[House Report 112-23] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] 112th Congress Report HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1st Session 112-23 ====================================================================== NEGLECTED INFECTIONS OF IMPOVERISHED AMERICANS ACT OF 2011 _______ March 2, 2011.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed _______ Mr. Upton, from the Committee on Energy and Commerce, submitted the following R E P O R T [To accompany H.R. 528] [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] The Committee on Energy and Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H.R. 528) to require the submission of a report to the Congress on parasitic disease among poor Americans, having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. CONTENTS Page Purpose and Summary.............................................. 1 Background and Need for Legislation.............................. 2 Hearings......................................................... 2 Committee Consideration.......................................... 2 Committee Votes.................................................. 2 Committee Oversight Findings..................................... 2 Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives............ 2 New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures 3 Earmark.......................................................... 3 Committee Cost Estimate.......................................... 3 Congressional Budget Office Estimate............................. 3 Federal Mandates Statement....................................... 4 Advisory Committee Statement..................................... 4 Applicability to Legislative Branch.............................. 4 Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation................... 4 Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............ 4 PURPOSE AND SUMMARY H.R. 528, the ``Neglected Infections of Impoverished Americans Act of 2011'', was introduced on February 8, 2011, by Rep. Henry Johnson (D-GA) and subsequently referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H.R. 528 requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a study within 12 months on the epidemiology and impact of neglected parasitic infectious disease associated with poverty. BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION H.R. 528 would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to submit a report to the Congress on the epidemiology and impact of neglected diseases of poverty and the appropriate level of funding required to address those diseases. The bill specifies that such diseases include: Chagas disease, cysticercosis, toxocariasis, toxoplasmosis, trichomoniasis, the soil-transmitted helminths, and other related parasitic diseases as designated by the Secretary. The report would also include an evaluation of the current state of knowledge of these diseases and address any threats from such diseases. The House passed legislation similar to H.R. 528 in the 111th Congress. No further action was taken on the legislation in that Congress. HEARINGS The Committee on Energy and Commerce has not held hearings on the legislation. However, the Subcommittee held a legislative hearing on similar legislation, H.R. 5986, in the 111th Congress on September 15, 2010 (H. Rept. 111-154). COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION On February 11, 2011, the Subcommittee on Health met in open markup session and approved H.R. 528 for Full Committee consideration, without amendment, by a voice vote. COMMITTEE VOTES Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives requires the Committee to list the record votes on the motion to report legislation and amendments thereto. There were no record votes taken in connection with ordering H.R. 528 reported. A motion by Mr. Upton to order H.R. 528 reported to the House, without amendment, was agreed to by a voice vote. COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS Pursuant to clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the oversight findings and recommendations of the Committee are reflected in the descriptive portions of this report, including the finding on the usefulness of a report by the Secretary on the impact of neglected diseases of poverty. STATEMENT OF GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES In accordance with clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the performance goals and objectives of the Committee are reflected in the descriptive portions of this report. NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY, ENTITLEMENT AUTHORITY, AND TAX EXPENDITURES In compliance with clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee finds that H.R. 528, the ``Neglected Infections of Impoverished Americans Act of 2011'', would result in no new or increased budget authority, entitlement authority, or tax expenditures or revenues. EARMARK In compliance with clauses 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI, the Committee finds that H.R. 528, the ``Neglected Infections of Impoverished Americans Act of 2011'', contains no earmarks. COMMITTEE COST ESTIMATE The Committee adopts as its own the cost estimate prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE ESTIMATE Pursuant to clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the following is the cost estimate provided by the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974: February 25, 2011. Hon. Fred Upton, Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 528, the Neglected Infections of Impoverished Americans Act of 2011. If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Lisa Ramirez- Branum. Sincerely, Douglas W. Elmendorf. Enclosure. H.R. 528--Neglected Infections of Impoverished Americans Act of 2011 H.R. 528 would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to submit a report to the Congress on the epidemiology and impact of neglected diseases of poverty and the appropriate level of funding required to address those diseases. The bill specifies that such diseases include: Chagas disease, cysticercosis, toxocariasis, toxoplasmosis, trichomoniasis, the soil-transmitted helminths, and other related diseases as designated by the Secretary. The report would also include an evaluation of the current state of knowledge of these diseases and address any threats from such diseases. CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 528 would cost less than 500,000, subject to the availability of appropriated funds. The costs of this legislation fall within budget function 550 (health). Enacting H.R. 528 would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. H.R. 528 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments. The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Lisa Ramirez- Branum. This estimate was approved by Holly Harvey, Deputy Assistant Director of Budget Analysis. FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of Federal mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this legislation. APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to the terms and conditions of employment or access to public services or accommodations within the meaning of section 102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act. SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF THE LEGISLATION Section 1. Short title Section 1 designates the short title of the Act as the ``Neglected Infections of Impoverished Americans Act of 2011''. Section 2. Report to Congress on the current state of parasitic diseases that have been overlooked among the poorest Americans Section 2(a) directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to report to Congress on the epidemiology, impact, and appropriate funding required to address the designated parasitic diseases. Section 2(b) requires that the report include information necessary to (1) accurately evaluate the current state of knowledge of the designated parasitic diseases and define the gaps in such knowledge; and (2) address the threat of these diseases. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED No changes are made to existing law.