Monthly Archives: December 2006

From the March of Dimes:

There are only about 48 hours left before Congress adjourns for the year. House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton (TX) is using the PREEMIE bill to negotiate over another bill in which he has an interest. The content of PREEMIE has been cleared by all, including Chairman Barton’s office. It has been pending in his Committee for over 2 years and was unanimously approved by the Senate on August 1. Please call your Representative today and request they ask Rep. Barton and Majority Leader Boehner to let the House vote on S. 707 before Congress adjourns.

Call the Capitol switchboard (202) 224-3121 or go to http://links.marchofdimes.com/ajtk/servlet/JJ?H=14itxb&R=680790184 to obtain your Representative’s phone number and tell him/her to ask Reps. Barton and Boehner to put the PREEMIE Act on the House floor for a vote today.

Below are points that you can make:

• You have been personally affected by preterm birth (briefly explain your story and the impact on your family)

• The PREEMIE Act has strong bipartisan support and 97 House co-sponsors.

• The PREEMIE Act is desperately needed to stem the growing crisis of preterm birth.

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that more than 500,000 babies are born too soon each year. Since 1981, that number has increased by over 30%.
  

• The National Academy of Sciences (Institute of Medicine) estimates the economic burden of preterm birth in the US was at least $26.2 billion in 2005, or $51,600 per infant born preterm. Approximately half of the cost of health care is borne by employers and families with the remainder billed to Medicaid, S-CHIP and other public programs.

Background

For more than 2 years, the March of Dimes has worked with Representatives and Senators from across the nation to enact “PREEMIE.” (S.707/H.R.2861). The bill calls for creation of a public-private agenda to accelerate the development of new strategies for preventing preterm birth and for treating babies who are born too soon.

The principal bill sponsors are Representatives Fred Upton (R-MI) and Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Chris Dodd (D-CT). The Senate approved the bill by unanimous consent on August 1, 2006. Currently, PREEMIE must now be acted on by the House of Representatives before it can be sent to President Bush for his signature.

For more information, contact the March of Dimes Office of Government Affairs (202) 659-1800.

This e-mail is sponsored by the March of Dimes, a nonprofit organization. The mission of the March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.

For more information about the March of Dimes, visit our Web site at http://www.marchofdimes.com/.
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