[House Report 112-23]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
112th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session 112-23
======================================================================
NEGLECTED INFECTIONS OF IMPOVERISHED AMERICANS ACT OF 2011
_______
March 2, 2011.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Upton, from the Committee on Energy and Commerce,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 528]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Energy and Commerce, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 528) to require the submission of a report to
the Congress on parasitic disease among poor Americans, having
considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment
and recommend that the bill do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
Purpose and Summary.............................................. 1
Background and Need for Legislation.............................. 2
Hearings......................................................... 2
Committee Consideration.......................................... 2
Committee Votes.................................................. 2
Committee Oversight Findings..................................... 2
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives............ 2
New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures 3
Earmark.......................................................... 3
Committee Cost Estimate.......................................... 3
Congressional Budget Office Estimate............................. 3
Federal Mandates Statement....................................... 4
Advisory Committee Statement..................................... 4
Applicability to Legislative Branch.............................. 4
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation................... 4
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............ 4
PURPOSE AND SUMMARY
H.R. 528, the ``Neglected Infections of Impoverished
Americans Act of 2011'', was introduced on February 8, 2011, by
Rep. Henry Johnson (D-GA) and subsequently referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce.
H.R. 528 requires the Secretary of Health and Human
Services to conduct a study within 12 months on the
epidemiology and impact of neglected parasitic infectious
disease associated with poverty.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
H.R. 528 would require the Secretary of Health and Human
Services to submit a report to the Congress on the epidemiology
and impact of neglected diseases of poverty and the appropriate
level of funding required to address those diseases. The bill
specifies that such diseases include: Chagas disease,
cysticercosis, toxocariasis, toxoplasmosis, trichomoniasis, the
soil-transmitted helminths, and other related parasitic
diseases as designated by the Secretary. The report would also
include an evaluation of the current state of knowledge of
these diseases and address any threats from such diseases.
The House passed legislation similar to H.R. 528 in the
111th Congress. No further action was taken on the legislation
in that Congress.
HEARINGS
The Committee on Energy and Commerce has not held hearings
on the legislation. However, the Subcommittee held a
legislative hearing on similar legislation, H.R. 5986, in the
111th Congress on September 15, 2010 (H. Rept. 111-154).
COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
On February 11, 2011, the Subcommittee on Health met in
open markup session and approved H.R. 528 for Full Committee
consideration, without amendment, by a voice vote.
COMMITTEE VOTES
Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives requires the Committee to list the record votes
on the motion to report legislation and amendments thereto.
There were no record votes taken in connection with ordering
H.R. 528 reported. A motion by Mr. Upton to order H.R. 528
reported to the House, without amendment, was agreed to by a
voice vote.
COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the oversight findings and
recommendations of the Committee are reflected in the
descriptive portions of this report, including the finding on
the usefulness of a report by the Secretary on the impact of
neglected diseases of poverty.
STATEMENT OF GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
In accordance with clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules
of the House of Representatives, the performance goals and
objectives of the Committee are reflected in the descriptive
portions of this report.
NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY, ENTITLEMENT AUTHORITY, AND TAX EXPENDITURES
In compliance with clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules
of the House of Representatives, the Committee finds that H.R.
528, the ``Neglected Infections of Impoverished Americans Act
of 2011'', would result in no new or increased budget
authority, entitlement authority, or tax expenditures or
revenues.
EARMARK
In compliance with clauses 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule
XXI, the Committee finds that H.R. 528, the ``Neglected
Infections of Impoverished Americans Act of 2011'', contains no
earmarks.
COMMITTEE COST ESTIMATE
The Committee adopts as its own the cost estimate prepared
by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to
section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE ESTIMATE
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the following is the cost estimate
provided by the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section
402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974:
February 25, 2011.
Hon. Fred Upton,
Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 528, the Neglected
Infections of Impoverished Americans Act of 2011.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Lisa Ramirez-
Branum.
Sincerely,
Douglas W. Elmendorf.
Enclosure.
H.R. 528--Neglected Infections of Impoverished Americans Act of 2011
H.R. 528 would require the Secretary of Health and Human
Services to submit a report to the Congress on the epidemiology
and impact of neglected diseases of poverty and the appropriate
level of funding required to address those diseases. The bill
specifies that such diseases include: Chagas disease,
cysticercosis, toxocariasis, toxoplasmosis, trichomoniasis, the
soil-transmitted helminths, and other related diseases as
designated by the Secretary. The report would also include an
evaluation of the current state of knowledge of these diseases
and address any threats from such diseases.
CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 528 would cost less
than 500,000, subject to the availability of appropriated
funds. The costs of this legislation fall within budget
function 550 (health). Enacting H.R. 528 would not affect
direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go
procedures do not apply.
H.R. 528 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and
would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Lisa Ramirez-
Branum. This estimate was approved by Holly Harvey, Deputy
Assistant Director of Budget Analysis.
FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT
The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of Federal
mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform
Act.
ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT
No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b)
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this
legislation.
APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public
services or accommodations within the meaning of section
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF THE LEGISLATION
Section 1. Short title
Section 1 designates the short title of the Act as the
``Neglected Infections of Impoverished Americans Act of 2011''.
Section 2. Report to Congress on the current state of parasitic
diseases that have been overlooked among the poorest Americans
Section 2(a) directs the Secretary of Health and Human
Services to report to Congress on the epidemiology, impact, and
appropriate funding required to address the designated
parasitic diseases.
Section 2(b) requires that the report include information
necessary to (1) accurately evaluate the current state of
knowledge of the designated parasitic diseases and define the
gaps in such knowledge; and (2) address the threat of these
diseases.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED
No changes are made to existing law.