[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 188 (Monday, December 5, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H8735-H8736]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  DATA MAPPING TO SAVE MOMS' LIVES ACT

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (S. 198) to require the Federal Communications Commission to 
incorporate data on maternal health outcomes into its broadband health 
maps, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                 S. 198

       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 ``Data Mapping to Save Moms' 
     Lives Act''.

     SEC. 2. MAPPING BROADBAND CONNECTIVITY AND MATERNAL HEALTH 
                   OUTCOMES.

       (a) Incorporation of Maternal Mortality and Severe Maternal 
     Morbidity Data.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Federal Communications 
     Commission shall incorporate publicly available data on 
     maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity, including 
     for not less than 1 year postpartum, into the Mapping 
     Broadband Health in America platform of the Commission.
       (b) Consultation With CDC.--The Federal Communications 
     Commission shall consult with the Director of the Centers for 
     Disease Control and Prevention regarding the maternal 
     mortality and severe maternal morbidity data that should be 
     incorporated under subsection (a).

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

[[Page H8736]]

  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 S. 198.
  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.
  I rise in strong support of S. 198, the Data Mapping to Save Moms' 
Lives Act.
  The United States has the highest rate of maternal mortality across 
developed nations. And while maternal mortality and morbidity are 
problems that affect women throughout the country, these concerns are 
especially pronounced in Black and Native American communities.
  Maternal mortality rates for Black women are three times higher than 
those of White women, and the rate of death for American Indians and 
Alaska Native women is two times higher. This is simply unacceptable, 
and we should be taking action to reverse these disturbing numbers.
  Technology, Mr. Speaker, has a role to play but requires modern 
connectivity like high-speed broadband to provide the most potential. 
For instance, access to telehealth services like routine checkups, 
health monitoring, and updated prescriptions can go a long way in 
ensuring the health and safety of both the mother and child.
  This legislation before us today seeks to help lawmakers, public 
health officials, and the public at large to consider issues of 
connectivity and maternal health outcomes in tandem. Once implemented, 
it will provide a better idea for how connectivity and health data 
intersect. This will help us better target telehealth services to 
vulnerable populations in communities at risk of maternal mortality and 
morbidity.
  Specifically, Mr. Speaker, it will require the FCC to integrate 
publicly available data related to maternal health, including mortality 
and severe morbidity, into its Mapping Broadband Health in America 
platform. The FCC will be required to consult with the Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention to determine the right data to include 
for this effort.
  We have worked closely with our Senate colleagues to get this 
legislation enacted, and I want to acknowledge and thank Senators Rosen 
and Fischer for their leadership on the bill. This bipartisan Senate 
bill incorporates the text of the House-passed version championed by 
Representatives Butterfield, Bilirakis, and Lisa Blunt Rochester.
  This initiative, Mr. Speaker, combined with other good work that we 
in the executive branch have done, will help us better understand the 
communications barriers that some pregnant women face so that we can 
explore connectivity policies that help keep these women safe and 
healthy.
  Mr. Speaker, for these reasons, I urge my colleagues to support S. 
198, the Data Mapping to Save Moms' Lives Act in a bipartisan manner, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I rise today in support of S. 198, the Data Mapping to Save Moms' 
Lives Act, that mirrors legislation from Representatives Bilirakis and 
Butterfield. Their legislation passed the House by over 400 votes in 
April of this year.
  Maternal mortality continues to affect moms and children across the 
United States. The Energy and Commerce Committee has worked in a 
bipartisan way to address this preventable issue, but unfortunately, 
challenges remain.
  This legislation will build on existing tools of the Federal 
Communications Commission by incorporating publicly available data on 
maternal health outcomes into its Mapping Broadband Health in America 
tool. The FCC would be required to work with the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention to determine what maternal health outcomes to 
include.
  I encourage all of my colleagues to support this legislation, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter).
  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the 
bill, S. 198, the Data Mapping to Save Moms' Lives Act.
  Earlier this year, the House passed H.R. 1218, which was introduced 
by Representatives Butterfield and Bilirakis. This legislation was the 
result of bipartisan work through hearings and markups in the Energy 
and Commerce Committee. I am pleased to see that Republican efforts at 
changes to improve the legislation are included in the bill before us.
  Today's legislation amends the Senate bill to include the House-
passed language, which I was pleased to support earlier this year. The 
Data Mapping to Save Moms' Lives Act follows other bipartisan work the 
Energy and Commerce Committee has done to address maternal mortality in 
America.
  I am pleased to support this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to 
do so, as well.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I, once again, urge that we support this 
bill on a bipartisan basis, and I urge all my colleagues to support it.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  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, S. 198, as amended.
  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. ROSENDALE. 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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