Pallone Applauds USA Football Rules Changes to Address Safety

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 1, 2017



Washington- DC – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) Energy Ranking Member on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, applauded USA Football, the national governing body for amateur football, for making several changes to the rules and format for youth football in an effort to improve player safety and reduce the risks of long-term brain damage.

In May at the Marlboro Township Recreation Community Center, Pallone announced that he and several of his colleagues had sent letters to collegiate and youth football leaders asking how they plan to prevent and mitigate the risks of degenerative brain disorders for student-athletes. The request came after the National Football League acknowledged for the first time at a Energy and Commerce Committee roundtable in March that there is a link between football and degenerative brain disorders.

“Parents across the country are rightfully concerned about protecting their kids from the risks of concussions and sports-related head trauma in football and other sports,” Pallone said. “Today’s announcement from USA Football on updates to the rules and format for youth football are a good first step, and a welcome response to our request for change last year. We must also continue to invest in scientific research to better understand the long-term impacts of repetitive head trauma on athletes of all ages.”

Recent research suggests that athletes can sustain significant brain damage caused solely by repeated head impacts, or subconcussive events, even if those collisions do not result in concussions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the problem is of special concern in youth sports because children and teens may be more vulnerable to brain injuries than adults, and take longer to recover.

Read the text of the Letter to USA Football 

Pallone Renews Call for Congress to Address Public Health Epidemic of Gun Violence

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 16, 2016



NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ– Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ 06), the Ranking Member on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, met with emergency physicians and public health advocates at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital—a Level I Trauma Center—and discussed the impact of gun violence on public health throughout New Jersey and the country. Every day, 306 people in America are shot in homicides, assaults, suicides & suicide attempts, unintentional shootings, and police intervention. These shootings have an enormous impact on trauma centers throughout the country.

Federal research on the impact of gun violence and public health has long been blocked by Congressional Republicans with support from the National Rifle Association (NRA). During a markup of the fiscal year 2017 health spending bill, Republicans blocked Democratic amendments that would have allowed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to study gun-related deaths. President Obama lifted ban on CDC gun violence research two years ago but Republicans have still refused to fund research. Congressman Pallone has worked to fund gun violence studies as the Ranking Member on the House Energy and Commerce Committee which oversees health.

Representatives from the Brady Campaign, Million Moms March, the New Jersey State Nurses Association and the New Jersey Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics all voiced strong support for Congressional action on gun violence.

“With thousands shot every day throughout our country we must confront the growing public health crisis that gun violence has become,” said Pallone. “I stand with medical professionals at Robert Wood Johnson in calling on Congress to take concrete steps to bring about change on this issue. That is why it is so disturbing that Republicans are standing with the NRA instead of our public health professionals and won’t even allow research to understand the extent of the challenges we face.”

After the largest shooting in American history taking place in Orlando earlier this year, a broad coalition of physician organizations issued a statement calling upon Congress to take action to stem the tide of gun violence. They stated, “These unspeakable acts highlight gun violence as a grim and increasing public health epidemic that kills approximately 91 Americans every day. THIS MUST STOP.”

Congressman Pallone has been a strong critic of House Republicans who have refused to allow for the consideration of common sense measures to address gun violence. He has called for Republican leadership call up The Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act – bipartisan legislation to expand and strengthen our background checks system and the bipartisan ‘No Fly, No Buy’ bill to keep guns out of the hands of suspected terrorists.

Uninsured Rate in New Jersey continues to Drop under Affordable Care Act

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 17, 2016


WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention announced that in 2015, the uninsured rate fell to 9.1 percent nationwide and 6.9 percent in New Jersey, down from 14.4 percent and 17.5 percent in 2013. The drop in uninsured Americans is largely the result of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) consumer protections, the Medicaid expansion, and the creation of the Health Insurance Marketplace. Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-6), the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and one of the principal authors of the Affordable Care Act, praised the announcement.

“It is clear that millions of Americans have gained access to health insurance since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act and this is a tremendous step for our country. The ACA ushered in a new era, one in which health care coverage is no longer a privilege, but a right for all Americans,” said Pallone. “Millions of Americans who had gone without health insurance—middle class families who had struggled due to inadequate coverage, and women, children and young adults that had been denied coverage due to preexisting conditions—gained the security that comes from being covered.”

“The success of the ACA should deter Republicans from attacking this crucial law. House Republicans have voted dozens of times to repeal or undermine the ACA and take these critical benefits away from millions of Americans, despite the evidence. Enough is enough. The status quo is simply unsustainable. I will continue to fight for the Affordable Care Act to ensure that every American has access to affordable, quality health insurance, and I look forward to the ACA continuing to benefit millions of Americans in the years ahead.”

The CDC report can be found here.

Pallone Hosts Discussion with Public Health Experts to Highlight Zika Concerns

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 23, 2016


NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-6), the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, held a discussion with public health experts at the Child Health Institute of New Jersey on the threats posed by the Zika virus. Congressman Pallone’s tour of the institute to hear from those studying conditions related to Zika comes in advance of an upcoming Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations subcommittee hearing on our understanding of Zika and what steps are being taken to counteract the threats posed by the virus.

“The Zika virus is clearly a public health concern, and we need to make sure authorities in New Jersey and across the nation are being proactive and taking the necessary steps to ensure that it does not become a public health crisis,” said Pallone. “There is still much we do not know about the virus and its impacts on human health, so I thank the experts and researchers at the Child Health Institute and Rutgers University for their insights ahead of next month’s Energy and Commerce hearing on Zika.”

 During the roundtable discussion, Pallone heard repeated calls to upgrade the nation’s health infrastructure so that researchers can more adequately respond to outbreaks of viruses that were once isolated, but are now spreading to more temperate climates due to increased travel and global warming. The experts also noted that, since the Zika virus is more prevalent in densely populated areas, the response to dealing with mosquitoes that carry the virus must be different than simply spraying marshes and fields. In this case, more attention must be given to ensuring that there is no standing water left in cups and small containers.

The World Health Organization recently declared that the Zika virus, which has recently spread to the Americas and has been identified in 20 states, is a public health emergency. The virus is transmitted by mosquitos and while symptoms—which only show in one-in-five people infected by the virus—are usually mild, it may also cause neurological conditions. When Zika infects pregnant women, mother-to-child transmission may lead to miscarriage or certain birth defects, including microcephaly, in which a child is born with an abnormally small head and brain.

Pallone toured the Child Health Institute of New Jersey and held a discussion with public health and disease transmission experts including Dr. Sherine E. Gabriel, Dean of the Rutgers Medical School; Stephen Jones, President and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Health System; Amy Mansue, President and CEO of Children’s Specialized Hospital; Dr. Chen Liu, the chair of Rutgers Medical School’s Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine; and Dr. Dina Fonseca, an associate professor on vector biology at Rutgers University’s Entomology Department.

Earlier this month, bipartisan leaders of Energy & Commerce Committee requested a briefing on the Zika virus from the directors of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as well as the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). President Obama requested $1.8 billion in emergency funding in his FY2017 budget to enhance domestic and international efforts to combat Zika, including work on the development of vaccines and diagnostics, and to improve scientific understanding of the disease.

Pallone Announces $550,000 for Ongoing Autism Research at Rutgers University

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) announced that Rutgers University has been awarded $550,000 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to continue ongoing research to identify and evaluate changes in the number of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and other developmental disabilities in the state of New Jersey. The CDC suggests that 1 in 68 school age child in the United States is living with autism. However, in New Jersey, that number is 1 in every 45.

Rutgers University is a part of the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network, which is a group of programs at sites across the country funded by the CDC to estimate the number of children with ASD and other developmental disabilities living in different areas of the United States. This funding will be for the first year of the program’s four-year cycle.

“We must take on autism as the urgent public health concern it is, especially in New Jersey,” said Congressman Pallone. “For years, Rutgers has been a leader with regard to autism research, and this latest award will allow their invaluable research to continue. Their ongoing work will help us more fully understand the different ways that ASD affects children throughout our state and make sure that children are properly diagnosed. We’ve made significant strides over the past decade in confronting this disease, but there is still much more that remains to be done.”

Congressman Pallone has repeatedly spoken out against the harmful, across the board budget cuts, known as sequestration, that slashed critical funding to autism research and programs. He has consistently urged his colleagues in Congress to prioritize policies that do not further reduce the budgets of agencies like the CDC, which monitors the prevalence of autism in America.

President Obama's Weekly Address 10/25/14: Focused on the Fight Against Ebola

WASHINGTON, DC — In this week’s address, the President discussed the measures we are taking to respond to Ebola cases at home, while containing the epidemic at its source in West Africa. This week we continued to focus on domestic preparedness, with the creation of new CDC guidelines and the announcement of new travel measures ensuring all travelers from the three affected countries are directed to and screened at one of five airports. The President emphasized that it’s important to follow the facts, rather than fear, as New Yorkers did yesterday when they stuck to their daily routine. Ebola is not an easily transmitted disease, and America is leading the world in the fight to stamp it out in West Africa.

Pallone Bill on Sudden Unexpected Death in Early Life Passes House of Representatives

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 669, the “Sudden Unexpected Death Data Enhancement and Awareness Act,” which was introduced by Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), the senior Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. The bill received bipartisan support and passed out of the Energy and Commerce Committee in July. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) introduced a companion bill in the Senate, S. 2746, in July that is currently before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

“Stillbirth and sudden unexpected infant death affect tens of thousands of families every year, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and sudden infant death syndrome is the leading cause of death for infants up to 12 months old,” said Congressman Pallone. “Too many families have struggled to find answers to these tragic events. This legislation will give researchers the information that they need to help us better understand these unbearable losses and provide parents with much needed answers.”

“I would also like to sincerely thank Laura Crandall who has worked with me on this issue for many years and who came to testify before the Health Subcommittee on this bill last November,” Pallone added. “Laura’s strength in the wake of the devastating and inexplicable loss of her young daughter, Maria, is inspiring, and her continued efforts to find answers for her own family as well as so many others have helped bring this bill to the House floor today.”

The “Sudden Unexpected Death Data Enhancement and Awareness Act,” would enhance awareness regarding unexpected sudden death in early life and improve the surveillance and collection of critical data when investigating these tragic deaths. Specifically, it would improve the development of standard protocols used by medical examiners in death scene investigations and autopsies surrounding these deaths, and it would allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct training activities regarding these protocols.

Health Department Message Mumps Outbreak in Monmouth County

From Middletown Alerts:


There are now over 23 potential cases (only one confirmed) in several towns.
Of those cases, the overwhelming majority -- 20 cases -- either worked at or attended D’Jais beachfront bar in recent weeks, but the investigation is ongoing.

Here is a link to NJDOH FAQ on mumps which provides answers to common questions http://www.state.nj.us/health/cd/documents/faq/mumps_faq.pdf

The key things for people to know are that people who were vaccinated with the MMR -- measles, mumps and rubella -- vaccine, as an infant and again between the ages of 4 and 6, are 90 percent less likely to contract mumps, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Concerned persons should check their vaccination records (if you do not have such a record, ask parents or former schools).

Symptoms of the infection include swelling of salivary glands, fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness and loss of appetite. Mumps is spread through saliva or mucus from the mouth, nose, or throat of an infected person. Complications of mumps can include inflammation of the testes or ovaries, and temporary or permanent deafness. Anyone with such symptoms should contact their healthcare provider and their local health department. The Middletown Health Department can be reached at 732-615-2095.

Pallone Denounces Cuts to Research and Programs on World Autism Awareness Day

New Brunswick, NJ – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) marked World Autism Day by touring the Rutgers University, Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center (DDDC) and speaking out against the across the board budget cuts known as sequestration that slashed critical funding to autism research and programs. Pallone was joined by Linda Brzustowicz, Acting Senior Associate Vice President of Research and Economic Development and Chair of Genetics, Rutgers University; Lara Delmolino, Director, DDDC & Clinical Associate Professor, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology at Rutgers University; Bob Titus, Public Policy Director, Autism New Jersey; a parent of an autistic child and other New Jersey autism advocates.

Those with autism and related disorders face a long-term loss of billions of dollars in services and supports as a result of the $85 billion federal spending cut that took effect March 1, 2013. This is the first in a series of annual cuts intended to reduce federal spending by $1.2 trillion by 2021 or until Congress and the President can agree on more targeted cuts.

“The work being done at the DDDC is extraordinary and helping so many families,” said Pallone. “That’s why it is so important that the DDDC has the tools it needs to continue its good work. Unfortunately, Republicans in Congress chose to use funding for programs like these for political maneuvering rather than investing in the futures of those with autism when they allowed extreme across the board spending cuts to go into effect last month. Budgets are about more than numbers and dollars – they are real-life expressions of priorities, choices and values. These choices have an impact on the lives of millions of Americans, and that includes the million families that are currently coping with autism. I voted against these cuts and I will continue to speak out in opposition to this blind, slash and burn approach because New Jersey and the nation deserve better from Congress than a plan that inflicts so much harm to so many people.”

Among the agencies affected are the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which funds autism research, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which monitors the prevalence of autism in America, and the Human Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), which helps fund the Autism Treatment Network.

“The impact of these cuts would affect all people with autism regardless of age or range of ability, reaching into special education, housing, research and even employment support. While none of these impacts will be felt immediately, they will grow more apparent and worse each day that the federal budget crisis goes unresolved,” said Pallone.

Autism spectrum disorder widely affects children in the United States, and a new survey of parents released by the CDC last week suggests that one in 50 school age child has autism. This new report indicates that the prevalence of autism is on the rise. The CDC previously estimated that one in 88 children in the country has autism, and in New Jersey, that number is one in every 48, the second highest prevalence in the nation.

“Families and individuals are overcoming significant challenges on a daily basis,” said Pallone. “We must treat autism as an urgent public health concern and raise awareness of the disorder, which is why World Autism Day is so important, and why Congress must prioritize policies that will help.”