Gillibrand, Colleagues Reintroduce Bicameral Momnibus Act To End America’s Black Maternal Health Crisis

Gillibrand, Colleagues Reintroduce Bicameral Momnibus Act To End America's Black Maternal Health Crisis

Aug 11, 2026

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) joined a bicameral group of colleagues in reintroducing the landmark Momnibus Act, a comprehensive legislative package designed to end the nation's maternal health crisis and directly confront the devastating disparities that continue to claim the lives of Black mothers at alarming rates. Senator Gillibrand leads the Moms Matter Act included in the package, which would increase investments in maternal mental health programs and expand this vital workforce to better support moms and pregnant women.

"It is shameful that women in the United States are more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than in any of our peer countries," said Senator Gillibrand. "The Momnibus Act will invest in comprehensive research on risks disproportionately affecting Black mothers, fund community support, and strengthen federal programs aimed at assisting new mothers. I am proud to lead the Moms Matter Act included in this package, and I will continue fighting to ensure that every mother receives high-quality healthcare regardless of race or socioeconomic status."

For years, the United States has had the highest maternal mortality rate among high-income countries, with stark racial disparities. In 2024, Black women faced a pregnancy-related mortality ratio more than three times higher than White women-even though more than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable.

Senator Gillibrand has long championed efforts to address the maternal health crisis and eliminate racial disparities in maternal health outcomes, including through the Momnibus Act. She also introduced the Modernizing Obstetric Medicine Standards (MOMS) Act, which would promote standardized maternal safety best practices, and the Maternal CARE Act, which would support states in their work to end preventable morbidity and mortality in maternity care with two new grant programs. Additionally, her Into the Light for Maternal Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders Act, which passed into law in 2022, reauthorized grants to states for essential programs to screen and treat maternal mental health conditions and established the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline to provide 24/7 voice and text support services to pregnant women and their loved ones.

In addition to Senator Gillibrand, the Momnibus Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Peter Welch (D-VT), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Tina Smith (D-MN), Edward Markey (D-MA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Patty Murray (D-WA), Gary Peters (D-MI), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT). U.S. Representatives Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14) and Alma S. Adams (D-NC-12), co-founder and co-chair of the Black Maternal Health Caucus, introduced companion legislation in the House.

The Momnibus Act makes targeted, high-impact investments to address the drivers of the Black maternal health crisis, including social determinants of health, access to culturally congruent care, mental health assistance, community-based supports, and the effects of climate change and public health emergencies on Black mothers and babies.

The Momnibus Act is composed of 14 bills that would:

• Invest in social determinants of health-including housing, transportation, and nutrition-to reduce preventable risks disproportionately affecting Black moms.
• Extend WIC eligibility during postpartum and breastfeeding periods.
• Fund community-based organizations trusted by Black families and rooted in the communities they serve.
• Increase maternal health care funding for veterans, including Black women veterans who face unique barriers.
• Grow and diversify the perinatal workforce to ensure Black mothers receive care from providers who understand their lived experiences.
• Improve maternal health data collection to identify and eliminate disparities.
• Expand maternal mental health and substance use disorder support, with attention to the needs of Black moms.
• Improve care for incarcerated mothers, who are disproportionately Black.
• Invest in digital tools to expand access to care in underserved communities.
• Promote innovative payment models that incentivize high-quality, culturally congruent care.
• Strengthen federal programs addressing maternal and infant health risks during public health emergencies.
• Support climate resilience initiatives for moms and babies, including Black families disproportionately exposed to environmental hazards.
• Invest in research to eliminate racial disparities and prevent maternal deaths.
• Promote maternal vaccinations to protect moms and infants.

The text of the Momnibus Act is available here.

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