House sends two children's health bills to the Senate

The House on Monday approved two non-controversial children's healthcare bills that they had approved in the last Congress, and sent them on to the Senate.

In a 375-27 vote, members approved H.R. 225, the National Pediatric Research Network Act. This bill would create a national pediatric research network consisting of research consortia that can receive grants from the National Institutes of Health.

And in a 352-50 vote, the House approved H.R. 297, the Children's Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act. This bill would reauthorize grants for graduate medical education programs in children's hospitals, which is meant to help address what its supporters say is a shortage of pediatric doctors.

Both bills were brought up under a suspension of House rules, a process that's normally used for noncontroversial legislation. Both received just a brief debate earlier in the day in which both parties supported them.

The two votes were the only ones held in the House Monday. Members return Tuesday for work on a bill that would force President Obama to identify a year in which the federal budget is balanced.

---