Lois Capps

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 845) to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to expand and intensify programs with respect to research and related activities concerning elder falls.

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the Senate bill under consideration.

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of Senate bill 845, the Safety of Seniors Act. Falls represent a serious health risk for millions of older Americans. In the United States, one of every three persons age 65 or older falls each year. Falls are the leading cause of injury deaths and the most common cause of injuries and hospital admissions for trauma in older adults. Senate bill 845 seeks to address the growing problem of falling and fall-related injuries among older adults. This legislation would direct the Department of Health and Human Services to oversee and support national and local education campaigns focused on reducing falls and preventing repeated falls among older adults. It is important to note that the House Committee on Energy and Commerce held a markup of the House companion legislation H.R. 3701, the Keeping Seniors Safe From Falls Act, which was introduced by Health Subcommittee Chairman Frank Pallone. The committee amended H.R. 3701 to ensure that it was identical to Senate bill 845, which has already passed the Senate by unanimous consent. So I want to commend my good friend Frank Pallone for his hard work and commitment on this important piece of legislation. I urge my colleagues to support Senate bill 845. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I support the passage of Senate bill 845, which seeks to address the growing problem of falls and fall-related injuries among older adults. Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, many of us have elder parents, relatives, neighbors or colleagues who have experienced an unnecessary fall. Recently, Nancy Reagan and Senator Robert Byrd have both suffered from falls that have caused them to be hospitalized. Falls among elderly Americans in fact are so commonplace that one in three Americans over the age of 65 each year experiences a debilitating fall. As a result, it is the leading cause of injury-related deaths for older Americans. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, estimates that fall-related medical expenses cost Americans more than $20 billion annually. Projections are that those expenses will climb to more than $40 billion over the next 15 years, posing additional burdens on already strapped Medicare and Medicaid funding. Effective demonstration tests and comprehensive public information and education campaigns can help reduce and mitigate these avoidable and frequently disabling injuries. To that end, I introduced H.R. 3701, the ``Keeping Seniors Safe from Falls Act of 2007'' with my good friend Representative Ralph Hall, which is the House companion to S. 845, the bill we are debating today. If enacted, this legislation would launch a comprehensive preventive care program and educational campaign to reduce the number and severity of falls to the elderly. In closing I want to acknowledge all the hard work that went into this bill, including the work of my colleagues both here in the House and the Senate, as well as the Falls Free Coalition working group, which has been advocating for this legislation for sometime. Madam Speaker, falls among the elderly are clearly an issue that affect and potentially imperil us all. This legislation offers a national approach to reducing these tragic events I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this important bill.

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2063) to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Secretary of Education, to develop a voluntary policy for managing the risk of food allergy and anaphylaxis in schools, to establish school-based food allergy management grants, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in strong support of H.R. 2063, the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act of 2008. This legislation would provide schools with uniform guidance on how to create appropriate management and emergency plans for children with food allergies. I was a school nurse, again, for 20 years, and I know so well the challenges confronting educators when working to ensure that their students are adequately cared for. And with the current shortage of school nurses, it is more important than ever that we assist local educational agencies in being prepared to manage the risk of food allergy and anaphylaxis in school. The risk of accidental exposure to foods can be reduced in the school setting if schools will work with students, parents, nurses, and physicians to minimize risks and provide a safe educational environment for food-allergic students. I want to commend my good friend from New York Nita Lowey for her tireless work on this important bill. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in supporting H.R. 2063. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1198) to amend the Public Health Service Act regarding early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of hearing loss, as amended.

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in strong support of H.R. 1198, the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act. I'm very proud to have introduced this bill with Congressman Jim Walsh of New York, who has championed this issue for many years. This bill is near and dear to me as cochair of both the Hearing Health Caucus and the Infant Health and Safety Caucus. The Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program is one of those success stories that are often rare in Washington. Since its authorization in 2000, we have seen a tremendous increase in the number of newborns who are being screened for hearing loss, but our work is not done. We need to ensure that every newborn is screened and that every family that needs access to follow-up care is given that access. I have been a school nurse for over 20 years, and in those years, I can tell you firsthand what happens to a child who has undiagnosed hearing loss and/or never received proper intervention. They may fall behind in school and they may face other social difficulties. Early identification and intervention are essential to a child's well-being, and that's what we aim to achieve through the reauthorization of the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act. I would like to thank the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Alliance, the American Academy of Audiology, and the March of Dimes for their support of this legislation. Let's continue to build upon the success of the past 8 years and make sure that every child has access to diagnosis and treatment of hearing loss. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve.

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I am prepared to close, and as I do, I would like to remind us all that since the authorization of the Early Hearing Detection Intervention Act in 2000, we've seen a tremendous increase in the numbers of newborns who are being screened for hearing loss; and with this passage of this reauthorization, we can continue to build upon the success of the past 8 years and make sure that every child has access to diagnosis and treatment of hearing loss.

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2464, the Wakefield Act. This legislation reauthorizes the Emergency Medical Services for Children ``EMSC'' program. The EMSC program ensures state-of-the-art emergency medical care for ill or injured children and adolescents. Since its establishment more than 20 years ago, the EMSC program has driven major improvements in emergency care for children. In fact, injury-related deaths among children have dropped by 40 percent over that time period. Enormous strides have been made in areas such as ensuring that all ambulances carry appropriate pediatric supplies and equipment, and in collecting data on pediatric emergency care to inform future quality improvement efforts. Although much progress has been achieved, more remains to be done. H.R. 2464 is an important piece of legislation that will work toward ensuring the best emergency medical care for children. I would like to congratulate my colleague on the Energy and Commerce Committee, Jim Matheson, and commend him for his hard work and dedication to this important piece of legislation. I encourage all of my colleagues to join me in support of H.R. 2464. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Matheson).

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from North Dakota (Mr. Pomeroy).

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time. And following that eloquent testimony to the value of this legislation, we can all recognize that H.R. 2464 is an important measure that will work toward ensuring the best emergency medical care for all children. I again want to congratulate my colleague on the Energy and Commerce Committee, Jim Matheson, and all of those who have spoken today, including the ranking member of the subcommittee, for all the hard work and dedication to this important piece of legislation. I urge all of my colleagues to join in support of H.R. 2464.

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1237, the Cytology Proficiency Improvement Act of 2007. This legislation would modernize Federal regulations under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments Act of 1988, CLIA, that subject those who screen and interpret Pap tests to annual proficiency testing. In 2005, CMS launched a program to begin testing pathologists and other laboratory professionals who performed Pap tests for proficiency. However, the program was designed using regulations written in 1992. In the 13 years between the regulation and the program's start, significant investments were made in the science and practice of Pap tests. Instead of relying on outdated practices, H.R. 1237 draws on the best that science and technology has to offer. H.R. 1237 has 175 bipartisan cosponsors, including myself and every other female member of the Energy and Commerce Committee. Additionally, this bill is supported by the College of American Pathologists, the American Medical Association, the American Clinical Laboratory Association, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American College of Nurse Midwives. I want to commend my colleagues, Representative Gordon and Representative Deal, for their hard work and commitment on this very important piece of legislation. This bill would improve the quality of women's health care. I strongly encourage all of our colleagues to join me in support of H.R. 1237. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.