I 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6227 
To establish a grant program to provide vision care to children. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 28, 2006 
Mr. FOSSELLA (for himself, Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, Mr. ENGEL, and Mr. 
SULLIVAN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To establish a grant program to provide vision care to 
children. 
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 ‘‘Kids Vision Care Act 
of 2006’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) Good vision is essential for proper physical 
development and educational progress in growing 
children. 
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(2) Many serious ocular conditions are treatable 
if identified in the preschool and early school-aged 
years. 
(3) Early detection of ocular conditions provides 
the best opportunity for effective, inexpensive treat-
ment and can have far-reaching implications for vi-
sion. 
(4) Various identification methods, whether vi-
sion screening or comprehensive eye exams required 
by State laws, will identify children needing services. 
A child identified through vision screening should re-
ceive a comprehensive eye exam followed by subse-
quent treatment as needed. A child identified 
through a comprehensive eye exam should receive 
subsequent treatment as needed. All children identi-
fied as needing services should have access to subse-
quent treatment as needed. 
SEC. 3. GRANTS REGARDING VISION CARE FOR CHILDREN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Sec-
retary’’), acting through the Director of the Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention, may award grants to 
States on the basis of an established review process for 
the purpose of complementing existing State efforts for— 
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(1) providing comprehensive eye examinations 
by a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist for chil-
dren who have been previously identified through a 
vision screening or eye examination by a licensed 
health care provider or vision screener as needing 
such services, with priority given to children who are 
under the age of 9 years; 
(2) providing treatment or services, subsequent 
to the examinations described in paragraph (1), nec-
essary to correct vision problems; and 
(3) developing and disseminating, to parents, 
teachers, and health care practitioners, educational 
materials on recognizing signs of visual impairment 
in children. 
(b) CRITERIA AND COORDINATION.— 
(1) CRITERIA.—The Secretary, in consultation 
with appropriate professional and consumer organi-
zations including individuals with knowledge of age 
appropriate vision services, shall develop criteria— 
(A) governing the operation of the grant 
program under subsection (a); and 
(B) for the collection of data related to vi-
sion assessment and the utilization of follow up 
services. 
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(2) COORDINATION.—The Secretary shall, as 
appropriate, coordinate the program under sub-
section (a) with the program under section 330 of 
the Public Health Service Act (relating to health 
centers) (42 U.S.C. 254b), the program under title 
XIX of the Social Security Act (relating to the Med-
icaid program) (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.), the pro-
gram under title XXI of such Act (relating to the 
State children’s health insurance program) (42 
U.S.C. 1397aa et seq.), and with other Federal or 
State programs that provide services to children. 
(c) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive a grant 
under subsection (a), a State shall submit to the Secretary 
an application in such form, made in such manner, and 
containing such information as the Secretary may require, 
including— 
(1) information on existing Federal, Federal- 
State, or State-funded children’s vision programs; 
(2) a plan for the use of grant funds, including 
how funds will be used to complement existing State 
efforts (including possible partnerships with non- 
profit entities); 
(3) a plan to determine if a grant eligible child 
has been identified as provided for in section 3(a); 
and 
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(4) a description of how funds will be used to 
provide items or services only as a secondary payer 
to— 
(A) any State compensation program, 
under an insurance policy, or under any Fed-
eral or State health benefits program; or 
(B) by any entity that provides health 
services on a prepaid basis. 
(d) EVALUATIONS.—To be eligible to receive a grant 
under subsection (a), a State shall agree that, not later 
than 1 year after the date on which amounts under the 
grant are first received by the State, and annually there-
after while receiving amounts under the grant, the State 
will submit to the Secretary an evaluation of the oper-
ations and activities carried out under the grant, includ-
ing— 
(1) an assessment of the utilization of vision 
services and the status of children receiving these 
services as a result of the activities carried out 
under the grant; 
(2) the collection, analysis, and reporting of 
children’s vision data according to guidelines pre-
scribed by the Secretary; and 
(3) such other information as the Secretary 
may require. 
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(e) LIMITATIONS IN EXPENDITURE OF GRANT.—A 
grant may be made under subsection (a) only if the State 
involved agrees that the State will not expend more than 
20 percent of the amount received under the grant to 
carry out the purpose described in paragraph (3) of such 
subsection. 
(f) DEFINITION.—For purposes of this section, the 
term ‘‘comprehensive eye examination’’ includes an assess-
ment of a patient’s history, general medical observation, 
external and ophthalmoscopic examination, visual acuity, 
ocular alignment and motility, refraction, and as appro-
priate, binocular vision or gross visual fields, performed 
by an optometrist or an ophthalmologist. 
(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the 
purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized 
to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for 
each of fiscal years 2007 through 2011. 
Æ 
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