NEWS: Senator Blunt Rochester Joins 70+ Lawmakers to Reintroduce Bicameral Bill to Address Maternal Health Risks During Public Health Emergencies

Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, today joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Representative Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.), and over 70 lawmakers in reintroducing the Maternal Health Pandemic Response Act to address maternal health risks during public health crises like COVID-19 and the ongoing hantavirus and Ebola outbreaks. In such emergencies, pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women are uniquely vulnerable and face an increased risk for adverse maternal health outcomes.

In October 2022, a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that during the COVID-19 pandemic, maternal health outcomes severely worsened. In 2020 and 2021, the disease contributed to 25% of maternal deaths - 80% higher than before the pandemic hit. Women of color proved to be especially vulnerable, with the maternal mortality rate increasing by more than 50% for Black women and doubling for Hispanic women from 2019 to 2021.

This bill would advance pivotal policies to address current and future maternal health risks during public health emergencies.

"Motherhood can be challenging even without the stress of a public health crisis and rising healthcare costs," said Senator Blunt Rochester. "The Maternal Health Pandemic Response Act will increase investments in the care of mothers and their children to ensure that even in an emergency, they receive the quality of care they deserve."

"Public health emergencies push our already-broken health care system to the brink, and it's pregnant women and moms who pay the price. We can't get caught flat-footed by the next pandemic or health crisis - we have to invest in measures to protect women now," said Senator Warren.

"During public health emergencies we know that pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding moms are uniquely vulnerable and at increased risk for adverse maternal health outcomes," said Rep. Lauren Underwood. "We can do so much more to protect moms and families. The Maternal Health Pandemic Response Act will make sure we are collecting the right data, making the right investments, and communicating the right information to save lives."

The Maternal Health Pandemic Response Act will:

• Authorize robust funding for federal programs that support maternal and infant health during public health emergencies.

• Improve maternal health data collection, reporting, and transparency standards during public health emergencies.

• Support public health education campaigns on providing safe maternity care during public health emergencies.

• Establish a task force on birthing experiences and safe, respectful maternity care during public health emergencies.

This bill is cosigned in the Senate by Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.).

This bill is cosigned in the House by: Representatives LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Gwen Moore (D-Wis.), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Glenn Ivey (D-Md.), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), Christian Menefee (D-Texas), Wesley Bell (D-Mo.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Yvette D. Clarke (D-N.Y.), Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.), John Garamendi (D-Calif.), Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.), Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.), Shomari Figures (D-Ala.), Steven Horsford (D-Nev.), Jesús "Chuy" García (D-Ill.), Marc Veasey (D-Texas), Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Terri Sewell (D-Ala.), Frederica S. Wilson (D-Fla.), Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.), Herb Conaway (D-N.J.), Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-Va.), Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.), Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), Angie Craig (D-Minn.), Morgan McGarvey (D-Ky.), Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.), André Carson (D-Ind.), Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Lucy McBath (D-Ga.), George Latimer (D-N.Y.), Julie Johnson (D-Texas), Darren Soto (D-Fla.), Alma Adams (D-N.C.), Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), Nellie Pou (D-N.J.), Valerie Foushee (D-N.C.), Emilia Sykes (D-Ohio), Ted W. Lieu (D-Calif.), Juan Vargas (D-Calif.), Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.), Kevin Mullin (D-Calif.), Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.), Kim Schrier (D-Wash.), Marilyn Strickland (D-Wash.), Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), Hillary Scholten (D-Mich.), Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.), Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.), Nikema Williams (D-Ga.), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), Norma Torres (D-Calif.), and Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.).

The Maternal Health Pandemic Response Act is endorsed by nearly 200 organizations: 1,000 Days, an initiative of FHI Solutions, 4Kira4Moms, A Better Balance, ACA Consumer Advocacy, African American Breastfeeding Network, African Heritage PA Caucus, Alliance to End Hunger, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Nursing, American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, American Association for Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work, American Association of Birth Centers, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), American College of Nurse-Midwives, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, American Heart Association, American Muslim Health Professionals, American Nurses Association, American Psychological Association, American Public Health Association, Ancient Song Doula Services, Anxiety and Depression Association of America, Arika Trim Foundation, Association of Black Cardiologists, Association of Black Women Physicians, Association of Community Health Nursing Educators (ACHNE), Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs, Association of Physician Associates in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Association of State Public Health Nutritionists (ASPHN), Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses, Baby Cafe USA, Babyscripts, Bayard Rustin Liberation Initiative, Big Cities Health Coalition, Birthing Beautiful Communities, Birthing Project USA, Black Mamas Village, Black Mothers Breastfeeding Association, Bloom Maternal Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), Blue Shield of California, Bobbie, Boston Medical Center, Breastfeed Durham, Breastfeeding Family Friendly Communities, BreastfeedLA, California Breastfeeding Coalition, CAPPA (Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association), Catholic Health Association of the United States, Catholics for Choice, Center for American Progress, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), Champaign County Health Care Consumers, Changent (Child First & Nurse-Family Partnership), Children's Health Fund, Cityblock Health, Commonsense Childbirth Inc., Community Catalyst, Deans' Nursing Policy Coalition, DONA International, Doula Alliance of Arkansas, Dr. Shalon's Maternal Action Project, EcoMadres, Engage: Promoting Women's Economic Security, EverThrive Illinois, Every Mother Counts, Families USA, Fayetteville Police Accountability Community Taskforce, Federation of American Hospitals, Fibroid Foundation, First Focus Campaign for Children, Futures Without Violence, GA Maternal Fetal Health Alliance, GLO Preemies, Glow Birth & Body and The Birth Deck, Grow Midwives, LLC, Hackensack Meridian Health, Harambee Doula Care & Holistic Services, Health Tech for Medicaid (HT4M), HealthConnect One, Healthy Birth Day Inc., HealthyWomen, Heluna Health, HIMSS, Hustle Mommies, Ingram Screening, LLC, International OCD Foundation, Lamaze International, Lifeline for Families Center and Lifeline for Moms Program at UMass Chan Medical School, Living Well Black, Luna Tierra Birth Center, Mainline Maternity Care, Majaica, Malone Center, March of Dimes, Mary Amelia Center for Women's Health Equity Research, Maternal Applications of Technology for Community Health (MATCH) Coalition, Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance, Maternity Care Coalition, MelinatedMoms, Mental Health America, Michigan Council for Maternal and Child Health, Mom Congress, Mom.ME., Mom2Mom Global, Momma's Village Fayetteville, Moms Clean Air Force, MomsRising, Most Beautiful W.O.M.B. Inc, Mothering Justice, Mothers Out Front, Narrative Nation Inc., National Alliance to impact the Social Determinants of Health (NASDOH), National Association of Certified Professional Midwives (NACPM), National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health, National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health, National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, National Association of School Nurses, National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Chicago-Metropolitan Chapter, National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), National Health Law Program, National Healthy Start Association, National League for Nursing, National Medical Association, National Medical Fellowships, Inc., National Organization for Women, National Organization for Women - Hollywood Chapter, National Partnership for Women and Families, National Perinatal Task Force, National Urban League, National WIC Association, National Women's Law Center, Nemours Children's Health, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute, Northeast Arkansas Doulas, Nurses for America, Nzuri Doula Services, Ob Hospitalist Group, Once Upon A Preemie, Inc, PA Education Association, Pace University, Partners In Health, Poppy Seed Health, Postpartum Support International (PSI), Pregnancy Justice, Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association, Prolacta Bioscience, Reach Healthcare - Happy Mama, riskLD, Roots and River Wellness, Sista Midwife Productions, Sister to Sister International, Inc., SisterReach, SisterReach Illinois, Six Dimensions, SMART Recovery, Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine, Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior, Society for Women's Health Research, Sojourners, Star Legacy Foundation, The Arc of the United States, The Children's Partnership, The Collaborative, The Kennedy Forum, The National Women's Health Network, The Root Cause Coalition, The United Methodist Church - General Board of Church and Society, Third Way, Trust for America's Health, U.S. Breastfeeding Committee, Union for Reform Judaism, United Against Inequities in Disease, United Church of Christ Justice and Local Church Ministries, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Urban Baby Beginnings, Urban Mommy Inc, Vitality Wellness Solutions PLLC, What to Expect Project, Wolomi, WomenHeart, ZERO TO THREE.