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 Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
to develop a strategy implementing recommendations re-
lating to the Protecting Our Infants Act of 2015, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Preventing NAS and 
Protecting Babies Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) Neonatal abstinence syndrome (referred to 
in this section as ‘‘NAS’’) is a group of conditions 
that can afflict a newborn who had in utero exposure 
to drugs, including opioids. 
(2) According to a report by the Government 
Accountability Office, symptoms of NAS include irri-
tability, loud crying, stiffness, sweating, vomiting, 
diarrhea, poor feeding, seizures, and respiratory dis-
tress. 
(3) According to a 2016 study by the Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention, which was 
based on data from 28 States, the incidence of NAS 
increased 300 percent between 1999 and 2013. 
(4) According to another study entitled, ‘‘Neo-
natal abstinence syndrome and associated health 
care expenditures: United States, 2000–2009’’, the 
incidence rate of NAS in rural America rose from 
1.2 per 1,000 hospital births in 2004 to 7.5 per 
1,000 hospital births in 2013. 
(5) Innovative, specialized, and collaborative ef-
forts are needed to address the treatment of infants 
diagnosed with NAS. 
(6) The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery 
Act of 2016 (Public Law 114–198), which was en-
acted in July 2016, required the Government Ac-
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countability Office to examine treatment options for 
infants with NAS (including options available under 
State Medicaid plans under title XIX of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.)), assesses dif-
ferent medical care models and settings for the 
treatment of NAS, and prioritizes finding best prac-
tices for the treatment of infants with NAS. 
(7) An October 2017 report by the Government 
Accountability Office entitled, ‘‘Federal Action 
Needed to Address Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome’’, 
recommended that the Department of Health and 
Human Services should take action on its report en-
titled, ‘‘Protecting Our Infants Act: Final Strategy’’. 
SEC. 3. STRATEGY IMPLEMENTING RECOMMENDATIONS 
RELATING TO PROTECTING OUR INFANTS 
ACT. 
Not later than six months after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services shall submit to Congress a strategy for imple-
menting recommendations in the Department of Health 
and Human Services Behavioral Health Coordinating 
Council report entitled, ‘‘Protecting Our Infants Act: 
Final Strategy’’. Such strategy shall— 
(1) include a timeline for the implementation of 
each such recommendation; 
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(2) provide for the dissemination of information 
to State health agencies on best practices and avail-
able resources and data with respect to imple-
menting each such recommendation; and 
(3) include recommendations for any statutory 
change, including providing for additional authori-
ties, that would help the Department of Health and 
Human Services implement the strategy. 
Æ 
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