WASHINGTON – During a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) markup today,U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville’s (R-AL) Poison Control Centers Reauthorization Act of 2024 passed unanimously out of committee, 21-0. Sen. Tuberville’s bipartisan legislation reauthorizes the Poison Control Centers (PCC) Network program through 2029, providing life-saving care to millions of Alabama families. This legislation will be presented to the full Senate for consideration soon.
Identical legislation cleared the House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously in March.
Senator Tuberville delivered remarks while introducing the legislation during a Senate HELP Committee markup. Read excerpts below or watch on YouTube or Rumble.
“Chairman Sanders, Ranking Member Cassidy,
Thank you for including this lifesaving legislation in today’s markup. I’m happy to introduce this bill with Sen. Murray—S.4351—is the Poison Control Center Reauthorization Act [of 2024]. This bill reauthorizes America’s Poison Control Center’s appropriations for five years through FY2029. There are 55 accredited U.S. poison centers in the United States serving all 50 states and territories. Poison centers [and] dedicated teams of nurses, pharmacists, and toxicologists work to safeguard Americans by providing 24/7, 365 coverage.
Their mission is simple. Deliver top-tier care research, education advocacy to prevent poison-related harm, contain costs, and save lives. Poison Control Center data is uploaded into the National Poison Data System within five minutes of being entered into local surveillance—allowing identification of emerging public health threats. I’m particularly proud of the Alabama Poison Information Center at Children’s Hospital in Alabama. It was the 14th center established in the United States, and they have also developed the nation’s first comprehensive snake bite program including a post-discharge snake bite clinic.
The Alabama Poison Control Center handled over 107,000 calls last year, not only do these centers save lives, but they also save the healthcare system tons of money. Of the incoming calls to the Alabama Center, 85% of those were able to be monitored in the home –meaning those folks did not have to visit the ER.
I couldn’t be more proud of our center in Alabama and the other poison control centers across the country. I’m pleased to be able to lead this reauthorization with Senators Murray, Romney, and Lujan, and I look forward to the bill’s passage.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.”
BACKGROUND:
Last week, Senator Tuberville introduced the Poison Control Centers Reauthorization Act of 2024 with U.S. Senators Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Mitt Romney (R-UT).
The PCC Network program runs the Poison Control National Toll-Free hotline (1-800-222-1222) and 55 poison control centers nationwide—medical support facilities staffed by toxicologists, nurses, and other professionals operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The program is supported by a combination of public and private funding. In 2022, the PCC Network responded to more than 2 million human exposures—receiving an exposure case every 15 seconds on average. Alabama’s Poison Information Center is housed at Children’s of Alabama in Birmingham.
The Poison Control Centers Reauthorization Act of 2024 reauthorizes the PCC Network program, Poison Control National Toll-Free phone number, and national media campaign, through 2029.
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, and HELP Committees.
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