H.R. 5012 would authorize several activities of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) related to research on stillbirths. Specifically, the bill would authorize $6 million annually over the 2024-2028 period for HHS to make grants to states to conduct surveillance and collect data on the incidence of and risk factors for stillbirths. The bill would direct HHS to issue guidelines for that data collection. The bill also would authorize $3 million annually over the same period to establish a fellowship program that would provide training in perinatal autopsy pathology; fund research on data collection from fetal autopsies; and address challenges in education, research, and data collection concerning stillbirths. Finally, H.R. 5012 would require HHS to report to the Congress on the fellowship program’s progress and effectiveness.
Based on the costs of similar activities, CBO estimates that it would cost $1 million for HHS to complete the required report. Assuming appropriation of the specified and estimated amounts, and using historical spending patterns for similar activities, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 5012 would cost $35 million over the 2025-2029 period.
The costs of the legislation, detailed in Table 1, fall within budget function 550 (health).
Table 1.
Estimated Increases in Spending Subject to Appropriation Under H.R. 5012
By Fiscal Year, Millions of Dollars
2025
2026
2027
2028
2029
2025-2029
Estimated Authorization
9
9
9
9
1
37
Estimated Outlays
4
7
9
9
6
35
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Jared Jageler. The estimate was reviewed by Ann E. Futrell, Senior Adviser for Budget Analysis.
