text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Maternal Motor Vehicle Crash Safety 
  Act of 2006''.
  
  SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
  
      In this Act:
              (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
          Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety 
          Administration.
              (2) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
          ``appropriate congressional committees'' means the Committee on 
          Appropriations and Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
          Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on 
          Appropriations and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
          House of Representatives.
              (3) Biofidelic.--The term ``biofidelic'' means having the 
          property of responding to and being impacted by crash and other 
          external forces in a manner directly consistent with the way in 
          which a live human being would respond to and be impacted by 
          such forces.
              (4) Data linkage system.--The term ``data linkage system'' 
          means an information system that is capable of accurately 
          tracking adverse health effects and birth outcomes for pregnant 
          women who are occupants of a motor vehicle that is involved in 
          a crash and the unborn children of such women, through the 
          connection and analysis of multiple data sources.
              (5) Unborn child.--The term ``unborn child'' means a member 
          of the species homo sapiens, at any stage of development, who 
          is carried in the womb.
  
  SEC. 3. FINDINGS.
  
      Congress makes the following findings:
              (1) Injuries are the leading cause of pregnancy-associated 
          deaths in the United States.
              (2) Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of injury 
          deaths in women of reproductive age and the leading cause of 
          injury hospitalizations among pregnant women.
              (3) Studies have indicated that motor vehicles are 
          estimated to account for up to 80 percent of injury related 
          deaths among unborn children.
              (4) Transportation Research Board publications indicate 
          that deaths among unborn children due to motor vehicle crashes 
          are more frequent than several notable fatal childhood 
          injuries, including bicycle related deaths in children aged 0 
          through 15, firearm related deaths in children aged 0 through 
          9, and motor vehicle crash related deaths in children aged 0 
          through 1.
              (5) Studies suggest that approximately 3 percent of all 
          babies born in the United States are involved in a motor 
          vehicle crash while in utero.
              (6) Studies have shown that elevated risks of birth-related 
          threats and obstetric complications following crashes involving 
          pregnant women include--
                      (A) premature childbirth;
                      (B) low birth weight;
                      (C) placental injury;
                      (D) uterine rupture; and
                      (E) amniotic rupture.
              (7) Despite advances in vehicle safety, pregnant women have 
          not received the special attention and consideration needed to 
          understand, reduce, and prevent the risks of adverse pregnancy 
          outcomes related to crashes.
              (8) There is a need for more research and application using 
          anthropometric test devices and computerized modeling systems 
          that represent pregnant women during all stages of pregnancy.
              (9) During pregnancy, the risks of traumatic injury to a 
          woman is shared by the woman's unborn child. Assessing the 
          magnitude and characteristics of those risks through data 
          linkage systems, comparing the risks to other injuries and 
          diseases, and reducing them, are important unmet challenges for 
          improving maternal and child health.
              (10) A better understanding is needed about what can happen 
          during, and after, a pregnant woman is involved in a motor 
          vehicle crash. This includes the effects of a crash on the 
          mother, the unborn child, and the delicate physiological 
          balance between the mother and child that separates healthy 
          from unhealthy pregnancies, including the effects of maternal 
          physiologic adaptations to trauma, fluid loss and shock, 
          effects from maternal stress, effects from diagnostic regimens, 
          medical or surgical procedures, or the wide variety of 
          prescription medicines, and other medication taken by the 
          mother.
              (11) Despite the importance of the health of mothers and 
          unborn children involved in motor vehicle crashes, agencies and 
          data linkage systems responsible for tracking motor vehicle 
          injuries, deaths, and other measures of adverse outcome rarely 
          capture pregnancy status.
              (12) Existing data collection and analysis systems 
          generally do not count unborn children involved in motor 
          vehicle crashes and do not follow them after their birth to 
          ascertain the effects of the crash on long-term neuro-
          developmental and functional outcomes.
  
  SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON IMPROVEMENTS TO THE NATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE 
                SAMPLING SYSTEM CRASHWORTHINESS DATA SYSTEM.
  
      It is the sense of Congress that the Administrator--
              (1) should continue to include in the National Automotive 
          Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System maintained by the 
          Administrator data related to motor vehicle crashes that 
          involved a pregnant women; and
              (2) should identify other means to advance the current 
          level of understanding regarding the number, nature, and impact 
          of motor vehicle crashes involving pregnant women and their 
          unborn children through data collection, data linkage systems, 
          and analysis systems.
  
  SEC. 5. GRANTS FOR DATA LINKAGE SYSTEMS PROGRAMS.
  
      (a) In General.--The Administrator shall, in consultation with 
  appropriate officials of State agencies or public health organizations, 
  carry out a program to provide grants and other incentives, including 
  technical assistance to eligible entities for the purpose described in 
  subsection (b).
      (b) Purpose.--A grant or other incentive provided under this 
  section shall be used to promote the development of data linkage 
  systems described in subsection (e).
      (c) Eligible Entity.--In this section, the term ``eligible entity'' 
  means an academic, public health, or transportation safety organization 
  or a State or local government agency that the Administrator determines 
  is appropriate to receive a grant or incentive under this section.
      (d) Application and Award Process.--
              (1) Applications.--Each eligible entity seeking a grant 
          under this section shall submit an application to the 
          Administrator at such time and in such manner as the 
          Administrator may require.
              (2) Awards.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
          enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall establish--
                      (A) the criteria for awarding a grant or incentive 
                  under this section; and
                      (B) a competitive, merit-based process to select 
                  applications to receive a grant or incentive under this 
                  section.
              (3) Publication.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
          the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall publish in 
          the Federal Register the criteria and process described in 
          paragraph (2).
      (e) Program Structure.--The data linkage systems eligible to 
  receive assistance under this section are systems that use the 
  following sources:
              (1) State and local vital statistics databases, including 
          birth, infant, and death records.
              (2) State and local crash and driver's license records.
              (3) Other computerized health records as available, 
          including emergency medical services reports and hospital and 
          emergency room admission and discharge records.
      (f) Existing Data Systems.--To the maximum extent possible, the 
  Administrator shall integrate the grant and incentive program carried 
  out under this section with the existing State specific Crash Outcome 
  Data Evaluation Systems carried out by the Administrator to utilize the 
  capabilities, linkage expertise, and organizational relationships of 
  such Systems to provide a foundation for improving the tracking of 
  adverse health effects and birth outcomes for pregnant women who are 
  occupants of a motor vehicle at the time of a crash and their unborn 
  children.
      (g) Data Security and Privacy.--In carrying out this section, the 
  Administrator and any eligible entity selected to receive a grant or 
  incentive under this section for a data linkage system shall ensure 
  that personal identifiers and other information utilized in that data 
  linkage system related to a specific individual is handled in a manner 
  consistent with all applicable Federal, State, and local laws and 
  regulations and to ensure the confidentiality of such information, and 
  in the manner necessary to prevent the theft, manipulation, or other 
  unlawful or unauthorized use of personal information contained in data 
  sources used for linkage studies.
      (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--
              (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
          $2,500,000 for each of the fiscal years 2007, 2008, 2009, and 
          2010 to carry out this section.
              (2) Availability of funds.--Funds appropriated pursuant to 
          the authorization of appropriations in paragraph (1) shall 
          remain available until expended.
  
  SEC. 6. SAFETY RESEARCH PROGRAM AND NATIONAL CONFERENCE.
  
      (a) Safety Research Program.--
              (1) Requirement to conduct.--The Administrator shall 
          conduct a research program as described in this section to 
          promote the health and safety of pregnant women who are 
          involved in motor vehicle crashes and of their unborn children.
              (2) High priority research areas.--In carrying out the 
          research program under this section, the Administrator shall 
          place a high priority on conducting research to--
                      (A) investigate methods to maximize the injury 
                  prevention performance of standard 3-point safety belts 
                  for pregnant women during all stages of pregnancy;
                      (B) analyze the effectiveness of technologies 
                  designed to modify or extend the safety performance of 
                  3-point safety belts for pregnant women across a range 
                  of pregnancy phases, including technologies currently 
                  available in the marketplace;
                      (C) develop biofidelic, anthropometric test devices 
                  that are representative of pregnant women during all 
                  stages of pregnancy; and
                      (D) develop biofidelic, computer models that are 
                  representative of pregnant women during all stages of 
                  pregnancy to aid in understanding crash forces relevant 
                  to the safety of pregnant women and unborn children 
                  that may include the utilization of existing modeling 
                  systems developed by private and academic institutions, 
                  if appropriate.
      (b) National Conference.--
              (1) Requirement to convene.--Not later than 18 months after 
          the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in 
          consultation with the heads of other appropriate Federal 
          agencies, shall convene a national research conference for the 
          purpose of identifying critical scientific issues for research 
          on the safety of pregnant women involved in motor vehicle 
          crashes and their unborn children.
              (2) Purpose of the conference.--The purpose of the 
          conference required by paragraph (1) shall be to establish and 
          prioritize a list of research questions to guide future 
          research related to the safety of pregnant women involved in 
          motor vehicle crashes and their unborn children.
              (3) Authority to partner with other organizations.--The 
          Administrator is authorized to carry out the conference 
          required by paragraph (1) in a partnership with organizations 
          recognized for expertise related to the research described in 
          paragraph (2).
      (c) Report Required.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the 
  enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the 
  appropriate congressional committees a report that describes--
              (1) the research program carried out by the Administration 
          pursuant to subsection (a), including any findings or 
          conclusions associated with such research program; and
              (2) the priorities established at the national conference 
          required by subsection (b), plans for regulations or future 
          programs, or factors limiting the effectiveness of such 
          research.
      (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--
              (1) In general.--For each of the fiscal years 2007, 2008, 
          and 2009, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as 
          necessary to carry out this section.
              (2) Availability of funds.--Funds appropriated pursuant to 
          the authorization of appropriations in paragraph (1) shall 
          remain available until expended.
  
  SEC. 7. PUBLIC OUTREACH AND EDUCATION.
  
      (a) In General.--The Administrator shall conduct a public outreach 
  and education program to increase awareness of the unique safety risks 
  associated with motor vehicle crashes for pregnant women and the unborn 
  children of such women and of the methods available to reduce such 
  risks. Such program shall include making information regarding the 
  injury-prevention value of proper safety belt and airbag use available 
  to the public.
      (b) Targeted Outreach.--The Administrator shall carry out the 
  program described in subsection (a) in a manner that utilizes media and 
  organizational partners to effectively educate pregnant women, ensure 
  an overall educational impact, and efficiently utilize the program's 
  resources.
      (c) Program Initiation and Duration.--The Administrator shall 
  initiate the program described in subsection (a) not later than 12 
  months after the date of the enactment of this Act, and shall maintain 
  such program for not less than 24 months, subject to the availability 
  of funds.
  
  SEC. 8. INCLUSION OF SAFETY DATA IN ANNUAL ASSESSMENT.
  
      (a) In General.--Subject to subsection (b), the Administrator shall 
  include a discussion of data regarding the safety of pregnant women who 
  are involved in motor vehicle crashes and of their unborn children, 
  including any relevant trends in such data, in each of the Annual 
  Assessment of Motor Vehicle Crashes published by the National Center 
  for Statistics and Analysis of the National Highway Traffic Safety 
  Administration or an equivalent publication of such Center.
      (b) Report to Congress.--If the Administrator determines that 
  including the information described in subsection (a) in the Annual 
  Assessment of Motor Vehicle Crashes or an equivalent publication is not 
  feasible, the Administrator shall submit a report to the appropriate 
  congressional committees not later than 60 days after the date of the 
  release of such Annual Assessment or equivalent publication that states 
  the reasons that it was not feasible to include such information and an 
  analysis of the steps necessary to make such information available in 
  the future.
target: Maternal Motor Vehicle Crash Safety Act of 2006 - Expresses the sense of Congress with respect to the National Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System.
  
  Directs the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to: (1) provide grants and other incentives to eligible entities to promote the development of data linkage systems that improve the tracking of adverse health effects and birth outcomes for pregnant women involved in motor vehicle crashes; (2) conduct a research program to promote the health and safety of such women and their unborn children; and (3) conduct a public outreach and education program to increase awareness of safety risks associated with motor vehicle crashes for such women and children and methods to reduce such risks.
  
  Directs the Administrator to include data regarding the safety of pregnant women and their unborn children who are involved in motor vehicle crashes in the NHTSA's Annual Assessment of Motor Vehicle Crashes.
feat_title: A bill to improve data collection efforts with respect to the safety of pregnant women and unborn children in motor vehicle crashes, provide for research and development of appropriate countermeasures, educate the public regarding motor vehicle safety risks affecting pregnant women and unborn children, and for other purposes.