H.R. 1916 · 117th Congress

Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act

Introduced on Mar 16, 2021 by Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA-18). 317 cosponsors, 116 of them from another party. Latest action (Apr 5, 2022): Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Stage
Passed one chamber
Introduced
Mar 16, 2021
Cosponsors
317
116 from the other party
Policy area
Health

Progress

The furthest stage the measure reached. Simple and concurrent resolutions do not go to the President.

  1. Introduced
  2. Reported by committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. 4Passed both chambers
  5. 5Sent to the President
  6. 6Became law

Official title

To provide health insurance benefits for outpatient and inpatient items and services related to the diagnosis and treatment of a congenital anomaly or birth defect.

Subjects

  • Birth defects
  • Dental care
  • Employee benefits and pensions
  • Health care costs and insurance
  • Health care coverage and access
  • Home and outpatient care
  • Hospital care
  • Medical tests and diagnostic methods
  • Surgery and anesthesia

Summary

By the Congressional Research Service (Passed House, Apr 4, 2022). Public domain.

Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act

This bill requires private health insurance plans to cover diagnosis and treatment of congenital anomalies and birth defects, such as reconstructive services and items. Coverage must include services and items that functionally improve, repair, or restore any body part that is medically necessary for normal bodily functions or appearance, as determined by the treating physician. Coverage limits and cost-sharing requirements for such services and items may not be more restrictive than those applicable to all medical and surgical benefits under the plan.

Sponsor and cosponsors

Cosponsors by party as of the day they signed on. Original cosponsors signed on the day of introduction.

Anna G. EshooD-CA-18Sponsor

Democrats · 201

Republicans · 116

Roll calls

Recorded votes on the measure. Most measures move by voice vote or unanimous consent, which record no individual positions.

  1. Apr 4, 2022· House· Passage· Passed 310–110

History

Every action as published, oldest first. Roll calls link to how each member voted.

  1. Mar 16, 2021Introduced in House
  2. Mar 16, 2021Introduced in House
  3. Mar 16, 2021 · HouseReferred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
  4. Mar 16, 2021 · HouseReferred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
  5. Mar 16, 2021 · HouseReferred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
  6. Mar 16, 2021 · HouseReferred to the Subcommittee on Health.
  7. Mar 17, 2021 · HouseReferred to the Subcommittee on Health.
  8. Feb 8, 2022 · HouseMotion to place bill on Consensus Calendar filed by Ms. Eshoo.
  9. Apr 4, 2022 · HouseAssigned to the Consensus Calendar, Calendar No. 1.
  10. Apr 4, 2022 · HouseThe Chair announced the Speaker's designation, pursuant to clause 7(a)(1) of rule 15, of H.R. 1916 as the measure on the Consensus Calendar to be considered this week.
  11. Apr 4, 2022 · HouseDEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1916.
  12. Apr 4, 2022 · HouseMs. Eshoo moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  13. Apr 4, 2022 · HouseConsidered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4140-4144)
  14. Apr 4, 2022 · HouseAt the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
  15. Apr 4, 2022 · HouseConsidered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H4145-4146)
  16. Apr 4, 2022Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 310 - 110 (Roll no. 109).(text: CR H4140-4141)House · Roll call 109
  17. Apr 4, 2022 · HouseOn motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 310 - 110 (Roll no. 109). (text: CR H4140-4141)House · Roll call 109
  18. Apr 4, 2022 · HouseMotion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  19. Apr 5, 2022 · SenateReceived in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Committees

Committees and subcommittees the measure was referred to.

Agencies in its committees' jurisdiction

Analisa's mapping of committee jurisdiction to federal agencies; the bill may touch others, or none of these.

Sources and method

Every figure on this page traces to these records.

  • Bill status: bills and resolutions, sponsors, actions, subjects and CRS summaries (U.S. Government Publishing Office (GovInfo), from Congress.gov (Library of Congress))GovInfo Bill Status bulk data (Congress.gov; summaries by the Congressional Research Service) · data current to Oct 8, 2026 · loaded Oct 8, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Members of Congress, their terms, committees and identifiers (The @unitedstates project (from the Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress, the House and the Senate))unitedstates/congress-legislators: legislators, committees and current committee membership · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: CC0 1.0 (public domain dedication)
  • House roll-call votes (Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives)Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives, roll-call vote records · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Senate roll-call votes and DW-NOMINATE scores (Voteview (UCLA Department of Political Science))Lewis, Jeffrey B., Keith Poole, Howard Rosenthal, Adam Boche, Aaron Rudkin, and Luke Sonnet (2026). Voteview: Congressional Roll-Call Votes Database. https://voteview.com/ · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Free to use with the required citation
  • Lobbying disclosures (LD-1 registrations, LD-2 quarterly reports, LD-203 contribution reports) (Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives)Clerk of the House, Lobbying Disclosure Act filings (organizations only; lobbyists' names are not loaded) · data current to Oct 7, 2026 · loaded Oct 7, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Positions are shown only where a roll call recorded them; voice votes and unanimous consent record none.