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Protecting Our Infants Act of 2015

Floor Speech

Date: Nov. 16, 2015
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Minors and Children Health and Health Care Criminal Justice

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Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 799--the Protecting Our Infants Act of 2015. This legislation addresses a sad reality of our country's opioid epidemic: prenatal opioid abuse and the steep increase in the incidence of neonatal abstinence syndrome or NAS.

NAS occurs in newborns who were exposed to opiates while in their mother's womb and is associated with negative health outcomes such as preterm births, low birthweight, and respiratory distress. A recent study found the incidence of NAS quadrupled between 2004 and 2013. This legislation would respond to that dramatic increase by requiring HHS to create a comprehensive national strategy to address prenatal opioid abuse and NAS. That strategy would include a coordinated research and programming strategy to address the public health challenge of NAS and prenatal opioid abuse as well as develop a comprehensive set of recommendations for preventing and treating prenatal opioid use disorders and NAS.

I want to thank Rep. Katherine Clark for her leadership on this critical and timely issue. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

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