[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 206 (Tuesday, November 30, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H6681-H6682]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        MATERNAL VACCINATION ACT

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 951) to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to 
carry out a national campaign to increase awareness of the importance 
of maternal vaccinations for the health of pregnant and postpartum 
individuals and their children, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 951

       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 ``Maternal Vaccination Act''.

     SEC. 2. MATERNAL VACCINATION AWARENESS AND EQUITY CAMPAIGN.

       (a) Campaign.--Section 313 of the Public Health Service Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 245) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a), by inserting ``and among pregnant 
     and postpartum individuals,'' after ``low rates of 
     vaccination,'';
       (2) in subsection (c)(3), by striking ``prenatal and 
     pediatric'' and inserting ``prenatal, obstetric, and 
     pediatric'';
       (3) in subsection (d)(4)(B), by inserting ``pregnant and 
     postpartum individuals and'' after ``including''; and
       (4) in subsection (g), by striking ``$15,000,000 for each 
     of fiscal years 2021 through 2025'' and inserting 
     ``$17,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026''.
       (b) Additional Activities.--Section 317(k)(1)(E) of the 
     Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247b(k)(1)(E)) is 
     amended--
       (1) in clause (v), by striking ``and'' at the end; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following clause:
       ``(vii) increase vaccination rates of pregnant and 
     postpartum individuals, including individuals from racial and 
     ethnic minority groups, and their children; and''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Pallone) and the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.


                             General Leave

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H.R. 951.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, today, we are continuing our work to combat the maternal 
mortality and morbidity crisis facing our country. The legislation 
before us will help ensure that pregnant women and their healthcare 
providers are aware of the benefits and availability of safe and 
effective vaccines.
  Tragically, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 
that about 700 women die each year in the United States as a result of 
pregnancy or delivery complications.
  While there is no one cause of pregnancy-related death or health 
complications, we know that some illnesses like flu, pertussis, and 
COVID-19 can cause serious harm to pregnant women, including early 
labor and delivery and other complications. Vaccines prevent these 
illnesses and can save the lives of pregnant and postpartum women and 
their children.
  However, despite strong evidence of vaccines' safety and efficacy, 
vaccine uptake among pregnant women is far below targeted goals.
  We can and should do more to increase the vaccination rate of 
pregnant women. H.R. 951, the Maternal Vaccination Act, will ensure 
that our vaccination outreach and awareness campaigns and public health 
grant programs include outreach to obstetric healthcare providers, as 
well as pregnant and postpartum women. The legislation will also ensure 
that we are reaching women from racial and ethnic groups and their 
children.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this commonsense public 
health effort, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, current data clearly suggests that vaccinations for 
women during pregnancy can protect mothers and newborns against 
infectious diseases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has 
long recommended various vaccinations for pregnant women to improve 
maternal and infant health outcomes.
  Despite these recommendations, vaccination rates among pregnant women 
remain relatively low. But according to the American College of 
Obstetricians and Gynecologists, when a vaccine recommendation comes 
directly from a patient's own OB-GYN, the likelihood of accepting that 
vaccine could be up to 50 times higher.
  The Maternal Vaccination Act requires the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services to include obstetric providers in existing vaccination 
public awareness campaign programs to help increase vaccinations among 
pregnant and postpartum women.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this legislation, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in proud support of H.R. 951 
``The Maternal Vaccination Act.''
  I would like to thank Congresswoman Sewell for introducing this 
legislation.
  This bill establishes a national campaign to raise awareness and 
increase rates of maternal vaccinations and calls for the CDC to 
consult with various stakeholders to carry out this campaign.
  In addition, the CDC must focus on increasing vaccination rates among 
communities with historically high rates of unvaccinated individuals.
  The CDC must also make publicly available any materials and resources 
developed for the campaign.
  In addition, H.R. 951 would instruct the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention to broaden a public awareness campaign on vaccinations 
to include pregnant and postpartum individuals and require the campaign 
to disseminate vaccine information to providers and facilities that 
provide obstetric care.
  The bill would also authorize an additional $2 million annually from 
2021 through 2025 for the vaccination awareness campaign.
  This bill would put pregnant women at the focus of the fight to 
combat COVID-19.
  As the Chair of the Congressional Coronavirus Task Force, I have used 
every means possible to sound the alarm about the seriousness of the 
COVID-19 virus.
  On February 10, 2020, I held the first press conference on the issue 
of COVID-19 at Houston Intercontinental Airport.
  I then held a second press conference on February 24th to continue 
efforts to raise public knowledge of the impending threat.
  On February 26th, I wrote the Chair and Ranking Member of the 
Committee on Homeland Security requesting to be briefed by Acting 
Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf regarding the preparedness of 
the Department of Homeland Security to address a possible pandemic.
  On March 19th, I announced an innovative partnership with United 
Methodist Medical Center (UMMC) to open the first drive-through 
Coronavirus Test Screening facility in the Greater Houston area, which 
proved beneficial to everyone in the Greater Houston area, as with 
UMMC's help we have opened multiple sites that are located within high-
risk communities in the Greater Houston area, to reduce the need for 
travel to get access to COVID-19 testing.
  Since the start of this pandemic, I have sought to proactively 
address the critical issues and concerns tied to the COVID-19 virus.
  As I stated at the beginning of this pandemic, ``We must not panic, 
but prepare.''
  I am pleased to see that this bill is not a panic-induced response, 
but a well-thought-out proposal to further protect our citizens.
  When pregnant women get vaccinated, they not only build their immune 
system to the virus, they also create antibodies for their unborn 
child.
  Throughout history the vaccination of pregnant mothers has shown to 
be beneficial when it comes to viruses like tetanus, influenza, 
pertussis.
  With this bill we can help newborn children who have not yet 
developed their immune systems fight off a deadly virus such as COVID-
19.
  This also gives mothers piece of mind that they'll be safe as they 
advance in their pregnancy.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in proud support of H.R. 951, the Maternal 
Vaccination Act.


 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  November 30, 2021, on page H6681, in the third column, the 
following appeared: This also gives mothers piece of mind that 
they'll be safe as they advance in their pregnancy. Ms. JACKSON 
LEE. Mr. Speaker I rise in proud support of H.R. 951, the Maternal 
Vaccination Act.
  
  The online version has been corrected to read: This also gives 
mothers piece of mind that they'll be safe as they advance in 
their pregnancy. Mr. Speaker, I rise in proud support of H.R. 951, 
the Maternal Vaccination Act.


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 


  I would like to thank Congresswoman Sewell for introducing this 
legislation.
  This bill establishes a national campaign to raise awareness and 
increase rates of maternal vaccinations and calls for the CDC to 
consult with various stakeholders to carry out this campaign.

[[Page H6682]]

  In addition, the CDC must focus on increasing vaccination rates among 
communities with historically high rates of unvaccinated individuals.
  The CDC must also make publicly available any materials and resources 
I developed for the campaign.
  In addition, H.R. 951 would instruct the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention to broaden a public awareness campaign on vaccinations 
to include pregnant and postpartum individuals and require the campaign 
to disseminate vaccine information to providers and facilities that 
provide obstetric care.
  The bill would also authorize an additional $2 million annually from 
2021 through 2025 for the vaccination awareness campaign.
  This bill would put pregnant woman at the focus of the fight to 
combat COVID-19.
  As the Chair of the Congressional Coronavirus Task Force, I have used 
every mean possible to sound the alarm about the seriousness of the 
COVID-19 virus.
  On February 10th 2020, I held the first press conference on the issue 
of COVID-19 at Houston Intercontinental Airport.
  I then held a second press conference on February 24th to continue 
efforts to raise public knowledge of the impending threat.
  On February 26th, I wrote the Chair and Ranking Member of the 
Committee on Homeland Security requesting to be briefed by Acting 
Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf regarding the preparedness of 
the Department of Homeland Security to address a possible pandemic.
  On March 19th, I announced an innovative partnership with United 
Methodist Medical Center (UMMC) to open the first drive-through 
Coronavirus Test Screening facility in the Greater Houston area, which 
proved beneficial to everyone in the Greater Houston area, as with 
UMMC's help we have opened multiple that are located within high-risk 
communities in the Greater Houston area, to reduce the need for travel 
to get access to COVID-19 testing.
  Since the start of this pandemic, I have sought to proactively 
addressing the critical issues and concerns tied to the COVID-19 virus.
  As I stated at the beginning of this pandemic, ``We must not panic, 
but prepare.''
  I am pleased to see that this bill is not a panic-induced response, 
but a well-though-out proposal to further protect our citizens.
  When pregnant women get vaccinated, they not only build their immune 
system to the virus, they also create antibodies for their unborn 
child.
  Throughout history the vaccination of pregnant mothers has shown to 
be beneficial when it comes to viruses like tetanus, influenza, 
pertussis.
  With this bill we can help newborn children who have not yet 
developed their immune systems fight off a deadly virus such as COVID-
19.
  This also gives mothers piece of mind that they'll be safe as they 
advance in their pregnancy.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 951, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________