U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler’s bipartisan “Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act” received approval from the House this week and is on its way to the Senate.
The bill aims to help states expand their programs to screen newborn babies for genetic, endocrine and metabolic diseases that may not be obvious at birth.
Prior to a piece of 2008 legislation, only 10 states required newborns to be screened for a complete panel of disorders. The new bill reauthorizes several programs, including the federal advisory committee that recommends new screenings to states. It would also require the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to regulate newborn screening labs.
In a news release, Herrera Beutler, a Republican from Battle Ground, said the legislation would “ensure infants have access to screenings to prevent long-term complications and save lives.”
Republican Rep. Mike Simpson, of Burley, Idaho, echoed the sentiment.
“The science is clear: early detection of treatable conditions in newborn babies can dramatically improve prognoses and give families a head start in managing and overcoming health concerns,” he said in the release.
The legislation is also led by Democratic U.S. Reps. Lucille Roybal-Allard of California and Katherine Clark of Massachusetts.
