I 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5702 

To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop a strategy 

implementing recommendations relating to the Protecting Our Infants 

Act of 2015, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 8, 2018 

Mrs. BUSTOS (for herself, Mr. BEN RAY LUJA ́N of New Mexico, and Ms. 

DEGETTE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services 

to develop a strategy implementing recommendations relating to the Protecting Our Infants Act of 2015, and 

for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Preventing NAS and 

5 Protecting Babies Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) Neonatal abstinence syndrome (referred to 

2 in this section as ‘‘NAS’’) is a group of conditions 

3 that can afflict a newborn who had in utero exposure 

4 to drugs, including opioids. 

5 (2) According to a report by the Government 

6 Accountability Office, symptoms of NAS include irri7 tability, loud crying, stiffness, sweating, vomiting, 

8 diarrhea, poor feeding, seizures, and respiratory dis9 tress. 

10 (3) According to a 2016 study by the Centers 

11 for Disease Control and Prevention, which was 

12 based on data from 28 States, the incidence of NAS 

13 increased 300 percent between 1999 and 2013. 

14 (4) According to another study entitled, ‘‘Neo15 natal abstinence syndrome and associated health 

16 care expenditures: United States, 2000–2009’’, the 

17 incidence rate of NAS in rural America rose from 

18 1.2 per 1,000 hospital births in 2004 to 7.5 per 

19 1,000 hospital births in 2013. 

20 (5) Innovative, specialized, and collaborative ef21 forts are needed to address the treatment of infants 

22 diagnosed with NAS. 

23 (6) The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery 

24 Act of 2016 (Public Law 114–198), which was en25 acted in July 2016, required the Government AcVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:14 May 15, 2018 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5702.IH H5702

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1 countability Office to examine treatment options for 

2 infants with NAS (including options available under 

3 State Medicaid plans under title XIX of the Social 

4 Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.)), assesses dif5 ferent medical care models and settings for the 

6 treatment of NAS, and prioritizes finding best prac7 tices for the treatment of infants with NAS. 

8 (7) An October 2017 report by the Government 

9 Accountability Office entitled, ‘‘Federal Action 

10 Needed to Address Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome’’, 

11 recommended that the Department of Health and 

12 Human Services should take action on its report en13 titled, ‘‘Protecting Our Infants Act: Final Strategy’’. 

14 SEC. 3. STRATEGY IMPLEMENTING RECOMMENDATIONS 

15 RELATING TO PROTECTING OUR INFANTS 

16 ACT. 

17 Not later than six months after the date of the enact18 ment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human 

19 Services shall submit to Congress a strategy for imple20 menting recommendations in the Department of Health 

21 and Human Services Behavioral Health Coordinating 

22 Council report entitled, ‘‘Protecting Our Infants Act: 

23 Final Strategy’’. Such strategy shall— 

24 (1) include a timeline for the implementation of 

25 each such recommendation; 


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1 (2) provide for the dissemination of information 

2 to State health agencies on best practices and avail3 able resources and data with respect to imple4 menting each such recommendation; and 

5 (3) include recommendations for any statutory 

6 change, including providing for additional authori7 ties, that would help the Department of Health and 

8 Human Services implement the strategy. 

Æ 


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