I 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5284 
To establish an interagency task force to develop a national strategy to 
combat the increase in infertility in the United States. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 3, 2006 
Mr. PALLONE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To establish an interagency task force to develop a national 
strategy to combat the increase in infertility in the 
United States. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds as follows: 
(1) The number of couples reporting infertility 
has increased from 6.1 million in 2002 to more than 
7.5 million currently. 
(2) Studies reveal that 80 to 90 percent of in-
fertility is acquired and could be prevented. 
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(3) Sexually transmitted diseases (‘‘STDs’’) are 
the most preventable causes of infertility and poten-
tially fatal tubal pregnancies. 
(4) The Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
vention estimates that 19 million new STD infec-
tions occur each year, with almost half of them 
among young people ages 15 to 24 and with an in-
creased incidence in minority populations. 
(5) New data reveals that environmental toxins, 
including lead and mercury, as well as tobacco and 
alcohol, are a direct threat to reproductive health. 
(6) The Nation’s expanding aging population 
requires that health care providers and government 
agencies be prepared to address the fertility com-
plications of aging. 
(7) In 10 percent of infertility cases, the causes 
cannot be explained. 
(8) Public awareness of the causes of infertility 
can reduce its incidence. 
(9) Many medical schools lack the resources to 
adequately train students in the causes, treatment, 
and patient counseling needed to reduce the inci-
dence of infertility. 
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SEC. 2. INTERAGENCY INFERTILITY PREVENTION TASK 
FORCE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a task 
force to be known as the ‘‘Infertility Prevention Task 
Force’’ (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Task Force’’). 
(b) DUTIES.—The Task Force shall develop a strat-
egy for the Federal Government to facilitate activities to 
prevent infertility, including strategies for— 
(1) maximizing cooperation among departments 
and agencies of the Federal Government and the use 
of resources of the Federal Government in compiling 
data on the incidence of infertility and the incidence 
and impact of the various contributing factors; 
(2) coordinating and encouraging research in 
the public and private sector on the causes and 
treatment of infertility; 
(3) developing integrated Federal policies to 
promote public awareness of the causes of infertility 
that would include substantial participation by the 
private sector; 
(4) creating an infertility prevention curriculum 
to serve as a model for the Nation’s medical schools; 
and 
(5) establishing partnerships with industry, or-
ganized labor, academia, and State and local govern-
ments— 
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(A) to collect and disseminate information 
on infertility prevention; and 
(B) to coordinate appropriate agency re-
sources, including grants, loans, and scholar-
ships in the area of infertility prevention, in-
cluding research on the causes and treatment, 
increased public awareness and improved med-
ical education. 
(c) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) NUMBER
AND
APPOINTMENT.—The Task 
Force shall be composed of 10 members, as follows: 
(A) One member shall be the Assistant 
Secretary for Health. 
(B) One member shall be a representative 
of the National Institutes of Health and shall 
be designated by the Director of such agency. 
(C) One member shall be a representative 
of the Centers for Disease Control and Preven-
tion and shall be designated by the Director of 
such agency. 
(D) One member shall be a representative 
of the Agency for Healthcare Research and 
Quality and shall be designated by the Director 
of such agency. 
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