Republicans object to health data collection

By Julian Pecquet - 09/16/10 10:33 AM ET

Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) said he was unaware of any Republicans supporting the Health Data Collection Improvement Act, one of 16 public health bills being marked up by the Energy and Commerce health subpanel Thursday. The bill, introduced by Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), would ensure that all Health and Human Services programs and surveys provide for the voluntary collection of data on the sexual orientation and gender identity of people who apply for the services or respond to the surveys.

The other 15 bills coming up Thursday morning are believed to be uncontroversial.

Consideration of the Arthritis Prevention, Control and Cure Act of 2009 will occur in the full committee next week, panel Chairman Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) said. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.), is out of Congress because of a family emergency.

The other bills are:

- H.R. 758, Pediatric Research Consortia Establishment Act

- H.R. 1032, Heart Disease Education, Analysis Research, and Treatment for Women Act

- H.R. 1230, Bone Marrow Failure Disease Research and Treatment Act of 2009

- H.R. 1347, Concussion Treatment and Care Tools Act of 2009

- H.R. 1362, National MS and Parkinson's Disease Registries Act

- H.R. 1995, Eliminating Disparities in Diabetes Prevention Access and Care Act of 2009

- H.R. 2408, Scleroderma Research and Awareness Act

- H.R. 2818, Methamphetamine Education, Treatment, and Hope Act of 2009

- H.R. 2941, Johanna’s Law Reauthorization

- H.R. 2999, Veterinary Public Health Workforce and Education Act

- H.R. 5354, Gestational Diabetes Act of 2009 or GEDI Act

- H.R. 5462, Birth Defects Prevention, Risk Reduction, and Awareness Act of 2010

- H.R. 5986, Neglected Infections of Impoverished Americans Act of 2010

- H.R. 6012, To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to review uptake and utilization of diabetes screening benefits and establish an outreach program with respect to such benefits, and for other purpose

- H.R. 6081, Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act of 2010