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The Subcommittee on Human Rights & Wellness of the House Government Reform Committee, led by Chairman Dan Burton (R-IN-5) has oversight responsibilities associated with health care and civil liberties issues within the United States and abroad.
A majority of the initiatives acted on by the Subcommittee during the 1st legislative session of the 108th Congress were promulgated from investigations initiated during the tenure of Subcommittee Chairman Dan Burton during his Chairmanship of the Full Committee on Government Reform (1996-2002), including: international child abduction, Autism, oversight of the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, as well as the adverse health effects due to the use of Mercury as a vaccine preservative and in dental amalgams.
The explosive increase in occurrences of Autism Spectrum Disorders has become a great health care concern for parents in the United States. Autism, once considered a rare behavioral disorder, is now estimated to affect between 1 in 500 and 1 in 250 children in the country. Witness testimonies in addition to published scientific studies have exhibited that the use of Mercury as a preservative (Thimerosal) in childhood
inoculations may be one of the causes of Autism. In response to this data, the Subcommittee has held several hearings to support these claims, as well as initiating efforts to remove Thimerosal from childhood and adult inoculations and ophthalmologic solutions as a safety precaution. The Subcommittee has made additional efforts to promote the safety of all vaccines.
In congruence with the Subcommittee’s investigation on Autism, legislative proposals were created in order to improve the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP). The NVICP was created as a non-adversarial monetary fund that provided funds to assist individuals who were injured by inoculations. Many families of Autistic children were unaware of the benefits of this program missed the statute of limitations to file a claim for compensation for their children’s injuries, and are left to face the economic burdens associated with caring for Autistic individuals.
During the 107th Congress, the Government Reform Committee held five hearings in regard to the instances of American citizens being held against their will in Saudi Arabia by non-custodial parents. This investigation was continued by Subcommittee on Human Rights & Wellness, and a hearing was held on July 9, 2003, entitled, “International Child Abduction: The Absence of Rights of American Citizens Being Held in Saudi Arabia.” These efforts of Chairman Burton in conjunction with officials in U. S. Department of State provided the safe return of Ms. Sarah Saga, an American citizen who was abducted by her father to Saudi Arabia, where she was held captive for nearly 20 years.
In addition to continuing investigations from the 107th Congress, the Subcommittee commenced multiple oversight initiatives on current health care and human rights concerns.
In a hearing conducted on October 1, 2003, entitled, “Dying for Help: Are Patients Needlessly Suffering Due to the High Cost of Medical Liability Insurance,” the Subcommittee examined the health care implications of medical professionals no longer
offering life-saving treatments, moving practices, or retiring prematurely because of the ever-increasing medical malpractice insurance rates in many areas throughout the United States. This hearing brought to light the need for passage of a comprehensive legislation to ensure that in emergencies, the best medical care is provided to patients.
Another focus of the Subcommittee’s health oversight activities during the 108th legislative session has been in regard to the access and affordability of prescription drugs to senior citizens. Millions of senior citizens on fixed incomes in the United States are having difficulty affording the high costs of medicines needed to sustain their health, many of which must make the decision of whether or to eat or purchase prescribed drugs. This led the Subcommittee to conduct a series of five investigative hearings examining various aspects of the topic, including the safety and economic implications of facilitating the reimportation of Canadian prescription drugs in America, and the effectiveness of a new Medicare prescription drug benefit. These hearings provided the needed information to produce sound legislative proposals to assist the aging population of the Nation.
It is estimated that there are over 27 million victims of trafficking are alive today, and hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children are forced or coerced into slavery every year. The Subcommittee held a hearing on October 29, 2003, to further address this issue, bringing together officials with the U.S. Department of State and the Agency for International Development, along with non-governmental agencies, to discuss ways in which the United States could assist governments around the world in better combating these human rights abuses.
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