Poison Center Support, Enhancement, and Awareness Act of 2008
Became Public Law No: 110-377.
Congressional Research Service
Official summary
Version 49 · Public Law · Oct 8, 2008
Poison Center Support, Enhancement, and Awareness Act of 2008 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide coordination and assistance for the maintenance of the nationwide toll-free phone number to access poison control centers.
Requires the Secretary to carry out and expand upon a national media campaign to educate the public and health care providers about poison prevention and the availability of poison control center resources in local communities. Authorizes the Secretary to enter into contracts with nationally recognized organizations in the field of poison control and national media firms for the development and implementation of a nationwide poison prevention and poison control center awareness campaign.
Expands the poison control center grant program to allow the Secretary to award grants for poison control centers to comply with the operational requirements needed to sustain certification. Adds as the purposes for which such grants may be used: (1) to establish and evaluate best practices in the United States for poison prevention, poison control center outreach, and emergency and preparedness programs; (2) to implement standard patient management guidelines for commonly encountered toxic exposures; (3) to develop, support, and enhance technology and capabilities of professional organizations in the field of poison control to collect national poisoning, toxic occurrence, and related public health data; and (4) to develop initiatives to foster the enhanced public health utilization of national poison data. Eliminates matching requirements for such grants.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by recorded vote (2/3 required): 403 - 6 (Roll no. 653).(text: CR 9/25/2008 H9920-9921)
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H10049)
At the conclusion of debate, the chair put the question on the motion to suspend the rules. Mr. Terry objected to the vote on the grounds that a quorum was not present. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed. The point of no quorum was withdrawn.
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 2932.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H9920-9922)
Mr. Pallone moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
Held at the desk.
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Received in the House.
Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S9340-9341)
Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions discharged by Unanimous Consent.
Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions discharged by Unanimous Consent.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Introduced in Senate
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Source last updated: Apr 21, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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