Baldwin Introduces Bill to Strengthen our Public Health System

Press Release

Today Representatives Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Edolphus Towns (D-NY) and Lee Terry (R-NE) introduced legislation to strengthen our public health system in the United States by improving our science infrastructure at all levels of government. The National Integrated Public Health Surveillance Systems and Reportable Conditions Act seeks to improve the capacity of states and localities to analyze local public health problems and take prompt action to address them.

"Our public health system has greatly improved since the mid-1990s, but is struggling to keep pace with the many threats to the safety of our families," said Rep. Baldwin. "In Wisconsin and across the country, our local public health departments are protecting us on many fronts -- ensuring the safety of our food, air, and water, and preventing and controlling disease outbreaks. We must provide them with all the tools they need to keep people safe," Baldwin said.

"I am pleased to sponsor this piece of legislation with my esteemed colleagues, Representatives Terry and Baldwin. This bill will provide a much needed transformation of our public health infrastructure by enhancing surveillance mechanisms and establishing a comprehensive national electronic disease- reporting system. Such improvements will improve detection and response time in regards to food borne illnesses, zoonotic diseases and other infectious agents. Ultimately, the bill will allow our public health workforce to address epidemiologic issues in an effective and efficient manner," said Rep. Towns.

"This is an extremely important bill. Today local public health departments must confront increased disease outbreaks, emerging infections, pandemic flu and environmental health threats. University of Nebraska Medical Center played an integral part in creating this legislation that will enhance the nation's public health capacity by strengthening its core science infrastructure and ensuring a seamless, rapid flow of information. This bill will help us meet the serious public health challenges of today and tomorrow," said Rep. Terry.

The legislation enhances existing programs at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to help public health institutions identify and monitor the occurrence of infectious diseases, track the effects of contaminated food and water, and address other public health issues. It will also improve the detection of new and emerging infectious disease threats, including laboratory capacity to detect anti-microbial resistant infections, identify and respond to disease outbreaks, and hire and train necessary professional staff.

The bill will improve electronic disease reporting by state and local health departments and public health laboratories, and provide for advanced training for key elements of the public health workforce. The bill also authorizes, for the first time, a process for determining a list of diseases and conditions that must be reported to federal, state, or local health officials.

Frances Pouch Downes, President of American Public Health Laboratories, expressed her gratitude for the efforts of Representatives Terry, Baldwin and Towns. "This bill will significantly advance public health by providing much-needed funding into programs that create and build capacity in state and local public health laboratories," said Downes.

"We celebrate the leadership of Representatives Baldwin, Terry, and Towns on this critical piece of public health legislation," added Patrick McConnon, MPH; Executive Director, Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. "This bill will enhance critical public health infrastructure that will strengthen local-state-federal disease surveillance and reporting capacity. These improvements will help to meet the serious challenges ahead, such as emerging infections, growing antimicrobial resistance, and increased foodborne disease outbreaks."

The bill has been endorsed by, among others, the American Public Health Association, Association for Professionals in Infection Control & Epidemiology, Association of Public Health Laboratories, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, National Association of County and City Health Officials, Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, Infectious Diseases Society of America, National Association of State and Territorial AIDS Directors.

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