[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.
____________________