Pregnant Mothers and Infants Health Protection Act of 1997

Summary: Pregnant Mothers and Infants Health Protection Act of 1997 - Establishes, within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Prenatal and Postnatal Smoking Prevention Program to include:  (1) an education and public awareness program designed to support and evaluate the effectiveness of certain prevention and cessation programs, provide technical and consultative assistance and award grants and enter into cooperative agreements with States, local governments, and certain entities; (2) an applied research and prevention program designed to support and conduct research on the diagnostic methods, treatment, and prevention of prenatal and postnatal smoking and its effects on fetuses and newborns, provide technical and consultative assistance and award grants, and enter into cooperative agreements and contracts with States, local governments, and certain entities; (3) a basic research program for the support and conduct of basic research on services and effective prevention treatments and interventions for pregnant mothers who smoke and children suffering the effects of intrauterine or passive exposure to tobacco smoke; and (4) a procedure for disseminating prevention strategies and the diagnostic criteria for infants suffering the effects of exposure to intrauterine or passive tobacco smoke to health care providers, educators, social workers, and other individuals. 
Directs the HHS Secretary to:  (1) establish within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) a prenatal and postnatal smoking prevention clearinghouse; and (2) in establishing such clearinghouse, ensure that the CDC serve as the coordinating agency for prenatal and postnatal smoking prevention. 
Mandates a certain biennial report. 
Authorizes appropriations.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Pregnant Mothers and Infants Health 
Protection Act of 1997''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) According to recent figures, 14 percent of pregnant 
        mothers admit to smoking tobacco during pregnancy.
            (2) Smoking tobacco during pregnancy significantly 
        increases maternal and fetal risk, and causes 20 percent to 30 
        percent of the low birth weight rate and 10 percent of the 
        fetal and infant death rate in the United States.
            (3) Mothers who smoke both during and after pregnancy have 
        nearly a 3 fold increase in the risk of Sudden Infant Death 
        Syndrome (SIDS), as compared to mothers who do not smoke.
            (4) Smoking during pregnancy has been associated with 
        certain childhood cancers and birth defects, and it increases 
        the risk of spontaneous abortion, premature rupture of 
        membranes, and delivery of a stillborn infant.
            (5) Smoking during pregnancy may impede the growth of the 
        fetus and increase the likelihood of mental retardation by 50 
        percent.
            (6) The proportion of women who quit smoking during 
        pregnancy but relapse at 6 months postpartum is nearly 63 
        percent, thereby exposing their infants to passive smoke and 
        increasing their risk for SIDS and other health related 
        problems.
            (7) Effective prenatal smoking cessation interventions 
        increase the rate of smoking cessation during pregnancy.

SEC. 3. PURPOSE.

    It is the purpose of this Act to establish, within the Department 
of Health and Human Services, a comprehensive program to help prevent 
prenatal and postnatal smoking. Such program shall--
            (1) coordinate, support, and conduct national, State and 
        community-based public awareness, prevention, and education 
        programs on prenatal and postnatal smoking;
            (2) support, coordinate, and conduct basic and applied 
        research concerning prenatal and postnatal smoking and its 
        effects; and
            (3) foster coordination between all Federal agencies and 
        private voluntary organizations that conduct or support 
        prenatal and postnatal smoking research, prevention, and 
        surveillance programs.

SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.

    Title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 241 et seq.) 
is amended by adding at the end the following:

      ``PART M--PRENATAL AND POSTNATAL SMOKING PREVENTION PROGRAM

``SEC. 399N. ESTABLISHMENT.

    ``(a) Prenatal or Postnatal Smoking Prevention Program.-- The 
Secretary, acting through the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, shall establish a comprehensive program to be known as the 
`Prenatal and Postnatal Smoking Prevention Program' that shall 
include--
            ``(1) an education and public awareness program that is 
        designed to--
                    ``(A) support, conduct and evaluate the 
                effectiveness of--
                            ``(i) educational and cessation programs 
                        concerning the prevention, diagnosis, and 
                        treatment of infants born with the effects of 
                        prenatal smoking;
                            ``(ii) prevention and education programs, 
                        including school health and adolescent 
                        education programs concerning prenatal and 
                        postnatal smoking and its effects, and;
                            ``(iii) public and community awareness and 
                        cessation programs designed to educate about 
                        prenatal and postnatal smoking and its effects 
                        on fetuses and newborns;
                    ``(B) provide technical and consultative assistance 
                to States, local governments, scientific and academic 
                institutions, community health centers funded under 
                section 330, and nonprofit organizations concerning the 
                programs referred to in subparagraph (A); and
                    ``(C) award grants to, and enter into cooperative 
                agreements with, States, local governments, scientific 
                and academic institutions, community health centers, 
                and non-profit organizations for the purpose of--
                            ``(i) evaluating the effectiveness of 
                        programs referred to in subparagraph (A);
                            ``(ii) providing training in the prevention 
                        of prenatal and postnatal smoking;
                            ``(iii) educating school age children, 
                        especially pregnant and high-risk youth, 
                        concerning the effects of prenatal and 
                        postnatal smoking on fetuses and newborns; and
                            ``(iv) increasing public and community 
                        awareness concerning prenatal and postnatal 
                        smoking and its effects on fetuses and newborns 
through projects, programs, and campaigns, and improving the 
understanding of the general public and targeted groups concerning the 
most effective intervention methods to prevent prenatal and postnatal 
smoking;
            ``(2) an applied research and prevention program that is 
        designed to--
                    ``(A) support and conduct research on the 
                diagnostic methods, treatment, and prevention of 
                prenatal and postnatal smoking and its effects on 
                fetuses and newborns;
                    ``(B) provide technical and consultative assistance 
                and training to States, local governments, scientific 
                and academic institutions, community health centers, 
                and nonprofit organizations engaged in the conduct of--
                            ``(i) prenatal and postnatal smoking 
                        prevention, cessation and early intervention 
                        programs; and
                            ``(ii) research relating to the effects of 
                        prenatal and postnatal smoking and the number 
                        and demographic profile of pregnant mothers who 
                        smoke; and
                    ``(C) award grants to, and enter into cooperative 
                agreements and contracts with, States, local 
                governments, scientific and academic institutions, 
                community health centers, and non-profit organizations 
                for the purpose of--
                            ``(i) conducting innovative demonstration 
                        and evaluation projects designed to determine 
                        effective strategies, including community-based 
                        prevention programs and education campaigns, 
                        for preventing and intervening in fetal 
                        exposure to tobacco smoke;
                            ``(ii) improving and coordinating the 
                        surveillance and ongoing assessment methods 
                        implemented by such entities and the Federal 
                        Government with respect to prenatal and 
                        postnatal smoking and its effects on fetuses 
                        and newborns;
                            ``(iii) developing, disseminating and 
                        evaluating effective age-appropriate prevention 
                        and cessation programs for adolescent and adult 
                        mothers who smoke; and
                            ``(iv) facilitating the coordination and 
                        collaboration among Federal, State, local 
                        government and community-based prenatal and 
                        postnatal smoking prevention programs;
            ``(3) a basic research program that is designed to support 
        and conduct basic research on services and effective prevention 
        treatments and interventions for pregnant mothers who smoke and 
        children suffering the effects of intrauterine or passive 
        exposure to tobacco smoke; and
            ``(4) a procedure for disseminating prevention strategies 
        and the diagnostic criteria for infants suffering the effects 
        of exposure to intrauterine or passive tobacco smoke to health 
        care providers, educators, social workers, and other 
        individuals.
    ``(b) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant, or enter 
into a cooperative agreement or contract under this section, an entity 
shall--
            ``(1) be a State, local government, scientific or academic 
        institution, community health center, or nonprofit 
        organization; and
            ``(2) prepare and submit to the Secretary an application at 
        such time, in such manner, and containing such information as 
        the Secretary may require, including a description of the 
        activities that the entity intends to carry out using amounts 
        received under the grant, cooperative agreement or contract.
    ``(c) Clearinghouse.--In carrying out this section, the Secretary 
shall establish within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention a 
prenatal and postnatal smoking prevention clearinghouse for the 
collection, dissemination and storage of data concerning prenatal and 
postnatal smoking prevention. In establishing such clearinghouse, the 
Secretary shall ensure that the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention shall serve as the coordinating agency for prenatal and 
postnatal smoking prevention and surveillance activities.
    ``(d) Biennial Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this section, and every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary 
shall prepare and submit to the Committee on Commerce of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the 
Senate a biennial report that--
            ``(1) includes information concerning the incidence and 
        prevalence of prenatal and postnatal smoking and the extent to 
        which such smoking has contributed to infant mortality, low 
        birth weight, sudden infant death syndrome, and other 
        complications;
            ``(2) includes information that is specific to various 
        demographics;
            ``(3) includes an assessment of the extent to which various 
        approaches of preventing prenatal and postnatal smoking have 
        been effective;
            ``(4) describes the activities carried out under this 
        section; and
            ``(5) contains any recommendations of the Secretary 
        regarding this section.
    ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section, $10,000,000 for each of the 
fiscal years 1998 and 1999, and such sums as may be necessary for each 
of the fiscal years 2000 and 2001.''.