Spectrum News: Bipartisan push to pass legislation to research stillbirths
Bringing home a newborn is a joyous moment for every new parent.
But for thousands of American families every year, that moment never comes. According to the Centers for Disease Control, over 20,000 babies each year are stillborn.
“That’s more than if you add up child deaths from guns, or sudden infant deaths, or accidents and drownings. If you add all of those up, that still doesn’t equal the number of babies that are born still in America. And we think we can help prevent this pain and agony,” said Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla.
Castor and Rep. Young Kim, R-Calif., are teaming up on the SHINE for Autumn Act, legislation aimed at learning more about, and spreading awareness of, stillbirths. The bill is named in honor of Autumn Joy, who was stillborn in July 2011. Her mother, Debbie Haine Vijayvergiya, turned the pain of the loss of her daughter into advocacy for answers.
Kim, a mother and grandmother, said hearing from Debbie made this a personal mission for her.
“It was really heartbreaking. So I wanted to help raise awareness by finding some cure — if there is a way that Congress can work to provide some funding for research. That’s why I got involved,” she said.
“We’ve learned a lot in public health over the years, but there’s still a missing link and missing data on why over 20,000 babies in America are born,” added Castor. “What we’re trying to do is get the data, get the best information into the hands of doctors and families so that moms and babies can be healthy and well, and we can avoid this tragedy of stillbirth.”
The bill, if passed, would authorize $6 million annually for the next five years for research, data collection improvements, and distribution of guidelines to local health officials.
The bill has passed the House before, but has been unable to make it through the Senate. Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J. and Steve Daines, R-Mont., are acting as the bill’s primary advocates in the upper chamber.
Since its introduction, 16 other lawmakers have signed on in support.
Kim said she is optimistic this time, lawmakers will be able to pass the bill into law, giving a lot of credit to Debbie and other advocates who have been on the forefront of this fight.
“They are raising [their] voices and stepping up and advocating on this very, very important issue. And we’re going to get it done this time around,” she promised. “Their activism is encouraging U.S. policymakers, legislators. And so we’ll do our part as they do their part.”
