I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3470 
To authorize funding for the creation and implementation of infant mortality 
pilot programs in standard metropolitan statistical areas with high rates 
of infant mortality, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 31, 2009 
Mr. COHEN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To authorize funding for the creation and implementation 
of infant mortality pilot programs in standard metropoli-
tan statistical areas with high rates of infant mortality, 
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 ‘‘Nationally Enhancing 
the Wellbeing of Babies through Outreach and Research 
Now Act’’ or the ‘‘NEWBORN Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds as follows: 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
00:26 Aug 04, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3470.IH
H3470
tjames on DSKG8SOYB1PROD with BILLS
(1) The infant mortality rate of a nation is an 
important indicator of that nation’s overall health. 
(2) The Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
vention have found that the United States ranked 
29th in the world in infant mortality in 2004, falling 
from 12th in 1960. 
(3) There are more than 28,000 deaths to chil-
dren under 1 year of age each year in the United 
States. 
(4) Preterm birth has a considerable impact on 
the United States infant mortality rate, in 2005, 
68.6 percent of all infant deaths occurred to preterm 
infants, up from 65.6 percent in 2000. 
(5) The United States infant mortality rate for 
non-Hispanic Black women was 2.4 times the rate 
for non-Hispanic White women in 2005. 
(6) In 2005, the United States infant mortality 
rates were above average for non-Hispanic Black 
women at 13.63 deaths per 1,000 live births, for 
Puerto Rican women at 8.30 deaths per 1,000 live 
births, and for American Indian or Alaska Native 
women at 8.06 deaths per 1,000 live births. 
(7) In Memphis, Tennessee, the infant mor-
tality rate is three times higher than that of the 
United States (higher than any other city in the 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
00:26 Aug 04, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3470.IH
H3470
tjames on DSKG8SOYB1PROD with BILLS
country), and the 2005 infant mortality rate in the 
38108 zip code of Memphis was deadlier for babies 
than that of the countries of Vietnam, Iran, and El 
Salvador with 31 deaths per 1,000 live births, 5 
times that of the 2005 national average of 6.86 
deaths per 1,000 live births. 
(8) Adequate prenatal care has a studied, posi-
tive effect on the health of the baby. 
(9) Prenatal care is one of the most important 
interventions for ensuring the health of pregnant 
women and their infants. 
(10) Twenty-nine percent of mothers 15 to 19 
years of age received no early prenatal care in 2004 
according to the Department of Health and Human 
Services. 
(11) Non-Hispanic Black mothers were 2.6 
times more likely than non-Hispanic White mothers 
to begin prenatal care in the third trimester, or not 
receive prenatal care at all. 
(12) Babies born to mothers who received no 
prenatal care are three times more likely to be born 
at low birth weight, and five times more likely to die, 
than those whose mothers received prenatal care, as 
stated by the Department of Health and Human 
Services. 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
00:26 Aug 04, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3470.IH
H3470
tjames on DSKG8SOYB1PROD with BILLS
(13) The United States high infant mortality 
rate reflects in part racial disparities in premature 
and low birthweight babies. 
(14) The racial disparities in infant mortality 
may relate to socioeconomic status, access to medical 
care, and the education level of the mother. 
SEC. 3. INFANT MORTALITY PILOT PROGRAMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through the 
Director, shall award grants to eligible entities to create, 
implement, and oversee infant mortality pilot programs. 
(b) PERIOD OF A GRANT.—The period of a grant 
under this section shall be 5 consecutive fiscal years. 
(c) PREFERENCE.—In awarding grants under this 
section, the Secretary shall give preference to eligible enti-
ties proposing to serve any of the 15 counties or groups 
of counties with the highest rates of infant mortality in 
the United States in the past 3 years. 
(d) USE OF FUNDS.—Any infant mortality pilot pro-
gram funded under this section may— 
(1) include the development of a plan that iden-
tifies the individual needs of each community to be 
served and strategies to address those needs; 
(2) provide outreach to at-risk mothers through 
programs deemed appropriate by the Director; 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
00:26 Aug 04, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3470.IH
H3470
tjames on DSKG8SOYB1PROD with BILLS