[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 5 (Monday, January 9, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H203-H204]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
IMPROVING ACCESS TO MATERNITY CARE ACT
Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 315) to amend the Public Health Service Act to distribute
maternity care health professionals to health professional shortage
areas identified as in need of maternity care health services.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 315
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 ``Improving Access to
Maternity Care Act''.
SEC. 2. MATERNITY CARE HEALTH PROFESSIONAL TARGET AREAS.
Section 332 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
254e) is amended by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
``(k)(1) The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of
the Health Resources and Services Administration, shall
identify, based on the data collected under paragraph (3),
maternity care health professional target areas that satisfy
the criteria described in paragraph (2) for purposes of, in
connection with receipt of assistance under this title,
assigning to such identified areas maternity care health
professionals who, without application of this subsection,
would otherwise be eligible for such assistance. The
Secretary shall distribute maternity care health
professionals within health professional shortage areas using
the maternity care health professional target areas so
identified.
``(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), the Secretary shall
establish criteria for maternity care health professional
target areas that identify geographic areas within health
professional shortage areas that have a shortage of maternity
care health professionals.
``(3) For purposes of this subsection, the Secretary shall
collect and publish in the Federal Register data comparing
the availability and need of maternity care health services
in health professional shortage areas and in areas within
such health professional shortage areas.
``(4) In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall
seek input from relevant provider organizations, including
medical societies, organizations representing medical
facilities, and other organizations with expertise in
maternity care.
``(5) For purposes of this subsection, the term `full scope
maternity care health services' includes during labor care,
birthing, prenatal care, and postpartum care.
``(6) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as--
``(A) requiring the identification of a maternity care
health professional target area in an area not otherwise
already designated as a health professional shortage area; or
``(B) affecting the types of health professionals, without
application of this subsection, otherwise eligible for
assistance, including a loan repayment or scholarship,
pursuant to the application of this section.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Burgess) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gene Green) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess).
General Leave
Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to
insert extraneous material in the Record on the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 315, the Improving
Access to Maternity Care Act, which I introduced with Representative
Eshoo.
H.R. 315 increases data collection by the Department of Health and
Human Services to help better place maternity care providers through
the National Health Service Corps repayment program. Currently,
maternity care providers participate in the National Health Service
Corps through the primary care designation, but they are not always
placed where they are needed the most. H.R. 315 will require increased
data collection on maternity care providers who will then be placed in
geographic areas within existing health professional shortage areas,
again, where they are most needed.
This legislation enjoyed broad support on the Energy and Commerce
Committee, passing through the full committee markup by a voice vote in
the 114th Congress.
H.R. 315 provides no new spending, Mr. Speaker.
I urge all my colleagues to support this legislation.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 315, the Improving Access to
Maternity Care Act.
This important legislation would require the Health Resources and
Services Administration to better identify areas with increased need
for maternity care services. This would help ensure the placement of
maternity care providers within the National Health Service Corps in
areas with the most need for their services.
Improving access to maternity care providers in our most underserved
communities will help reduce the poor health outcomes that can result
when women don't have access to quality, prenatal maternity services
that they need. Those outcomes can include increased infant mortality,
preterm births, low birth weight infants, and maternal mortality.
To provide just one example of how limited access to quality
maternity care service is affecting American communities is that while
global maternal mortality rates have fallen by more than a third from
2000 to 2015, the maternal mortality rate in the United States has
increased. In 2015, 25 women lost their lives during pregnancy or
childbirth per 100,000 births in the U.S., compared to 23 women who did
so in only 2000.
It is clear that we must do more to reverse the troubling trend and
other poor outcomes that result in limited access to maternity care
providers. Congress must make it a priority to ensure our women have
access to prenatal and maternity care services.
I support H.R. 315. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Tennessee (Mr. Roe), the chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee
and a fellow OB/GYN.
{time} 1645
Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R.
315, the Improving Access to Maternity Care Act, sponsored by the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess), a fellow OB/GYN and chairman of the
Health Caucus.
One of the easiest ways to ensure a safer and healthier pregnancy
experience for both mother and child is through adequate maternity
care. Unfortunately, there are pockets across the United States where
women do not have access to needed OB/GYN care, which puts both mothers
and babies at risk should a complication arise.
As an OB/GYN who spent 31 years in practice, I find it unacceptable
that 1 million babies are born to mothers who did not receive adequate
prenatal care. Without that proper care, babies born to these mothers
are three times more likely to be born at a low birth weight and five
times more likely to die than babies whose mothers did receive adequate
maternity care.
With a large number of OB/GYNs nearing retirement age and a female
population expected to increase by 36 percent by 2050, there is no more
important time than now to ensure adequate access to maternity care for
all mothers, no matter where they live. A woman living in rural east
Tennessee or rural Texas should have the same access to adequate
maternity care as someone living in the city of Nashville, Memphis,
Dallas, or wherever.
I am a proud cosponsor of this legislation that would require the
Health Resources and Services Administration to designate maternity
healthcare professional shortage areas and target maternity care
resources where they are most needed, helping to ensure healthier
pregnancies and healthier babies.
It was my job as an OB/GYN to make sure that mothers and their
children
[[Page H204]]
were healthy during and after pregnancy, and I feel very strongly about
that duty now that I am here in Congress. While this bill will not
solve the entire shortage crisis, I think this bill is a meaningful
start. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 3 minutes to the
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter).
Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for
yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 315, the Improving
Access to Maternity Care Act.
Our Nation is facing a critical shortage of maternity healthcare
services and professionals. Many Americans in rural or medically
underserved areas have little to no access to maternity care services,
either due to geographical constraints or a shortage of healthcare
providers. This bill would encourage physicians and other healthcare
professionals to serve in rural and underserved communities by creating
a maternity care designation in the National Health Service Corps.
The National Health Service Corps provides up to $50,000 in student
loan repayments for healthcare professionals who commit to providing
care in health profession shortage areas for a minimum of 2 years. The
program has already made great progress in increasing access and
reducing provider shortages in dental care, mental health, and primary
care.
Maternity health professionals can and do already serve in the
National Health Service Corps, but they are placed in the same manner
as primary care providers. This bill would create a separate
designation for maternity care providers, ensuring that maternity
health needs are more efficiently addressed in underserved communities
that need them the most.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 315, once again, is a bill that passed
with overwhelming support in the last Congress. I hope that by taking
it up early in this Congress, we will allow time for the other body to
attend to this needed legislation. I urge my colleagues to support H.R.
315.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 315.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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