U.S. Senator Katie Britt Celebrates Unanimous Committee Approval of Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) today celebrated the advancement of the bipartisan Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act out of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee. This legislation is co-led by Senators Britt, Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.). It advanced out of the HELP Committee unanimously.

"Across the nation, rural communities face challenges every single day that make it more difficult for women to safely give birth,"said Senator Britt. "This is especially true in Alabama, where more than one-third of our 67 counties are considered maternal care deserts. Of the 54 hospitals in these areas, only 15 have maternity wards. This is a problem Congress can address, which is why I'm thrilled this legislation is advancing in the Senate."

Since 2011, at least seven rural hospitals in Alabama have closed their doors, and 19 are identified as being at "immediate risk" of shutting down within the next several years. In the fall of 2023, three Alabama hospitals announced the closures of their labor and delivery departments, leaving Shelby and Monroe counties without labor and delivery services.

"Almost 30% of women in Alabama do not have a birthing hospital within 30 minutes of their homes, which is significantly higher than the national average. Those 30 minutes could mean the difference between a safe delivery and a potentially dangerous one. We must give our communities the tools they need to remedy this issue. Alabama women deserve access to high-quality care throughout their pregnancy journeys, no matter their zip code," Senator Britt continued.

The Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act would help rural hospitals and doctors prepare to handle obstetric emergencies by creating maternity care consultation networks and training programs for nonspecialists to respond to emergencies such as labor and delivery complications. The bill helps rural facilities without dedicated labor and delivery units get federal grants for workforce training to handle these emergencies. It also helps rural facilities develop partnerships with larger medical systems for teleconsultation services so that a doctor at a rural facility assisting an expectant or postpartum mother facing an emergency can quickly consult with specialists. These networks would give moms and babies access to high quality care close to home and ensure efficient patient transfer in emergency situations.

Now that this legislation has been approved by the HELP Committee, the next step is consideration by the full Senate. This legislation is being led in the U.S. House by Representatives Young Kim (R-Calif.), Robin Kelly (D-Ill.), Daniel Meuser (R-Pa.), and Kim Schrier (D-Wash.), where it awaits consideration by the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

The full text of the Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act can be viewed here.

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