Excerpts from
S.2054
Nationwide Health Tracking Act of 2002 (Introduced in the Senate)
S.2054
The full text of the bill can be found on THOMAS
thomas.loc.gov
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) FINDINGS- Congress finds that--
(1) approximately 7 out of every 10 deaths in the United States are
attributable to chronic diseases;
(2) with 100,000,000 people suffering from chronic diseases each
year, and
$325,000,000,000 lost in annual health care and productivity costs as
a
result, the national cost of chronic diseases is extremely high and
needs to
be appropriately addressed;
(3) the rates of many chronic diseases, including asthma, some birth
defects, and cancers, are on the rise;
(4) there is growing scientific evidence that environmental factors
are as
strongly linked, or even more strongly linked, to the incidence of
certain
chronic diseases as is genetic predisposition;
(5) a gap in critical knowledge exists in understanding the
prevalence and
incidence of chronic diseases and the environmental factors that may
relate
to them, including statewide and community level incidence and
prevalence
data on chronic diseases and related risk factors that is critically
needed
to identify trends and patterns and to improve disease prevention
efforts;
(6) States, territories, Indian tribes, and local communities need
assistance with chronic disease and environmental hazard and exposure
surveillance and prevention efforts, including the establishment,
operation,
and maintenance of the necessary infrastructure for such activities;
and
(7) a nationwide health tracking network, including the integration
of data
systems and collaborative programs and partnerships among
environmental and
public health professionals and other parts of the public health
system,
will help target resources more efficiently to those areas most in
need.
(b) PURPOSES- It is the purpose of this Act to--
(1) develop, operate, and maintain Nationwide and State Health
Tracking
Networks and rapid response capabilities so that the Federal
Government,
States, communities, territories, and Indian tribes can more
effectively
monitor, investigate, respond to, research, understand, and prevent
increases in the incidence and prevalence of certain chronic diseases
and
relevant environmental, behavioral, socioeconomic, demographic, and
other
risk factors;
(2) develop, operate, and maintain Nationwide and State Health
Tracking
Networks that will collect and provide information to Federal, State,
territorial, tribal, and local agencies, public health practitioners
and
researchers, policymakers, and the public about certain chronic
diseases and
relevant environmental, behavioral, socioeconomic, demographic, and
other
risk factors;
(3) develop, operate, and maintain Nationwide and State Health
Tracking
Networks by building upon, expanding, coordinating among,
integrating, and,
where necessary, adding to existing surveillance and data collection
systems, registries, surveys, laboratories, and other infrastructure
for
chronic diseases and relevant environmental, behavioral,
socioeconomic,
demographic, and other risk factors;
(4) provide the support necessary to ensure the availability of a
sufficient
number of well-trained environmental health and public health
personnel to
participate and provide leadership in the development, operation, and
maintenance of the Nationwide and State Health Tracking Networks; and
(5) improve coordination between the areas of public health and
environmental protection, including coordination of data collection
and
research activities, and coordination between environmental and
public
health professionals.
... PRIORITY CHRONIC CONDITION- The term `priority chronic condition'
means
a condition that appears on the list developed under section
2804(b)(2)(A).
`(A) a list and definitions of the priority chronic conditions to be
tracked through the State Networks, including--
`(i) birth defects;
`(ii) developmental disabilities (such as cerebral palsy, autism, and
mental retardation);
`(iii) asthma and chronic respiratory diseases;
`(iv) cancer, including pediatric cancers;
`(v) neurological diseases (such as Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis, and
Alzheimer's); and
`(vi) other such priority chronic conditions as the Secretary may
specify;
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