Congressman Collins pleased with passage of legislation to improve newborn screening

Congressman Chris Collins, R-NY-27, released the following statement Wednesday on passage of H.R. 1281, Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act:

"Providing ample funding for newborn screening is essential for improving child health care and saving lives," he said. "I am passionate about the need for enhanced newborn screening, and thrilled with today's legislation passing. H.R. 1281 will modernize our newborn screening processes and immediately assist families in New York and across the country. I also want to thank Buffalo Bills Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly, who has been a leading advocate for newborn screening, and has been instrumental in highlighting the importance of this legislation."

H.R. 1281 will continue to ensure infants receive comprehensive and effective screening by:

•Reauthorizing health resources and services administration grants to assist states' efforts to improve their screening programs, educate parents and health care providers, and improve follow-up care for infants with conditions detected through newborn screening;

•Renewing the secretary's advisory committee on heritable disorders in newborns and children, which maintains and updates the recommended uniform screening panel that states adopt and implement;

•Authorizing a grant program to provide technical assistance to state newborn screening programs to track outcomes of infants identified through newborn screening, and reauthorizing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention newborn screening quality assurance program, and;

•Reauthorizing the National Institutes of Health Hunter Kelly newborn screening program, which funds research aimed at identifying new treatments and new screening technologies.

Full text of the legislation is available here.