119 HR 8869 IH: Traumatic Births Research Act of 2026 U.S. House of Representatives 2026-05-15 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I119th CONGRESS2d SessionH. R. 8869IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESMay 15, 2026Mrs. Watson Coleman (for herself, Ms. Ross, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Tonko, Mrs. McIver, Ms. Velázquez, and Mr. Carson) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and CommerceA BILLTo 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.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Traumatic Births Research Act of 2026.

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..

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.

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.