Nationally Enhancing The Wellbeing Of Babies Through Outreach And Research Now Act

Floor Speech

* Mr. Speaker, I wish to take a moment to state my strong support for H.R. 3470, the Nationally Enhancing the Wellbeing of Babies through Outreach and Research Now--or the NEWBORN Act. This bill authorizes grants to create, implement, and oversee infant mortality pilot programs. These grants could support a number of important activities to reduce our national infant mortality rate, including: educational outreach to at-risk mothers; development and implementation of standardized systems for improved access and services; and regional public education campaigns.

* In order to fully understand the importance of this act, I believe our country needs to take a moment to reflect upon our infant mortality rate of 6.7 per thousand live births. The United States currently has one of the highest infant mortality rates among industrialized nations--higher than Cuba or Japan. Although the infant mortality rate has declined over time, this rate is unacceptably high and tragic because many of these infant deaths are preventable when mothers receive adequate care and education. Access to quality prenatal healthcare and parenting education greatly reduces many of the risk factors that contribute to infant mortality, such as low birth weight and short gestational age births.

* It is of serious concern that great disparity exists in infant mortality rates across our country based on geographic location and racial/ethnic minority status. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the infant mortality rate is much higher in the Southeastern and Midwestern regions of our Nation. In my home State of Illinois in 2006 is 7.29 per thousand live births, well above the national average. For African Americans, the infant mortality rate is 13.35, almost double the national average and almost triple the national average for Latino and White children. We cannot allow these disparities to continue. We cannot continue to allow particular groups of our citizens to lose their children at higher rates than others. We must work to dramatically reduce these deaths for all Americans.

* These numbers reflect the need for federal legislation to increase access to quality prenatal care. I am proud to have played an active role in creating a dedicated funding stream for the home visiting to support families with or expecting young children. Authorized by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Law, the new Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program will provide grants to States to provide evidence-based home visitation services to improve outcomes for children and families who reside in at-risk communities. Research shows that these programs are effective at improving the health and well-being of children and families.

* It is federal investments in home visiting and in the NEWBORN Act that will help improve children's well-being and lower the infant mortality rate. I stand in strong support of the NEWBORN Act and urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill.

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