[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8869 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8869
To amend the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 201 et seq.) to
authorize research on the impacts of traumatic birth experiences and
post-traumatic stress disorder on mothers, infants, and families, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 15, 2026
Mrs. Watson Coleman (for herself, Ms. Ross, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr.
Tonko, Mrs. McIver, Ms. Velazquez, and Mr. Carson) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 201 et seq.) to
authorize research on the impacts of traumatic birth experiences and
post-traumatic stress disorder on mothers, infants, and families, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Traumatic Births Research Act of
2026''.
SEC. 2. RESEARCH ON THE IMPACTS OF TRAUMATIC BIRTH EXPERIENCES AND
POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER ON MOTHERS, INFANTS, AND
FAMILIES.
(a) Authorization.--
(1) Clarification of eligible award recipients.--Section
330P of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c-22) is
amended by striking ``may award grants'' and inserting ``may
award grants to States, Indian Tribes, and Tribal
organizations''.
(2) Research.--Section 330P of the Public Health Service
Act (42 U.S.C. 254c-22) is amended--
(A) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as
subsections (c) and (e), respectively; and
(B) by inserting after subsection (a) the
following:
``(b) Research.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct research, or
award grants or other support to States, Indian Tribes, and
Tribal organizations for research, on--
``(A) how traumatic birth experiences and post-
traumatic stress disorder impact short- and long-term
maternal mental health;
``(B) the impacts of traumatic birth experiences
and post-traumatic stress disorder on mothers, infants,
and families; and
``(C) the relationship between severe maternal
morbidity and traumatic birth experiences.
``(2) Disaggregation of data.--The Secretary shall
disaggregate the findings of the research conducted or
supported pursuant to paragraph (1) by race and ethnicity.''.
(b) Conforming Changes.--Subsection (c) of section 330P of the
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c-22), as redesignated by
subsection (a), is further amended--
(1) in the subsection heading, by striking ``Integrated
Services for Pregnant and Postpartum Women'' and inserting
``Eligibility and Terms'';
(2) in paragraph (1)--
(A) by striking ``a grant under subsection (a)''
and inserting ``an award under subsection (a) or (b)'';
and
(B) by striking ``(as such terms are defined in
section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and
Education Assistance Act)'';
(3) in paragraph (2)(A)--
(A) by striking ``A grant awarded under subsection
(a)'' and inserting ``An award under subsection (a) or
(b)''; and
(B) by striking ``a grantee under subsection (a)''
and inserting ``an awardee under subsection (a) or
(b)'';
(4) in paragraph (2)(B), by striking ``awarding grants
under subsection (a)'' and inserting ``making awards under
subsection (a) or (b)''; and
(5) in paragraph (2)(C), by striking ``grantees'' and
inserting ``awardees''.
(c) Definition.--Section 330P of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 254c-22) is further amended by inserting after subsection (c)
(as so redesignated) the following new subsection:
``(d) Definition.--In this section, the terms `State', `Indian
Tribe', and `Tribal organization' have the meanings given to those
terms in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education
Assistance Act.''.
(d) Funding.--Subsection (e) of section 330P of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c-22), as redesignated by subsection (a), is
further amended--
(1) by striking ``There are authorized to be appropriated
to carry out this section'' and inserting the following:
``(1) Integrated services.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out subsection (a)''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) Research.--There is authorized to be appropriated to
carry out subsection (b) $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years
2027 through 2031.''.
SEC. 3. PILOT PROJECT FOR RESEARCH ON THE IMPACTS OF MIDWIFE-DRIVEN
CARE MODELS ON TRAUMATIC BIRTH EXPERIENCES AND MATERNAL
MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES.
(a) Grants.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall carry
out a pilot program consisting of awarding grants for research on the
extent and mechanisms through which midwife-driven care models,
relative to medical care models, impact--
(1) traumatic birth experiences; and
(2) maternal mental health outcomes.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary
for fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
SEC. 4. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.
The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to the
Congress an interim report not later than the end of fiscal year 2028,
and a final report not later than the end of fiscal year 2030, on each
of--
(1) the research conducted or supported pursuant to section
330P(b) of the Public Health Service Act, as added by section
2; and
(2) the pilot project conducted pursuant to section 3.
<all>