{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://morrison.house.gov/media/press-releases/us-rep-kelly-morrison-advocates-two-life-saving-bills-protect-our-childrens", "U.S. Rep. Kelly Morrison Advocates for Two Life-Saving Bills to Protect Our Children\u2019s Health and Safety at House Energy and Commerce Committee Hearing", "2025-12-19", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Kelly Morrison", "M001234", "morrison.house.gov", "morrison", "https://morrison.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 U.S. Representative Kelly Morrison (MN-03) spoke at the House Energy and Commerce Committee, urging the Committee to advance two of Representative Morrison\u2019s bipartisan and life-saving bills to protect our children\u2019s health and safety: the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act of 2025, and the Allergen Disclosure in Non-Food Articles (ADINA) Act.\n\nRepresentative Morrison spoke on her bipartisan Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act of 2025, which will reauthorize crucial federal resources to support newborn screenings.. Over 15 million children in the United States have rare diseases, and newborn screening allows for early diagnosis and treatment. The legislation, first signed into law in 2008, saves or improves the lives of thousands of babies a year \u2013 Representative Morrison urged the Energy and Commerce Committee to advance the bill to full committee consideration without delay.\n\nRepresentative Morrison also spoke in support of her bipartisan bill the ADINA Act, which she introduced earlier this year. Inspired by Minnesota\u2019s Third District constituent Adina, who suffered a severe allergy attack due to an unlabeled allergen in a prescribed medication, the ADINA Act would require pharmaceutical companies to clearly label common allergens and gluten present in medications.\n\nDuring her remarks, Rep. Morrison highlighted two advocate families including a constituent family from Minnesota who are fiercely advocating for the passage of these bipartisan pieces of legislation.\n\nAs a doctor who cared for patients for over 20 years, improving health outcomes and making sure everyone has access to quality health care is one of Representative Morrison\u2019s top priorities.\n\nWatch the video of Representative Morrison\u2019s remarks HERE.\n\nImage\n\nRead a transcript of Representative Morrison\u2019s remarks below:\n\nThank you, Chair Guthrie and Ranking Member Pallone, I appreciate the opportunity to testify before you today.\n\nI\u2019d like to begin by thanking the committee for advancing my bill, the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act of 2025 out of the health subcommittee.\n\nThis bipartisan legislation would renew and strengthen vital federal support for newborn screening programs, helping ensure lab quality, inform parents, and expand screening.\n\nNewborn screening has been an essential public health initiative that allows for life-saving early diagnosis and treatment.\n\nEach year, approximately four million newborns are screened in the U.S. and about 12,000 infants are identified as having a condition and benefit from these critical early diagnoses.\n\nThe long history of bipartisan collaboration and support for the newborn screening program has been instrumental in helping improve diagnostic tools, expand screening access across states, and even support the development of rare disease treatments and therapies.\n\nThis week I had the privilege of meeting with the father of one of the many families personally impacted by a rare disease newborn screenings could help identify and treat.\n\nDespite the tragic loss of their daughter Darcee in 1995 to MLD, Metachromatic Leukodystrophy and their devoted caregiving to their daughter Lindy also battling MLD, Dean Suhr and his wife Teryn have been dedicated to making sure other families do not suffer through the isolation and pain they faced during their nearly 7-years-long search for an accurate diagnosis for their daughter.\n\nThanks to the dedicated work of fierce champions like the Suhrs along with other rare disease advocates, researchers, and physicians, we\u2019ve seen incredible advances in the field of newborn screening.\n\nI\u2019m honored to represent Minnesota\u2019s Third Congressional District and in Minnesota, we\u2019re proud to be a hub for pioneering research and a leader in studying rare disease diagnoses and interventions.\n\nRecent developments and advances in cell and gene therapies show how investing in these programs can transform long-term health outcomes.\n\nWhen we invest in newborn screening, we are protecting the most vulnerable among us, giving babies the best chance at a healthy start, and helping spare families the pain and exhaustion of searching for a diagnosis.\n\nHaving cared for patients as an OBGYN for over two decades, I cannot emphasize enough how transformative and consequential it is to identify and when possible, treat conditions at the earliest possible moment.\n\nParents already face so many challenges when they welcome a new baby to their family. The peace of mind and clarity that life-saving newborn screening can deliver is priceless.\n\nI\u2019ve been so inspired by the courage and resilience of the advocate families I\u2019ve cared for as a doctor and met with as a legislator.\n\nThey persist regardless of the at times all-consuming caregiving responsibilities they have, and despite the heartbreaking losses some endure.\n\nThey push past barriers, unwaveringly committed to getting every baby in America the access to the timely diagnosis and treatment they need.\n\nThe Energy and Commerce committee has the opportunity to continue the progress we\u2019ve made over the last 22 years.\n\nTo help transform their dream of a world where every child has access to an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment into a reality.\n\nTo honor the dedication and sacrifice of these families and the memories of their loved ones.\n\nI implore the committee to take the critical step of advancing this bill to full committee consideration without delay.\n\nIn the spirit of recognizing devoted advocates, I would also like to request the committee\u2019s consideration of the ADINA Act.\n\nWhile at sleep away camp in 2022, a constituent of mine, Adina Togal was rushed to the hospital following a severe allergic reaction to a prescribed medication.\n\nSince the incident, Adina and her family have been fighting to make sure no other family has the same frightening experience.\n\nThe ADINA Act would require pharmaceutical companies to clearly label major allergens & gluten present in medications, bringing greater transparency, protecting patient safety, and delivering peace of mind to families like Adina\u2019s and so many others.\n\nWith an estimated 3.4 million Americans presenting to the emergency room annually for a food allergy reaction, this bill could help families avoid costly medical bills and alleviate emergency room case load.\n\nI look forward to continuing to work with the committee to advance policies that protect our children\u2019s health and safety.\n\nI yield back.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://morrison.house.gov/media/press-releases/us-rep-kelly-morrison-advocates-two-life-saving-bills-protect-our-childrens"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9130409453064203, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}