I 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6147 
To establish an Advisory Committee on Gestational Diabetes, to provide 
grants to better understand and reduce gestational diabetes, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 21, 2006 
Mr. FOSSELLA (for himself and Mr. ENGEL) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To establish an Advisory Committee on Gestational Diabetes, 
to provide grants to better understand and reduce gesta-
tional diabetes, 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 ‘‘Gestational Diabetes 
Act of 2006’’ or the ‘‘GEDI Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) The prevalence of gestational diabetes 
among pregnant women in the United States is in-
creasing. 
(2) Gestational diabetes, which is similar to 
chronic forms of diabetes, normally appears at 24 to 
28 weeks’ gestation and occurs in approximately 4 
to 8 percent of pregnant women. 
(3) The causes of gestational diabetes are un-
known, but genetics, excess weight, ethnicity, and 
age are considered risk factors for the condition. 
(4) There is disagreement among physicians 
about how to treat gestational diabetes, as well as 
the effectiveness of current treatment regimens. 
(5) Gestational diabetes, which can cause 
preeclampsia, also increases a pregnant woman’s 
risk for developing the condition in subsequent preg-
nancies. 
(6) Infants of women who develop gestational 
diabetes may have extreme increases in birth weight 
and the risks related to difficulties during the birth-
ing process, and some of the infants born to these 
women— 
(A) may subsequently have low blood sugar 
or jaundice during the newborn period; 
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(B) are at an increased risk for obesity 
and birth trauma; and 
(C) are at an increased risk of developing 
type 2 diabetes as an adolescent or adult. 
(7) About 15 percent of infertility cases are 
linked to weight disorders, most often being over-
weight or obese. Obesity affects fertility and is also 
associated with increased morbidity for both the 
mother and the child. 
(8) Improved nutritional and physical health 
care, both before and during pregnancy, may signifi-
cantly decrease the rates of gestational diabetes. 
(9) Ten percent of obese pregnant women are 
estimated to have gestational diabetes. 
(10) Obesity potentially leads to a higher rate 
of induction and primary caesarean section. 
SEC. 3. GESTATIONAL DIABETES. 
The Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 201 et 
seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
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‘‘TITLE XXIX—GESTATIONAL 
DIABETES 
‘‘SEC. 2901. UNDERSTANDING AND MONITORING GESTA-
TIONAL DIABETES AND OBESITY DURING 
PREGNANCY. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services, acting through the Director of the Cen-
ters for Disease Control and Prevention, shall convene a 
Research Advisory Committee. 
‘‘(b) MEMBERSHIP.—Membership in the Research 
Advisory Committee— 
‘‘(1) shall include— 
‘‘(A) a representative from the Agency for 
Healthcare Research and Quality; 
‘‘(B) a representative from the Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention; 
‘‘(C) a representative from the National 
Institutes of Health; 
‘‘(D) a representative from the Office of 
Minority Health; 
‘‘(E) a representative from the Indian 
Health Service; and 
‘‘(F) representatives from other appro-
priate Federal agencies; and 
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‘‘(2) may include representatives from other ap-
propriate organizations. 
‘‘(c) MATTERS TO BE STUDIED.—The Director of 
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in con-
sultation with the Research Advisory Committee, shall de-
velop a multisite, gestational diabetes research project 
within the diabetes program of the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention to expand and enhance surveil-
lance data and public health research on gestational diabe-
tes. The project shall address— 
‘‘(1) the use of consistent standards to measure 
gestational diabetes; 
‘‘(2) the procedures to establish accurate and 
efficient systems for the collection of gestational dia-
betes data within each State; 
‘‘(3) the progress of collaborative activities with 
the National Vital Statistics System, the National 
Center for Health Statistics, and State health de-
partments with respect to the standard birth certifi-
cate, in order to improve surveillance of gestational 
diabetes; 
‘‘(4) the establishment of procedures for report-
ing gestational diabetes data to the Centers for Dis-
ease Control and Prevention; 
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‘‘(5) post-natal methods of tracking women who 
had gestational diabetes after delivery and the devel-
opment of ways to lower the incidence of type 2 dia-
betes in that population; 
‘‘(6) variations in the distribution of diagnosed 
and undiagnosed diabetes and of impaired fasting 
glucose tolerance and impaired fasting glucose with-
in and among groups of women; and 
‘‘(7) factors that influence risks for gestational 
diabetes and obesity during pregnancy and complica-
tions during childbirth among women, including cul-
tural, racial, ethnic, geographic, demographic, socio-
economic, and genetic factors. 
‘‘(d) MEETINGS.—Not later than 1 year after the es-
tablishment of the gestational diabetes research project 
under subsection (c), and annually thereafter, the Re-
search Advisory Committee shall meet to assess the 
progress of the project and to update the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services, if necessary. 
‘‘(e) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the date 
of enactment of the Gestational Diabetes Act of 2006, and 
annually thereafter, the Director of the Centers for Dis-
ease Control and Prevention shall generate a report on 
the prevalence of gestational diabetes and disseminate the 
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