I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2029 
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through 
the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to 
establish and implement a birth defects prevention, risk reduction, and 
public awareness program. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 26, 2011 
Ms. DELAURO (for herself, Mr. BARROW, Mr. BILBRAY, Mrs. BLACKBURN, 
Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Mrs. CAPPS, Ms. CASTOR
of Florida, Mrs. 
CHRISTENSEN, Ms. DEGETTE, Mr. ENGEL, Ms. ESHOO, Mr. GONZALEZ, 
Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. HALL, Mr. HINCHEY, 
Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Mr. KING of New York, Mr. LANCE, Ms. LEE 
of California, Mr. MATHESON, Ms. MATSUI, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. MCCAUL, 
Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mrs. MCMORRIS RODGERS, Mr. MILLER of North 
Carolina, Ms. MOORE, Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut, Ms. ROYBAL- 
ALLARD, Mr. RUSH, Mr. SARBANES, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. SESSIONS, 
Ms. SLAUGHTER, Ms. SUTTON, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. WEINER, and Mr. 
WELCH) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, 
acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, to establish and implement a 
birth defects prevention, risk reduction, and public 
awareness program. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
04:38 Jun 02, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2029.IH
H2029
tjames on DSKG8SOYB1PROD with BILLS
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Birth Defects Preven-
tion, Risk Reduction, and Awareness Act of 2011’’. 
SEC. 2. BIRTH DEFECTS PREVENTION, RISK REDUCTION, 
AND AWARENESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish and 
implement a birth defects prevention and public awareness 
program, consisting of the activities described in sub-
sections (c) and (d). 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 
(1) The term ‘‘pregnancy and breastfeeding in-
formation services’’ includes only— 
(A) information services to provide accu-
rate, evidence-based, clinical information re-
garding maternal exposures during pregnancy 
that may be associated with birth defects or 
other health risks, such as exposures to medica-
tions, chemicals, infections, foodborne patho-
gens, illnesses, nutrition, or lifestyle factors; 
(B) information services to provide accu-
rate, evidence-based, clinical information re-
garding 
maternal 
exposures 
during 
breastfeeding that may be associated with 
health risks to a breast-fed infant, such as ex-
posures to medications, chemicals, infections, 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
04:38 Jun 02, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2029.IH
H2029
tjames on DSKG8SOYB1PROD with BILLS
foodborne pathogens, illnesses, nutrition, or life-
style factors; 
(C) the provision of accurate, evidence- 
based information weighing risks of exposures 
during breastfeeding against the benefits of 
breastfeeding; and 
(D) the provision of information described 
in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) through coun-
selors, Web sites, fact sheets, telephonic or elec-
tronic communication, community outreach ef-
forts, or other appropriate means. 
(2) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 
of Health and Human Services, acting through the 
Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
vention. 
(c) NATIONWIDE MEDIA CAMPAIGN.—In carrying out 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall conduct or support a 
nationwide media campaign to increase awareness among 
health care providers and at-risk populations about preg-
nancy and breastfeeding information services. 
(d) GRANTS FOR PREGNANCY AND BREASTFEEDING 
INFORMATION SERVICES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out subsection 
(a), the Secretary shall award grants to State or re-
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
04:38 Jun 02, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2029.IH
H2029
tjames on DSKG8SOYB1PROD with BILLS
gional agencies or organizations for any of the fol-
lowing: 
(A) INFORMATION SERVICES.—The provi-
sion of, or campaigns to increase awareness 
about, pregnancy and breastfeeding information 
services. 
(B) SURVEILLANCE AND RESEARCH.—The 
conduct or support of— 
(i) surveillance of or research on— 
(I) maternal exposures and ma-
ternal health conditions that may in-
fluence the risk of birth defects, pre-
maturity, or other adverse pregnancy 
outcomes; and 
(II) maternal exposures that may 
influence health risks to a breastfed 
infant; or 
(ii) networking to facilitate surveil-
lance or research described in this sub-
paragraph. 
(2) PREFERENCE FOR CERTAIN STATES.—The 
Secretary, in making any grant under this sub-
section, shall give preference to States, otherwise 
equally qualified, that have or had a pregnancy and 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
04:38 Jun 02, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2029.IH
H2029
tjames on DSKG8SOYB1PROD with BILLS
breastfeeding information service in place on or after 
January 1, 2006. 
(3) MATCHING
FUNDS.—The Secretary may 
only award a grant under this subsection to a State 
or regional agency or organization that agrees, with 
respect to the costs to be incurred in carrying out 
the grant activities, to make available (directly or 
through donations from public or private entities) 
non-Federal funds toward such costs in an amount 
equal to not less than 25 percent of the amount of 
the grant. 
(4) COORDINATION.—The Secretary shall en-
sure that activities funded through a grant under 
this subsection are coordinated, to the maximum ex-
tent practicable, with other birth defects prevention 
and environmental health activities of the Federal 
Government, including with respect to pediatric envi-
ronmental health specialty units and children’s envi-
ronmental health centers. 
(e) EVALUATION.—In furtherance of the program 
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall provide for an 
evaluation of pregnancy and breastfeeding information 
services to identify efficient and effective models of— 
(1) providing information; 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
04:38 Jun 02, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2029.IH
H2029
tjames on DSKG8SOYB1PROD with BILLS
(2) raising awareness and increasing knowledge 
about birth defects prevention measures; 
(3) modifying risk behaviors; or 
(4) other outcome measures as determined ap-
propriate by the Secretary. 
(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry 
out this Act, there are authorized to be appropriated 
$5,000,000 for fiscal year 2012, $6,000,000 for fiscal year 
2013, $7,000,000 for fiscal year 2014, $8,000,000 for fis-
cal year 2015, and $9,000,000 for fiscal year 2016. 
Æ 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
04:38 Jun 02, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H2029.IH
H2029
tjames on DSKG8SOYB1PROD with BILLS