Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 1326 - Public Health Service Infant Mortality Amendments Act of 1987

(House Rules)
(Waxman (D) California and six others)

The administration urges the House to amend H.R. 1326 to substitute the administration's proposed "Infant Health Demonstration Act pf 1987." Improving the health of the Nation's newborns is one of this administration's highest priorities. However, the administration objects to the enactment of H.R. 1326 because this bill proposes only a temporary response that fails to address the wide range of complex factors contributing to the chronic problem of infant mortality.

In contrast, the administration's bill would create a program to test innovative methods of providing case-managed, individualized, comprehensive services to Medicaid-eligible pregnant women and their infants through the first year of life. The administration's initiative would coordinate delivery of medical care and services available under Medicaid and other. Federal and State programs, and would supplement these benefits with additional educational, social, medical, psychosocial, and nutritional services.

Focusing resources, coordinating services, and working through a case management approach to address infant mortality and related problems will yield positive results.