[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 63 (Tuesday, April 13, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1900-S1901]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 153--RECOGNIZING THE WEEK OF APRIL 11 THROUGH APRIL 
17, 2021, AS ``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

  Mr. BOOKER (for himself, Mrs. Feinstein, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. 
Blumenthal, Mr. Markey, Ms. Cortez Masto, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Durbin, Mr. 
Menendez, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Brown, Mr. Warnock, Mr. Peters, 
Ms. Baldwin, Ms. Smith, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. 
Bennet, Ms. Klobuchar, Mrs. Gillibrand, and Ms. Rosen) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions:

                              S. Res. 153

       Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and 
     Prevention, Black women in the United States are 2 to 3 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 in the developed world; and
       (2) increasing rapidly;
       Whereas the United States has the highest maternal 
     mortality rate among affluent countries, in part because of 
     the disproportionate mortality rate among Black women;
       Whereas Black women are 49 percent more likely than white 
     women to deliver prematurely;
       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 in the United States significantly contribute to the 
     disproportionately high rates of maternal mortality and 
     morbidity among Black women;
       Whereas racism and discrimination play a consequential role 
     in the maternal healthcare experiences and outcomes of Black 
     birthing people;
       Whereas a fair and wide distribution of resources and birth 
     options, especially with regard to reproductive healthcare 
     services and maternal health programming, are critical to 
     closing the racial gap in maternal health outcomes;
       Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted 
     issues within the broken healthcare system in the United 
     States and the harm of that system to Black women and 
     birthing persons by exposing--
       (1) increased barriers to accessing prenatal and postpartum 
     care, including maternal mental healthcare;
       (2) the lack of uniform hospital policies permitting doulas 
     and support persons to be present during labor and delivery;
       (3) inconsistent hospital policies regarding the separation 
     of the newborn from a mother that is suspected positive for 
     COVID-19;
       (4) complexities in COVID-19 vaccine and therapeutics 
     trials including pregnant and lactating people;
       (5) increased rates of caesarean section deliveries;
       (6) shortened hospital stays following delivery;
       (7) provider shortages and lack of sufficient policies to 
     allow home births attended by midwives;
       (8) insufficient practical support for delivery of care by 
     midwives, including telehealth access;
       (9) adverse economic impact on Black mothers and families 
     due to job loss or reduction in income during quarantine and 
     the pandemic recession; and
       (10) pervasive racial injustice against Black people in the 
     criminal justice, social, and healthcare systems;
       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 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 healthcare that is free 
     from gender and racial discrimination, regardless of 
     incarceration: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate recognizes--
       (1) that Black women are experiencing high, 
     disproportionate rates of maternal mortality and morbidity in 
     the United States;
       (2) that the alarmingly high rates of maternal mortality 
     and morbidity among Black women are unacceptable;
       (3) that, 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, quality, and affordable healthcare with 
     access to the full spectrum of reproductive care;
       (4) that, in order to improve maternal health outcomes, 
     Congress must fully support and encourage policies grounded 
     in the human rights and reproductive justice frameworks that 
     address Black maternal health inequity;
       (5) that Black women and birthing persons must be active 
     participants in the policy decisions that impact their lives;
       (6) that, in order to ensure access to safe and respectful 
     maternal healthcare for Black women and birthing persons, 
     Congress must pass the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 
     2021;
       (7) that Black Maternal Health Week is an opportunity to--
       (A) raise national awareness of the state of Black maternal 
     health in the United States;
       (B) amplify the voices of Black women and birthing persons, 
     families, and communities;
       (C) serve as a national platform for--
       (i) entities led by Black women; and
       (ii) efforts on maternal health; and
       (D) enhance community organizing on Black maternal health; 
     and
       (8) the significance of April 11 through April 17, 2021, as 
     ``Black Maternal Health Week''.

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