FASD Respect Act Language Moves to House Floor
April 29, 2025
The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025 passed through the House Energy and Commerce Committee this morning after debate surrounding funding cuts within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Passage through the House Energy and Commerce Committee marks yet another milestone in modern FASD policy; this moves us closer to a comprehensive federal response to FASD, but the work continues until FASD supports are written into law.
Committee members from both sides of the aisle noted their support for the provisions within HR. 2483 and the overall mission of the SUPPORT Reauthorization Act. Lengthy debate stemmed from disagreements surrounding the restructuring of HHS, which includes drastic staff and budget cuts. The House Energy and Commerce Committee, which controls Medicaid funding, has been tasked with finding $880 billion in savings, prompting concern for how services mandated by the SUPPORT Act will be delivered to those dependent on Medicaid.
When speaking about the restructuring of Federal health agencies, Rep. Tonko (D-NY-20) mentioned that the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) was moved to an independent agency to ensure behavioral health was prioritized in the face of mounting stigma. Rep. Tonko argued that the restructuring of HHS and the creation of the Administration for a Healthy America (AHA) would deprioritize behavioral health, would not protect against stigma, and would hurt service delivery efforts.
Rep. Tonko (D-NY-20) offered an amendment to the bill requiring the executive branch to release funds legally authorized by Congress. Rep. Trahan (D-MA-3) submitted an amendment that would require the executive branch to analyze how restructuring within HHS would affect service delivery, ensuring major cutbacks will not drain resources for addiction services or undermine public health strategies for substance use disorders.
A third amendment was proposed by Rep. Kelly (D-IL-2) that would disallow the executive branch, particularly the Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE), from restructuring HHS and other agencies without following the legal process to do so. Rep. Castor (D-FL-14) proposed an amendment she titled the “whistling past the graveyard” amendment. The amendment stated that the SUPPORT Reauthorization Act would be ineffective due to current restructuring efforts that would see budget and staffing cuts across the HHS.
Rep. Ocasio-Cortez’s (D-NY-14) proposed amendment would have called on the HHS to report on how Medicaid cuts would affect substance use-related supports for mothers and infants. Rep. McClellan (D-VA-04) proposed an amendment that would prohibit the removal of certain employees from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), addressing layoffs that could result in service delivery interruptions. The Representative spoke on her own pregnancy experience, mentioning that she and her daughter nearly lost their lives during an emergency C-section. This experience opened her eyes to the intersection of maternal mortality and substance use disorders, noting that the leading cause of pregnancy-associated death for white women in Virginia is accidental overdose. This data was gathered and analyzed using the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), which has been shuttered following executive orders. The Representative also proposed an identical amendment to protect SAMSHA from similar layoffs or restructuring, which has already seen nearly half its staff let go.
None of these amendments passed. The committee voted to approve the SUPPORT Reauthorization Act by a vote of 36-13. The bill will be reported to the House floor.
Plain Language and Key Takeaway
The FASD Respect Act was included in HR.2483, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025, which passed through the House Energy and Commerce Committee earlier today. The next step is for the full House of Representatives to vote on the bill, which will be scheduled by the Speaker of the House, Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA-4).
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and prenatal alcohol exposure were not directly referenced, but Representatives Ocasio-Cortez and McClellan both mentioned the need for improved maternal and infant health services surrounding alcohol and substance use.
Debate during this committee hearing focused on budget and staff cuts at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which is responsible for administering services and supports mandated by HR.2483 and the FASD Respect Act. Democratic members argued that restructuring efforts will make it impossible to deliver the supports and services mandated by this bill. Republican members countered by claiming this argument is unrelated to the bill itself and that such arguments delay this critical reauthorization. All members were in favor of the bill’s mission and the provisions within it, with all disagreements stemming from political issues tangential to this bill, rather than the bill itself.
Monthly Policy Forum
Join us tomorrow, Wednesday, April 30th, at 2 pm for our Monthly Policy Forum. We will discuss the committee hearing, next steps, and strategies for communicating about FASD.
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89258294486?pwd=QzJFZFpjNER3NzEzZDdUWTFxcVl4UT09
