PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.
H.R.1281 / 113th Congress

Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act of 2014

Became Public Law No: 113-240.

Official summary

Version 49 · Public Law · Dec 18, 2014

(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the Senate on December 8, 2014. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act of 2014 - (Sec. 2) Amends the Public Health Service Act to revise and extend through FY2019 a grant program for screening, counseling, and other services related to heritable disorders that can be detected in newborns. Allows grants to be used to improve timeliness of newborn screening and provide training to health care professionals on the importance of timely screening and on the sharing of medical and diagnostic information with providers and families.

(Sec. 3) Extends through FY2019 a grant program to evaluate the effectiveness of screening, counseling, or health care services in reducing the morbidity and mortality caused by heritable disorders in newborns and children. Expands the program to include evaluation of health outcomes through adolescence and best practices for timely screening of newborns.

Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.

Read full official summaryShow less

(Sec. 4) Extends for five years the operation of the Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children. Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to continue the Advisory Committee after such time.

(Sec. 5) Extends through FY2019 the clearinghouse for newborn screening information. Expands the duties of the clearinghouse to include: (1) maintaining current information on the number of conditions for which screening is conducted in each state; and (2) disseminating guidelines for diagnosis, counseling, and treatment of conditions detected by newborn screening.

(Sec. 6) Extends through FY2019 requirements for the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide for quality assurance of laboratories involved in screening newborns and children for heritable disorders. Authorizes the Director to coordinate surveillance activities, including through standardized data collection and reporting and electronic health records.

(Sec. 7) Makes permanent the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Newborn and Child Screening. Adds the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration and the Commissioner of Food and Drugs (FDA) to this committee.

(Sec. 8) Requires the Director to update the national contingency plan for newborn screening at least every five years.

(Sec. 9) Authorizes the Secretary to expand the Hunter Kelly Newborn Screening Research Program to: (1) provide research and data for newborn conditions under review by the Advisory Committee to be added to the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel, and (2) conduct pilot studies on conditions recommended by the Advisory Committee to ensure that screenings are ready for nationwide implementation.

(Sec. 11) Requires the Comptroller General (GAO) to report on the timeliness of newborn screening. Requires the Secretary to report on newborn screening activities and expenditures.

(Sec. 12) Directs HHS to update the Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects, also known as the Common Rule, not later than two years after enactment of this Act. Applies the following provisions until HHS updates the Common Rule:

requires federally funded research on newborn dried blood spots to be considered research on human subjects (which requires the informed consent of the subject), and

eliminates the ability of an institutional review board to waive informed consent requirements for research on newborn dried blood spots.

Read the summary on Congress.gov
PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

Who introduced it

Rep. Roybal-Allard, Lucille [D-CA-40] · D–CA

Committees

  • Energy and Commerce Committee
120 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

  1. Became Public Law No: 113-240.

  2. Became Public Law No: 113-240.

  3. Signed by President.

  4. Signed by President.

  5. Presented to President.

  6. Presented to President.

  7. Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

  8. On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection. (text as House agreed to Senate amendment: CR H8994-8998)

  9. Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection.(text as House agreed to Senate amendment: CR H8994-8998)

  10. Mrs. Ellmers asked unanimous consent that the House agree to the Senate amendment. (consideration: CR H8994-8998)

  11. Message on Senate action sent to the House.

  12. Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

  13. Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

  14. Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S6395)

  15. Received in the Senate, read twice.

  16. On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5696-5697)

  17. Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H5696-5697)

  18. DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1281.

  19. Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5696-5699)

  20. Mr. Pitts moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

  21. Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 354.

  22. Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 113-478.

  23. Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 113-478.

  24. Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.

  25. Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

  26. Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote .

  27. Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

  28. Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

  29. Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

  30. Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H1643)

  31. Introduced in House

  32. Introduced in House

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Apr 7, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.R.1281 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources
Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.R.1281 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources
Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.R.1281 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources
Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.R.1281 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources