[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 260 Engrossed in House (EH)]

H. Res. 260

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                    September 16, 2009.
Whereas the infant mortality rate of a nation is an important indicator of that 
        nation's overall health;
Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have found that the 
        United States ranked 29th in the world in infant mortality in 2004, 
        falling from 12th in 1960;
Whereas there are more than 28,000 deaths to children under 1 year of age each 
        year in the United States;
Whereas preterm birth has a considerable impact on the United States infant 
        mortality rate, in 2005, 68.6 percent of all infant deaths occurred to 
        preterm infants, up from 65.6 percent in 2000;
Whereas the United States infant mortality rate for non-Hispanic Black women was 
        2.4 times the rate for non-Hispanic White women in 2005;
Whereas in 2005, the United States infant mortality rates were above average for 
        non-Hispanic Black women at 13.63 deaths per 1,000 live births, for 
        Puerto Rican women at 8.30 deaths per 1,000 live births, and for 
        American Indian or Alaska Native women at 8.06 deaths per 1,000 live 
        births;
Whereas in Memphis, Tennessee, the infant mortality rate is three times higher 
        than that of the United States (higher than any other city in the 
        country), and the 2005 infant mortality rate in the 38108 zip code of 
        Memphis was deadlier for babies than that of the countries of Vietnam, 
        Iran, and El Salvador with 31 deaths per 1,000 live births, 5 times that 
        of the 2005 national average of 6.86 deaths per 1,000 live births;
Whereas adequate prenatal care has a studied, positive effect on the health of 
        the baby;
Whereas prenatal care is one of the most important interventions for ensuring 
        the health of pregnant women and their infants;
Whereas 29 percent of mothers 15 to 19 years of age received no early prenatal 
        care in 2004 according to the Department of Health and Human Services;
Whereas non-Hispanic Black mothers were 2.6 times more likely than non-Hispanic 
        White mothers to begin prenatal care in the third trimester, or not 
        receive prenatal care at all;
Whereas babies born to mothers who received no prenatal care are three times 
        more likely to be born at low birth weight, and five times more likely 
        to die, than those whose mothers received prenatal care, as stated by 
        the Department of Health and Human Services;
Whereas the United States' high infant mortality rate reflects in part racial 
        disparities in premature and low birthweight babies; and
Whereas the racial disparities in infant mortality may relate to socioeconomic 
        status, access to medical care, and the education level of the mother: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives supports efforts to understand 
racial disparities and the rate of infant mortality in order to lower the rate 
of infant mortality in the United States.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.