[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 907 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
1st Session
S. 907
To establish an Advisory Committee on Gestational Diabetes, to provide
grants to better understand and reduce gestational diabetes, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 15, 2007
Mrs. Clinton introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish an Advisory Committee on Gestational Diabetes, to provide
grants to better understand and reduce gestational diabetes, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Gestational Diabetes Act of 2007''
or the ``GEDI Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The prevalence of gestational diabetes among pregnant
women in the United States is increasing.
(2) Gestational diabetes, which is similar to chronic forms
of diabetes, normally appears at 24 to 28 weeks' gestation and
occurs in approximately 4 to 8 percent of pregnant women.
(3) The causes of gestational diabetes are unknown, but
genetics, excess weight, ethnicity, and age are considered risk
factors for the condition.
(4) There is disagreement among physicians about how to
treat gestational diabetes, as well as the effectiveness of
current treatment regimens.
(5) Gestational diabetes, which increases the risk of
preeclampsia, also increases a pregnant woman's risk for
developing the condition in subsequent pregnancies.
(6) Infants of women who develop gestational diabetes may
have extreme increases in birth weight and the risks related to
difficulties during the birthing process, and some of the
infants born to these women--
(A) may subsequently have low blood sugar or
jaundice during the newborn period;
(B) are at an increased risk for obesity and birth
trauma; and
(C) are at an increased risk of developing type 2
diabetes as an adolescent or adult.
(7) About 15 percent of infertility cases are linked to
weight disorders, most often being overweight or obese. Obesity
affects fertility and is also associated with increased
morbidity for both the mother and the child.
(8) Improved nutritional and physical health care, both
before and during pregnancy, may significantly decrease the
rates of gestational diabetes.
(9) Ten percent of obese pregnant women are estimated to
have gestational diabetes.
(10) Obesity potentially leads to a higher rate of
induction and primary caesarean section.
SEC. 3. GESTATIONAL DIABETES.
The Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 201 et seq.) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``TITLE XXX--GESTATIONAL DIABETES
``SEC. 3001. UNDERSTANDING AND MONITORING GESTATIONAL DIABETES AND
OBESITY DURING PREGNANCY.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services,
acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, shall convene a Research Advisory Committee.
``(b) Membership.--Membership in the Research Advisory Committee--
``(1) shall include--
``(A) a representative from the Agency for
Healthcare Research and Quality;
``(B) a representative from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention;
``(C) a representative from the National Institutes
of Health;
``(D) a representative from the Office of Minority
Health;
``(E) a representative from the Indian Health
Service; and
``(F) representatives from other appropriate
Federal agencies; and
``(2) may include representatives from other appropriate
organizations.
``(c) Matters To Be Studied.--The Director of the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, in consultation with the Research
Advisory Committee, shall develop a multisite, gestational diabetes
research project within the diabetes program of the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention to expand and enhance surveillance data and
public health research on gestational diabetes. The project shall
address--
``(1) the use of consistent standards to measure
gestational diabetes;
``(2) the procedures to establish accurate and efficient
systems for the collection of gestational diabetes data within
each State;
``(3) the progress of collaborative activities with the
National Vital Statistics System, the National Center for
Health Statistics, and State health departments with respect to
the standard birth certificate, in order to improve
surveillance of gestational diabetes;
``(4) the establishment of procedures for reporting
gestational diabetes data to the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention;
``(5) post-natal methods of tracking women who had
gestational diabetes after delivery and the development of ways
to lower the incidence of type 2 diabetes in that population;
``(6) variations in the distribution of diagnosed and
undiagnosed diabetes and of impaired fasting glucose tolerance
and impaired fasting glucose within and among groups of women;
and
``(7) factors that influence risks for gestational diabetes
and obesity during pregnancy and complications during
childbirth among women, including cultural, racial, ethnic,
geographic, demographic, socioeconomic, and genetic factors.
``(d) Meetings.--Not later than 1 year after the establishment of
the gestational diabetes research project under subsection (c), and
annually thereafter, the Research Advisory Committee shall meet to
assess the progress of the project and to update the Secretary of
Health and Human Services, if necessary.
``(e) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment
of the Gestational Diabetes Act of 2007, and annually thereafter, the
Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shall
generate a report on the prevalence of gestational diabetes and
disseminate the report to the Secretary of Health and Human Services
and appropriate Federal and non-Federal agencies.
``SEC. 3002. DEMONSTRATION GRANTS TO LOWER THE RATE OF GESTATIONAL
DIABETES AND OBESITY DURING PREGNANCY.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services,
acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, in consultation with the Research Advisory Committee
established under section 3001, shall award grants, on a competitive
basis, to eligible entities for demonstration projects that test
specified hypotheses about interventions designed to reduce the
incidence of gestational diabetes and obesity among young women and
implement relevant activities. In making such grants, the Director
shall act on scientific findings that--
``(1) the prevention or delay of type 2 diabetes is
possible for older adults;
``(2) the diabetes risk status of an individual is likely
established during the individual's earlier age (adolescence
through the age of 30);
``(3) women are uniquely capable of demonstrating their
diabetes risk status, through acquiring gestational diabetes
during the challenge of pregnancy;
``(4) gestational diabetes itself is a well-established
risk factor for a woman's subsequent transition to type 2
diabetes; and
``(5) gestational diabetes may confer risks of future
obesity and type 2 diabetes on the children of a mother with
gestational diabetes.
``(b) Application.--An eligible entity desiring to receive a grant
under this section shall submit to the Director of the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention--
``(1) an application at such time, in such manner, and
containing such information as the Director may require; and
``(2) a plan to--
``(A) lower the rate of gestational diabetes and
obesity during pregnancy; or
``(B) conduct post-natal methods of tracking women
who had gestational diabetes in order to develop ways
to lower the incidence of such mothers developing type
2 diabetes.
``(c) Uses of Funds.--An entity receiving a grant under this
section shall use grant funds to carry out demonstration projects,
which may include--
``(1) expanding community-based health promotion education,
activities, and incentives focused on the prevention of
gestational diabetes and obesity during pregnancy;
``(2) aiding State-based diabetes prevention and control
programs to collect, analyze, disseminate, and report
surveillance data on women with, and at risk for, gestational
diabetes and obesity during pregnancy;
``(3) building capacity with State-based partners to
implement programs and interventions based on surveillance
data; and
``(4) training and encouraging health care providers to
promote risk assessment, quality care, and self-management for
gestational diabetes and obesity during pregnancy and its
complications in the practice settings of the health care
providers.
``(d) Reports.--
``(1) CDC report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of the Gestational Diabetes Act of 2007, the Director
of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shall prepare
and submit a report to the Secretary of Health and Human
Services concerning the results of the studies conducted
through the grants awarded under this section.
``(2) Secretary report.--Not later than 90 days after
receiving the report described in paragraph (1), the Secretary
shall prepare and submit a report to Congress concerning the
results and findings of the report.
``(e) Definition of Eligible Entity.--In this section, the term
`eligible entity' means a nonprofit organization (such as an academic
center or community health center) or a State health agency.
``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2008
and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2009
through 2012.
``SEC. 3003. RESEARCH EXPANSION OF GESTATIONAL DIABETES AND OBESITY
DURING PREGNANCY.
``(a) In General.--The Director of the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention and the Director of the National Institute of Child
Health and Human Development, in collaboration with the National
Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, shall conduct
and support basic, clinical, and public health research regarding
gestational diabetes and obesity during pregnancy. Such research shall
include--
``(1) investigating therapies, interventions, and agents to
detect, treat, and slow the incidence of, gestational diabetes
and obesity during pregnancy;
``(2) developing and testing novel approaches to the design
and analysis of clinical trials;
``(3) facilitating the enrollment of patients for clinical
trials, including patients from diverse populations and
populations who suffer disproportionately from these
conditions;
``(4) developing improved diagnostics and means of patient
assessment for gestational diabetes and obesity during
pregnancy; and
``(5) conducting public health research to further
knowledge on epidemiologic, socioenvironmental, behavioral,
translation, and biomedical factors that influence gestational
diabetes and obesity during pregnancy.
``(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2008
and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2009
through 2012.
``SEC. 3004. SCREENING FOR GESTATIONAL DIABETES.
``The Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
shall encourage screening for gestational diabetes within the State-
based diabetes prevention and control programs assisted by the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, for the purpose of reducing the
incidence of gestational diabetes and its related complications.''.
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