[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 199 (Tuesday, November 16, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8295-S8296]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 4721. Mr. WARNOCK submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
to amendment SA 3867 submitted by Mr. Reed and intended to be proposed 
to the bill H.R. 4350, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2022 
for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

        At the end of title X, add the following:

                      Subtitle H--Maternal Health

     SEC. 1071. INNOVATION FOR MATERNAL HEALTH.

       Title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 241 
     et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 330N of such 
     Act, the following:

     ``SEC. 330O. INNOVATION FOR MATERNAL HEALTH.

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary, in consultation with 
     experts representing a variety of clinical specialties, 
     State, Tribal, or local public health officials, researchers, 
     epidemiologists, statisticians, and community organizations, 
     shall establish or continue a program to award competitive 
     grants to eligible entities for the purpose of--
       ``(1) identifying, developing, or disseminating best 
     practices to improve maternal health care quality and 
     outcomes, improve maternal and infant health, and eliminate 
     preventable maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity, 
     which may include--
       ``(A) information on evidence-based practices to improve 
     the quality and safety of maternal health care in hospitals 
     and other health care settings of a State or health care 
     system by addressing topics commonly associated with health 
     complications or risks related to prenatal care, labor care, 
     birthing, and postpartum care;
       ``(B) best practices for improving maternal health care 
     based on data findings and reviews conducted by a State 
     maternal mortality review committee that address topics of 
     relevance to common complications or health risks related to 
     prenatal care, labor care, birthing, and postpartum care; and
       ``(C) information on addressing determinants of health that 
     impact maternal health outcomes for women before, during, and 
     after pregnancy;
       ``(2) collaborating with State maternal mortality review 
     committees to identify issues for the development and 
     implementation of evidence-based practices to improve 
     maternal health outcomes and reduce preventable maternal 
     mortality and severe maternal morbidity, consistent with 
     section 317K;
       ``(3) providing technical assistance and supporting the 
     implementation of best practices identified in paragraph (1) 
     to entities providing health care services to pregnant and 
     postpartum women; and
       ``(4) identifying, developing, and evaluating new models of 
     care that improve maternal and infant health outcomes, which 
     may include the integration of community-based services and 
     clinical care.
       ``(b) Eligible Entities.--To be eligible for a grant under 
     subsection (a), an entity shall--
       ``(1) submit to the Secretary an application at such time, 
     in such manner, and containing such information as the 
     Secretary may require; and
       ``(2) demonstrate in such application that the entity is 
     capable of carrying out data-driven maternal safety and 
     quality improvement initiatives in the areas of obstetrics 
     and gynecology or maternal health.
       ``(c) Report.--Not later than September 30, 2024, and every 
     2 years thereafter, the Secretary shall submit a report to 
     Congress on the practices described in paragraphs (1) and (2) 
     of subsection (a). Such report shall include a description of 
     the extent to which such practices reduced preventable 
     maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity, and whether 
     such practices improved maternal and infant health. The 
     Secretary shall disseminate information on such practices, as 
     appropriate.
       ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this 
     section, there are authorized to be appropriated $9,000,000 
     for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026.''.

[[Page S8296]]

  


     SEC. 1072. TRAINING FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.

       Title VII of the Public Health Service Act is amended by 
     striking section 763 (42 U.S.C. 294p) and inserting the 
     following:

     ``SEC. 763. TRAINING FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.

       ``(a) Grant Program.--The Secretary shall establish a 
     program to award grants to accredited schools of allopathic 
     medicine, osteopathic medicine, and nursing, and other health 
     professional training programs for the training of health 
     care professionals to improve the provision of prenatal care, 
     labor care, birthing, and postpartum care for racial and 
     ethnic minority populations, including with respect to 
     perceptions and biases that may affect the approach to, and 
     provision of, care.
       ``(b) Eligibility.--To be eligible for a grant under 
     subsection (a), an entity described in such subsection shall 
     submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such 
     manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may 
     require.
       ``(c) Reporting Requirements.--
       ``(1) Periodic grantee reports.--Each entity awarded a 
     grant under this section shall periodically submit to the 
     Secretary a report on the status of activities conducted 
     using the grant, including a description of the impact of 
     such training on patient outcomes, as applicable.
       ``(2) Report to congress.--Not later than September 30, 
     2025, the Secretary shall submit a report to Congress on the 
     activities conducted using grants under subsection (a) and 
     any best practices identified and disseminated under 
     subsection (d).
       ``(d) Best Practices.--The Secretary may identify and 
     disseminate best practices for the training described in 
     subsection (a).
       ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this 
     section, there are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 
     for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026.''.

     SEC. 1073. STUDY ON IMPROVING TRAINING FOR HEALTH CARE 
                   PROVIDERS.

       Not later than 2 years after date of enactment of this Act, 
     the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall, through a 
     contract with an independent research organization, conduct a 
     study and make recommendations for accredited schools of 
     allopathic medicine, osteopathic medicine, and nursing, and 
     other health professional training programs on best practices 
     related to training to improve the provision of prenatal 
     care, labor care, birthing, and postpartum care for racial 
     and ethnic minority populations, including with respect to 
     perceptions and biases that may affect the approach to, and 
     provision of, care.

     SEC. 1074. PERINATAL QUALITY COLLABORATIVES.

       (a) In General.--Section 317K(a)(2) of the Public Health 
     Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247b-12(a)(2)) is amended by adding at 
     the end the following:
       ``(E)(i) The Secretary, acting through the Director of the 
     Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and in 
     coordination with other offices and agencies, as appropriate, 
     shall establish or continue a competitive grant program for 
     the establishment or support of perinatal quality 
     collaboratives to improve perinatal care and perinatal health 
     outcomes for pregnant and postpartum women and their infants. 
     A State, Indian Tribe, or Tribal organization may use funds 
     received through such grant to--
       ``(I) support the use of evidence-based or evidence-
     informed practices to improve outcomes for maternal and 
     infant health;
       ``(II) work with clinical teams; experts; State, local, 
     and, as appropriate, Tribal public health officials; and 
     stakeholders, including patients and families, to identify, 
     develop, or disseminate best practices to improve perinatal 
     care and outcomes; and
       ``(III) employ strategies that provide opportunities for 
     health care professionals and clinical teams to collaborate 
     across health care settings and disciplines, including 
     primary care and mental health, as appropriate, to improve 
     maternal and infant health outcomes, which may include the 
     use of data to provide timely feedback across hospital and 
     clinical teams to inform responses, and to provide support 
     and training to hospital and clinical teams for quality 
     improvement, as appropriate.
       ``(ii) To be eligible for a grant under clause (i), an 
     entity shall submit to the Secretary an application in such 
     form and manner and containing such information as the 
     Secretary may require.''.
       (b) Report to Congress.--Not later than September 30, 2025, 
     the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to 
     Congress a report regarding the activities conducted by 
     recipients of grants under subsection (a)(2)(E) of section 
     317K of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247b-12).

     SEC. 1075. INTEGRATED SERVICES FOR PREGNANT AND POSTPARTUM 
                   WOMEN.

       (a) Grants.--Title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 
     U.S.C. 241 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 
     330O of such Act, as added by section 1071, the following:

     ``SEC. 330P. INTEGRATED SERVICES FOR PREGNANT AND POSTPARTUM 
                   WOMEN.

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary may award grants for the 
     purpose of establishing or operating evidence-based or 
     innovative, evidence-informed programs to deliver integrated 
     health care services to pregnant and postpartum women to 
     optimize the health of women and their infants, including to 
     reduce adverse maternal health outcomes, pregnancy-related 
     deaths, and related health disparities (including such 
     disparities associated with racial and ethnic minority 
     populations), and, as appropriate, by addressing issues 
     researched under subsection (b)(2) of section 317K.
       ``(b) Integrated Services for Pregnant and Postpartum 
     Women.--
       ``(1) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
     subsection (a), a State, Indian Tribe, or Tribal organization 
     (as such terms are defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-
     Determination and Education Assistance Act) shall work with 
     relevant stakeholders that coordinate care to develop and 
     carry out the program, including--
       ``(A) State, Tribal, and local agencies responsible for 
     Medicaid, public health, social services, mental health, and 
     substance use disorder treatment and services;
       ``(B) health care providers who serve pregnant and 
     postpartum women; and
       ``(C) community-based health organizations and health 
     workers, including providers of home visiting services and 
     individuals representing communities with disproportionately 
     high rates of maternal mortality and severe maternal 
     morbidity, and including those representing racial and ethnic 
     minority populations.
       ``(2) Terms.--
       ``(A) Period.--A grant awarded under subsection (a) shall 
     be made for a period of 5 years. Any supplemental award made 
     to a grantee under subsection (a) may be made for a period of 
     less than 5 years.
       ``(B) Priorities.--In awarding grants under subsection (a), 
     the Secretary shall--
       ``(i) give priority to States, Indian Tribes, and Tribal 
     organizations that have the highest rates of maternal 
     mortality and severe maternal morbidity relative to other 
     such States, Indian Tribes, or Tribal organizations, 
     respectively; and
       ``(ii) shall consider health disparities related to 
     maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity, including 
     such disparities associated with racial and ethnic minority 
     populations.
       ``(C) Evaluation.--The Secretary shall require grantees to 
     evaluate the outcomes of the programs supported under the 
     grant.
       ``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
     $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026.''.
       (b) Report on Grant Outcomes and Dissemination of Best 
     Practices.--
       (1) Report.--Not later than February 1, 2026, the Secretary 
     of Health and Human Services shall submit to the Committee on 
     Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the 
     Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
     Representatives a report that describes--
       (A) the outcomes of the activities supported by the grants 
     awarded under the amendments made by this section on maternal 
     and child health;
       (B) best practices and models of care used by recipients of 
     grants under such amendments; and
       (C) obstacles identified by recipients of grants under such 
     amendments, and strategies used by such recipients to deliver 
     care, improve maternal and child health, and reduce health 
     disparities.
       (2) Dissemination of best practices.--Not later than August 
     1, 2026, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
     disseminate information on best practices and models of care 
     used by recipients of grants under the amendments made by 
     this section (including best practices and models of care 
     relating to the reduction of health disparities, including 
     such disparities associated with racial and ethnic minority 
     populations, in rates of maternal mortality and severe 
     maternal morbidity) to relevant stakeholders, which may 
     include health providers, medical schools, nursing schools, 
     relevant State, Tribal, and local agencies, and the general 
     public.

     SEC. 1076. MATERNAL VACCINATION AWARENESS.

       In carrying out the public awareness initiative related to 
     vaccinations pursuant to section 313 of the Public Health 
     Service Act (42 U.S.C. 245), the Secretary of Health and 
     Human Services shall take into consideration the importance 
     of increasing awareness and knowledge of the safety and 
     effectiveness of vaccines to prevent disease in pregnant and 
     postpartum women and in infants and the need to improve 
     vaccination rates in communities and populations with low 
     rates of vaccination.
                                 ______