[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 159 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 159

 Recognizing the designation of the week of April 11 through April 17, 
   2023, as the sixth annual ``Black Maternal Health Week'' to bring 
 national attention to the maternal health crisis in the United States 
 and the importance of reducing maternal mortality and morbidity among 
                   Black women and birthing persons.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 18, 2023

Mr. Booker (for himself, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Markey, Ms. Warren, Mr. 
Padilla, Mr. Blumenthal, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Menendez, Ms. Duckworth, Ms. 
   Smith, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Durbin, Ms. Stabenow, Ms. 
    Rosen, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Brown, Mr. Merkley, and Ms. Klobuchar) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
               on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing the designation of the week of April 11 through April 17, 
   2023, as the sixth annual ``Black Maternal Health Week'' to bring 
 national attention to the maternal health crisis in the United States 
 and the importance of reducing maternal mortality and morbidity among 
                   Black women and birthing persons.

Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black 
        women in the United States are 2.6 times more likely than White women to 
        die from pregnancy-related causes;
Whereas Black women in the United States suffer from life-threatening pregnancy 
        complications, known as ``maternal morbidities'', twice as often as 
        White women;
Whereas maternal mortality rates in the United States are--

    (1) among the highest of any member country of the Organisation for 
Economic Co-operation and Development; and

    (2) increasing rapidly, from 17.4 deaths per 100,000 live births in 
2018, to 32.1 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2021;

Whereas the United States has the highest maternal mortality rate among affluent 
        countries, in part because of the disproportionate mortality rate of 
        Black women;
Whereas the rate of preterm birth among Black women is nearly 50 percent higher 
        than the preterm birth rate among White or Hispanic women;
Whereas the high rates of maternal mortality among Black women span across--

    (1) income levels;

    (2) education levels; and

    (3) socioeconomic status;

Whereas structural racism, gender oppression, and the social determinants of 
        health inequities experienced by Black women and birthing persons in the 
        United States significantly contribute to the disproportionately high 
        rates of maternal mortality and morbidity among Black women and birthing 
        persons;
Whereas racism and discrimination play a consequential role in maternal health 
        care experiences and outcomes of Black birthing persons;
Whereas a fair and wide distribution of resources and birth options, especially 
        with regard to reproductive health care services and maternal health 
        programming, is critical to closing the racial gap in maternal health 
        outcomes;
Whereas Black midwives, doulas, perinatal health workers, and community-based 
        organizations provide holistic maternal care, but face structural and 
        legal barriers to licensure, reimbursement, and provision of care;
Whereas COVID-19, which has disproportionately harmed Black people in the United 
        States, is associated with an increased risk of adverse pregnancy 
        outcomes and maternal and neonatal complications;
Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted issues within the broken 
        health care system in the United States and the harm of that system to 
        Black women and birthing persons;
Whereas data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has indicated 
        that Black women had the highest rate of maternal deaths related to 
        COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021, at 13.2 per 100,000 live births, while the 
        rate among White women was 4.5 per 100,000 live births;
Whereas, even as there is growing concern about improving access to mental 
        health services, Black women are least likely to have access to mental 
        health screenings, treatment, and support before, during, and after 
        pregnancy;
Whereas Black pregnant and postpartum workers are disproportionately denied 
        reasonable accommodations in the workplace, leading to adverse pregnancy 
        outcomes;
Whereas Black pregnant people disproportionately experience surveillance and 
        punishment, including shackling incarcerated people in labor, drug 
        testing mothers and infants without informed consent, separating mothers 
        from their newborns, and criminalizing pregnancy outcomes;
Whereas justice-informed, culturally congruent models of care are beneficial to 
        Black women; and
Whereas an investment must be made in--

    (1) maternity care for Black women and birthing persons, including 
support of care led by the communities most affected by the maternal health 
crisis in the United States;

    (2) continuous health insurance coverage to support Black women and 
birthing persons for the full postpartum period up to at least 1 year after 
giving birth; and

    (3) policies that support and promote affordable, comprehensive, and 
holistic maternal health care that is free from gender and racial 
discrimination, regardless of incarceration: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved, That the Senate recognizes that--
            (1) Black women are experiencing high, disproportionate 
        rates of maternal mortality and morbidity in the United States;
            (2) the alarmingly high rates of maternal mortality among 
        Black women are unacceptable;
            (3) in order to better mitigate the effects of systemic and 
        structural racism, Congress must work toward ensuring that the 
        Black community has--
                    (A) safe and affordable housing;
                    (B) transportation equity;
                    (C) nutritious food;
                    (D) clean air and water;
                    (E) environments free from toxins;
                    (F) fair treatment within the criminal justice 
                system;
                    (G) safety and freedom from violence;
                    (H) a living wage;
                    (I) equal economic opportunity;
                    (J) a sustained workforce pipeline for diverse 
                perinatal professionals; and
                    (K) comprehensive, high-quality, and affordable 
                health care with access to the full spectrum of 
                reproductive care;
            (4) in order to improve maternal health outcomes, Congress 
        must fully support and encourage policies grounded in the human 
        rights, reproductive justice, and birth justice frameworks that 
        address Black maternal health inequity;
            (5) Black women and birthing persons must be active 
        participants in the policy decisions that impact their lives;
            (6) in order to ensure access to safe and respectful 
        maternal health care for Black birthing persons, Congress must 
        reintroduce and pass the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 
        2021 (S. 346, H.R. 959, 117th Congress); and
            (7) ``Black Maternal Health Week'' is an opportunity to--
                    (A) deepen the national conversation about Black 
                maternal health in the United States;
                    (B) amplify community-driven policy, research, and 
                care solutions;
                    (C) center the voices of Black mothers, women, 
                families, and stakeholders;
                    (D) provide a national platform for Black-led 
                entities and efforts on maternal health, birth, and 
                reproductive justice; and
                    (E) enhance community organizing on Black maternal 
                health.
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