ALEXANDRIA, VA – On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) approved a series of critical measures relating to the health and well-being of American children, including legislation to examine the needs of children during emergency situations and major disasters. In addition, measures to further pediatric cancer research, to increase the number of newborn baby screenings, and to provide critical health care services to low income and uninsured people were also approved. These bills now await passage by the full Senate.

“We are pleased that the HELP Committee has acted on these measures, all of which enjoy broad bipartisan support and, more importantly, which have a positive impact on the health of our nation’s children,” said Bruce Lesley, President of First Focus, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization. “Providing critical resources to renew community health centers, improve funding for children’s cancer research, and educate parents about newborn baby screenings and pay dividends for children in families across all incomes.”

“Moreover, in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita as well as other recent disasters such as the California wildfires, the need for disaster preparedness plans has become more apparent than ever. But often overlooked in these preparedness discussions and evacuation plans are the specific needs of children, who require different services, equipment, and standards of care. Thankfully, the Committee has passed legislation that will look into this issue and give lawmakers the tools to enact the necessary reforms to keep our children safe in these traumatic situations,” Lesley added.

The Addressing the Disaster Needs of Children Act (S.1970) would establish a Commission on Children and Disasters to examine issues facing children during and after major disasters and emergency situations. If enacted, the commission will be given 16 months to gather information and report to the President and Congress its findings on the needs of children as related to physical and mental health, child care, child welfare, primary education, housing, transportation, juvenile justice, public finance mechanisms and emergency preparedness, response and recovery.

Moreover, the measure enables the secretary of Health and Human Service to create a National Resource Center on Children and Disasters to advise federal, state, local and tribal governments on children’s needs during disasters.

In addition, the HELP Committee approved a number of health-related measures, including the following bills which are important to ensuring that American children grow up healthy:

  • Health Centers Renewal Act of 2007, renews the community Health Center Program, which provides important health care services to lower income and uninsured people in medically underserved areas. Currently, there are 952 federally approved community health centers, which serve more than 14 million poor and uninsured patients, including five million children.
  • Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act (S. 1858), legislation that provides education to parents and health care providers about the importance of newborn baby screening, while also giving states incentives to implement screening. Each year, newborn screenings save thousands of lives by detecting diseases in our youngest children. This bill is critical to ensure that newborn screenings are available and accessible, by providing resources to research advancements in testing development and technology. The tests currently available have saved thousands of lives, and this bill will help ensure that new tests can quickly move into development, improving our capacity to reduce infant mortality.
  • Conquer Childhood Cancer Act (S. 911), a bill that would provide critical funding for children’s cancer research and education programs at the National Institutes of Health over the next five years. The bill authorizes $30 million each year for fiscal 2008 through fiscal year 2012.