House Passes Newborn Screening Bill

By Daniel W. Reilly

(The Politico)  The House unanimously passed a bill to expand disease screenings for newborn babies on Tuesday, after a final push from Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly.

The Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act would authorize over $40 million grants to various programs to expand screenings of newborn babies for a variety of diseases.

Having passed the Senate last December, the bill is expected to head to the president’s desk in the near future.

Clinton was joined at a press conference Tuesday afternoon by Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), Rep. Tom Reynolds (R-N.Y.) and former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly, whose son Hunter died from Krabbe Leukodystrophy, a rare disease of the nervous system, which could have been detected by early screening.

“5,000 babies die [from diseases that could be caught with screenings] each year,” Kelly told The Crypt. “It’s time to do something about this.”

Kelly said he wanted to come to DC to lobby “the heavy hitters” in Congress to take up the cause. And there are few heavier hitters in the Senate these days than Clinton.

“There are far too many tragic reminders of why every child must have access to early screening and treatment,” said Clinton in a statement.

“I strongly urge the President to sign it into law so that the best screening methods, accurate diagnostic techniques, and advanced treatments are accessible to all families.”