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Amanda Rupp | Sep 25, 2016

House committee furthers bipartisan effort for public health

The House Energy and Commerce Committee, which Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) chairs, recently hosted a markup focusing on eight bipartisan bills that aim to improve public health.

Six of the bills came from the Health Subcommittee. Several of them have received unanimous approval from voice votes.

The Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2016, or HR 4365, allows paramedics as well as other emergency medical services (EMS) professionals to give controlled substances to patients pursuant to standing orders from the medical director of the EMS agency.

HR 1192, the National Clinical Care Commission Act, creates a National Clinical Care Commission to analyze and recommend solutions that will better coordinate and apply federal programs that support people with metabolic syndromes as well as autoimmune disorders.

Finally, HR 1209, or the Improving Access to Maternity Care Act, will increase HHS data collection. This could help to give maternal health professionals better geographic regions to serve.

“Collectively, these bipartisan bills will improve the health of Americans across a large spectrum of issues,” Upton said. “From better coordinating federal efforts regarding autoimmune and metabolic syndromes, to updating the list of dangerous synthetic drug compounds to get them off our streets, these bills will all make a difference for folks in southwest Michigan and across the country.”

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