Health

From the time that he was first elected to Congress, improving access to health care and the quality of health care has been Fred Upton’s top priorities. For this reason, he sought a seat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee, with wide-ranging jurisdiction over federal health programs and agencies, such as Medicare, Medicaid, community health programs, and the NIH, CDC, and FDA.

• Controlling Date Rape Drugs
  
  Responding to the death of Michigan teenager from ingesting GHB, a powerful uncontrolled sedative used by date rapists, a tragic part of an alarming wave across the country of the misuse of these sedatives to facilitate rapes, Congressman Upton introduced H.R. 2130, legislation putting GHB and its derivatives in the most highly-controlled and regulated category of drugs, with the strongest penalties for abuse. With strong support from the Drug Enforcement Agency and law enforcement agents across the nation, on February 18, 2000, this bill became Public Law 106-172.
  
  
• Understanding and Preventing Premature Births
  
  After meeting with March of Dimes representatives and learning that in the U.S., a staggering 12 percent of births every year are premature and that the rate of prematurity has jumped 27 percent since 1981, Upton took the lead in introducing H.R. 3350, the Preemie Act of 2003, to provide much-needed support for research and education that will help reduce the rates of preterm labor and delivery.
  
  
• Reauthorizing the Healthy Start Program
  
  In Kalamazoo and other communities across the nation, the Healthy Start program is bringing communities together to form coordinated strategies for preventing infant mortality and morbidity. Seeing the success of the Kalamazoo Healthy Start Resource Center --100 percent of the mothers served by the center delivered healthy, full-term babies -- Upton took the lead in introducing H.R. 4905, the Healthy Start Reauthorization Act of 2004.
  
  
• Responding to Parkinson’s Disease
  
  In 1997, recognizing the devastating nature of Parkinson’s disease, Upton introduced the Morris K. Udall Parkinson’s Research Act to increase NIH funding for research and establish Parkinson’s Research Centers across the nation. This legislation was signed into law as part of legislation funding the NIH. Today, there are 11 centers, and the NIH has developed and is implementing and funding a comprehensive research plan to find a cure for Parkinson’s.
  
  
• Saving Poison Control Centers
  
  With poison control centers closing in large numbers across the country because of economic pressures on the hospitals that usually run them as a public service, Upton introduced H.R. 1221, the Poison Control Center Enhancement and Awareness of 1999, which was enacted into law as part of a larger children’s health bill, P.L. 160-174 on February 25 th, 2000. He introduced legislation (H.R. 1819) successfully reauthorizing this program in 2003, P.L. 108-194.
  
  
• Streamlining the New Animal Drug Approval Process
  
  Recognizing the pressing need for new animal drugs to protect and treat our pets, flocks, and herds, Congressman Upton introduced the Animal Drug User Fee Act of 2003 to give the FDA the authority to collect fees from animal drug developers to be used to streamline the new drug evaluation and review process without compromising drug safety or effectiveness. The bill became Public Law 108-130 in 2003, and in recognition of his leadership the Animal Health Institute presented Upton with its Distinguished Legislator Award.
  
  
• Responding to Childhood Asthma
  
  Recognizing the spiraling increase in childhood asthma, Rep. Upton introduced H.R. 2840, the Children’s Asthma Relief Act of 1999. This bill was signed into law as part of the Children’s Health Act of 2000, Public Law 102-310 in October, 2000.
  
  
• Improving Access to New Drugs and Medical Devices
  
  Recognizing that our laws regulating the import and export of drugs and medical devices were out of sync with those of other countries with sophisticated drug and device review and approval regimens and were leading American drug and device innovators and manufacturers to move overseas, Rep. Upton introduced H.R. 1300, the FDA Export Reform and Enhancement Act of 1995 to keep new technology and jobs here at home. This bill was signed into law as part of the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 1996, Public Law 104-134.
  
  
• Improving Nutrition Labeling|
  
  Recognizing that the FDA’s complex, time-consuming rules and regulations for putting health claims on food labels was keeping important health information from consumers, such as the fact that most cases of spina bifida can be prevented if childbearing-age and pregnant women consume foods rich in folic acid, Rep. Upton introduced H.R. 2208, the Consumers Nutrition and Health Education Act of 1997 to streamline the process. This bill became law as part of the FDA Modernization Act of 1997, Public Law 105-115 in November, 1997.
  
  
• Spearheaded National Abstinence Education Program
  
  Upton has led the fight in the House over the last two Congresses to reauthorize the abstinence only education program and to continue its $50 million in funding. Through Upton ’s efforts this $50 million funding will be available for the next five years. Upton knows the importance of abstinence education for our youngsters. Abstinence education programs give our young people the inspiration and education to develop character and personal responsibility. Michigan has been in the forefront of abstinence education, and Upton was pleased that with his support, the New Genesis organization in Kalamazoo received a federal abstinence education grant of $737,925 to fund a community-based abstinence program for the young people of Kalamazoo .