Joe Pitts: “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of another bipartisan bill. S. 252, the Prematurity Research…”

“Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of another bipartisan bill. S. 252, the Prematurity Research Expansion and Education for Mothers who deliver Infants Early Reauthorization Act, or the PREEMIE Reauthorization Act, would take important steps to protect and improve children's health, particularly the health of the nearly 500,000 children born prematurely in the United States every year. Since its passage in 2006, the PREEMIE Act has sponsored important research that has led to improved prevention and care of children born too early. This bill reauthorizes research and activities at the CDC related to the causes of preterm birth, improving data collection, and preventing preterm births. It also creates an Advisory Committee on Infant Mortality to coordinate Federal, State, local, and private programs that address preterm birth and infant mortality. With one in every eight infants born in the United States prematurely, this is a pressing issue. S. 252 also authorizes the creation of the National Pediatric Research Network, a proven way to support pediatric research by coordinating multicentered research activities, including those in rural areas. I would like to commend Congressman Lance, Congresswoman Capps, Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers, Chairman Upton, and Ranking Members Waxman and Pallone for their leadership in this bipartisan effort, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill. {time} 1715”