Washington, DC — Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), Republican Leader of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, gave the below opening remarks at today’s  Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing “Reauthorizing Vital Health Programs for American Families.”

Dr. Burgess’ Remarks as Prepared for Delivery

Thank you, Madam Chair. Today we are here to discuss the reauthorization of four public health programs that provide the resources for critical, and in some cases even lifesaving, care for Americans. These four bills, the Emergency Medical Services for Children Program Reauthorization Act, the Autism CARES Act, the Lifespan Respite Care Reauthorization Act, and the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act, all make a measurable impact on individuals’ lives each day.

The Emergency Medical Services for Children Program was enacted in 1984 to provide grant funding to increase the ability of emergency medical systems to care for pediatric populations. Not only does this program provide funding so that emergency departments and hospitals can equip themselves with the appropriate pediatric medical tools, it enables partnerships and drives research and innovation in emergency care for children. Last year, we reauthorized the Children’s Hospital Graduate Medical Education Program and named the bill after Dr. Benjy Brooks. I remember Dr. Brooks telling me at the start of my medical career that children are not just smaller versions of adults – treating them is more complex than scaling down the size of the problem. It requires a whole host of separate tools and knowledge, and that is why this program is so important.

Similarly, the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act, which passed for the first time in 2008, aims to improve the ability to address pediatric health by standardizing newborn screening programs. Newborn screenings are incredibly important in providing physicians and families with information regarding their babies’ health, enabling them to practice early intervention and treatment, if necessary. According to March of Dimes, in 2007, only ten states and Washington, DC required infant screening for the recommended disorders. Since enactment of the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act, all the states, DC, and Puerto Rico, screen for at least 29 of the 35 recommended conditions. This bill would reauthorize funding for the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institutes of Health to ensure that our newborn screening remains comprehensive and that our nation’s health care providers are adequately equipped to conduct the screenings.

The Autism CARES Act builds upon a strong foundation that Congress laid by passing the Combating Autism Act in 2006. This legislation expanded research, surveillance, and treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder and has equipped our federal agencies with enhanced resources to expand its knowledge of this complex disorder. As the number of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder has increased, it is even more imperative that we reauthorize this program and ensure the continuation of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee. As families across our nation navigate raising children with autism, the Autism CARES Act would provide hope by authorizing funding for continued research, surveillance, and education at the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Health Resources and Services Administration through 2024.

The final piece of legislation we are considering today, the Lifespan Respite Care Reauthorization Act, would authorize funding for the Lifespan Respite Care program through fiscal year 2024. Respite care is a critical resource for caregivers, who spend much of their time helping their loved ones through each day. Most insurance plans do not cover the cost of respite care, but the Administration for Community Living at the Department of Health and Human Services works with the ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center to provide respite care to caregivers across the United States. This legislation is vital in ensuring that we maintain access to respite care for our caregivers and their loved ones.

Thank you to our witnesses for testifying on these important programs. I look forward to a productive dialogue and to moving these bills through this Subcommittee.