for a National Congenital Heart Disease Surveillance System with a requirement for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to improve and grow research and surveillance infrastructure for CHD, according to the congressional record summary.
If enacted, the bill directs HHS to award grants to nonprofits to conduct a study of CHD from birth to adulthood that would analyze the use of health care, demographics and outcomes, according to the summary.
“Gaining a better understanding of congenital heart defects is critical to the nearly 1 in 100 babies born with CHD and the millions of survivors living with this disease,” Sen. Young said. “That’s why I helped lead the Congenital Heart Futures Reauthorization Act with Senator Durbin, to increase research funding and awareness for congenital heart defects.”
The measure also would increase federal funding for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to $10 million annually from the current funding level of $4 million, according to a summary provided by the senator’s office.
“If a loved one ever has the misfortune of getting sick or being born with a serious medical condition, you hope there’s a treatment or care option for them. That’s why I’ve fought to increase biomedical research,” Sen. Durbin said last week, noting that the Congenital Heart Futures Reauthorization Act “will improve research, data collection and awareness so we can establish a standard of care for the 2.5 million American survivors with this serious birth defect.”
H.R. 1222 garnered 28 cosponsors while S. 477 had 10 cosponsors in Congress. The House approved its version of the measure on Feb. 26, 394-7.
The bill also gained support from numerous organizations, including the Pediatric Congenital Heart Association, the Adult Congenital Heart Association, the American Heart Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, among others.