Pallone Bill to Combat Stillbirth and SIDS Passes Congress, Heads to President’s Desk for Signature

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), the Ranking Member on the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, praised the passage of an amended version of his legislation to combat stillbirth, sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) and sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC).

“I am pleased that the House of Representatives has unanimously passed the amended version of my bill, which will finally help us to better understand the causes of stillbirth, SUID and SUDC,” said Pallone. “No parent should ever have to endure the pain of losing a child. It is my hope that this legislation will offer families who have lost a child some peace of mind and help prevent other parents from ever having to experience such a tragedy. I also want to extend my deepest thanks to Laura Crandall of New Jersey, whose continued efforts over the years to find answers for her own family and so many others have helped ensure passage of this critical legislation.”

The “Sudden Unexpected Death Data Enhancement and Awareness Act,” H.R. 669, which was amended and passed unanimously by the Senate last week, will direct the Department of Health and Human Services to continue collecting data on stillbirth, SUID and SUDC cases across the country. The data will then be used to inform medical professionals and families of the deceased as to why these unexpected deaths occur and what can be done to prevent them.

Having passed both chambers of Congress, H.R. 669 will now be sent to the President’s desk to be signed into law by the end of the year.

Pallone Participates in Roundtable with Nation’s Top Public Health Leaders in Lancaster, PA

LANCASTER, PA – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) participated in a roundtable discussion at Lancaster Farm and Home Center in Lancaster, PA. The roundtable’s discussion is part of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s 21st Century Cures initiative, which seeks to examine the steps Congress can take to accelerate the discovery, development and delivery of pharmaceutical drugs and medical devices that treat or cure diseases in the United States.

“As we search for better ways to bring treatments to patients, our committee is in a unique position to help move our country’s health care system into the 21st century,” said Congressman Pallone. “We must continue working together to improve the delivery of health care in the United States and ensure that innovative treatments and cures are getting to patients quickly. I appreciate Jennifer Westdyke joining us today to share her invaluable insights as both a parent and an advocate, and I thank Chairman Pitts for bringing us together for this bipartisan discussion.”

Congressman Pallone, a senior Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, joined other leading national, regional and local public health officials in the public and private sector, including Congressman Fred Upton, Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee; Congressman Joe Pitts, Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health; Dr. Francis Collins, Director of the National Institutes of Health; Margaret Hamburg, Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and others.

Congressman Pallone was joined at the roundtable by Jennifer Westdyke of Edison, NJ, whose son suffers from a medical condition called hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is a lifelong condition that is characterized by the buildup of fluid inside the skull that leads to brain swelling. The causes of hydrocephalus are still not well understood. Ms. Westdyke is also the Treasurer of the Pediatric Hydrocephalus Foundation, which a non-profit organization committed to raising awareness, finding a cure for hydrocephalus and ensuring that those who suffer from this condition are able to lead normal, productive lives.

Pallone Applauds New Jersey Medicaid Expansion

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), senior Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee and a primary author of the Affordable Care Act, released the following statement upon New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s announcement that he will accept the expansion of Medicaid funds as a part of the Affordable Care Act. A recent nonpartisan study by New Jersey Policy Prospective showed that New Jersey would stand to save $2.45 billion over the next nine years as a result of the Medicaid expansion:

“Expanding Medicaid in New Jersey just makes sense. The expansion of the Medicaid in the Affordable Care Act will save New Jersey billions of dollars that can be spend for other pressing needs in our state. The Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion will improve the health of hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans with the added benefit of extraordinary cost savings.

“I fought hard to make sure this critical expansion of Medicaid was included in the Affordable Care Act and I am pleased to see that New Jersey will see yet another benefit from this landmark legislation come to fruition. Medicaid expansion will not only improve New Jerseyans access to affordable health care, it will improve our economic health as well. With all of New Jersey’s pressing needs right now, it is assuring that this assistance will help us to devote more resources toward building our economy and creating jobs.”