Public Health Funding Restoration Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 3447 To fully fund the Prevention and Public Health Fund and reaffirm the importance of prevention in the United States healthcare system. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JUNE 24, 2019 Ms. MATSUI (for herself, Mr. TONKO, Ms. CLARKE of New York, Mr. WELCH, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. CA´RDENAS, Ms. KUSTER of New Hampshire, Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER, Ms. KELLY of Illinois, Mr. SARBANES, Mr. MCNER- NEY, Mr. KENNEDY, Ms. BARRAGA´N, Ms. LEE of California, and Mr. LUJA´N) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com- mittee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To fully fund the Prevention and Public Health Fund and reaffirm the importance of prevention in the United States healthcare system. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Public Health Funding 4 Restoration Act’’. 5 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 6 Congress finds the following: 7 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:06 Jun 29, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3447.IH H3447 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 3447 IH (1) The Prevention and Public Health Fund 1 (section 4002 of the Patient Protection and Afford- 2 able Care Act (42 U.S.C. 300u–11) was designed 3 ‘‘to provide for expanded and sustained national in- 4 vestment in prevention and public health programs 5 to improve health and help restrain the rate of 6 growth in private and public health care costs’’. 7 (2) Funding under such section is essential to 8 core efforts at the Department of Health and 9 Human Services and in local and State health de- 10 partments to prevent and control the spread of in- 11 fectious disease, and prevent injuries and the devel- 12 opment of chronic conditions. 13 (3) Prevention and Public Health Fund dollars 14 support evidence-based investments in tobacco use 15 prevention and cessation, nutrition, mental health, 16 childhood lead poisoning prevention, elder care ini- 17 tiatives, and immunizations, among other prevention 18 initiatives. Funding gives States and communities 19 the flexibility to respond to public health threats 20 that may be unique to their communities. 21 (4) Such prevention efforts have shown to be 22 effective. Funding increases for community based 23 public health programs reduce infant deaths and 24 preventable deaths caused by cancer, diabetes, and 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:06 Jun 29, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3447.IH H3447 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 3447 IH cardiovascular disease. Every dollar spent on preven- 1 tion saves nearly $6 in health spending and every 2 dollar spent on childhood vaccines saves $16.50 in 3 future health care costs. 4 (5) Investments in prevention reduce the cost of 5 health care in the United States. $2,900,000,000 in 6 investments in community-based disease prevention 7 is estimated to save $16,500,000,000 annually with- 8 in 5 years. 9 (6) Cuts to the Prevention and Public Health 10 Fund and other public health prevention efforts un- 11 dermine efforts to create an affordable and acces- 12 sible health care system, and a better quality life for 13 Americans. 14 (7) Restoring Prevention and Public Health 15 Fund funding to $2,000,000,000 annually will allow 16 the Fund to invest in more innovative, evidence- 17 based public health programs and maintain and ex- 18 pand investments in programs with demonstrated 19 success. 20 SEC. 3. PREVENTION AND PUBLIC HEALTH FUND. 21 Section 4002(b) of the Patient Protection and Af- 22 fordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 300u–11(b)) is amended— 23 (1) in paragraph (4), by adding at the end 24 ‘‘and’’; and 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:06 Jun 29, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3447.IH H3447 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 3447 IH (2) by striking paragraphs (5) through (9) and 1 inserting the following: 2 ‘‘(5) for fiscal year 2020 and each fiscal year 3 thereafter, $2,000,000,000.’’. 4 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:06 Jun 29, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H3447.IH H3447 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS