[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 67 (Wednesday, April 17, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2829-S2830]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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SENATE RESOLUTION 647--RECOGNIZING THE DESIGNATION OF THE WEEK OF APRIL 
   11 THROUGH APRIL 17, 2024, AS THE SEVENTH ANNUAL ``BLACK MATERNAL 
                             HEALTH WEEK''

  Mr. BOOKER (for himself, Ms. Butler, Mr. Padilla, Ms. Stabenow, Ms. 
Baldwin, Ms. Warren, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Warnock, Mr. Merkley, Mrs. 
Murray, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Sanders, Ms. 
Smith, Mr. Welch, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Markey, Mr. Brown, Ms. 
Klobuchar, and Mr. Whitehouse) submitted the following resolution; 
which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions:

                              S. Res. 647

       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, from 17.4 deaths per 100,000 live 
     births in 2018, to 20.1 in 2019, 23.8 in 2020, and 32.9 in 
     2021;
       Whereas the United States has the highest maternal 
     mortality rate among affluent countries, in part because of 
     the disproportionate mortality rate of Black women;
       Whereas Black women are 50 percent more likely than all 
     other 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 maternal health care experiences and outcomes of Black 
     birthing people;
       Whereas the overturn of Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973) 
     impacts Black women and birthing people's access to 
     reproductive health care and right to bodily autonomy, and 
     further perpetuates reproductive oppression as a tool to 
     control women's bodies;
       Whereas a fair and wide distribution of resources and birth 
     options, especially regarding reproductive health care 
     services and maternal health programming, is critical to 
     closing the racial gap in maternal health outcomes;
       Whereas communities of color are disproportionately 
     affected by maternity care deserts, where there are no or 
     limited hospitals or birth centers offering obstetric care 
     and no or limited obstetric providers, and have diminishing 
     access to reproductive healthcare due to low Medicaid 
     reimbursements, rising costs, and ongoing staff shortages;

[[Page S2830]]

       Whereas Black midwives, doulas, perinatal health workers, 
     and community-based organizations provide holistic maternal 
     health care but face structural and legal barriers to 
     licensure, reimbursement, and provision of care;
       Whereas COVID-19, which has disproportionately harmed Black 
     people in the United States, is associated with an increased 
     risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes and maternal and neonatal 
     complications;
       Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted 
     issues within the broken health care system in the United 
     States and the harm that system does to Black women and 
     birthing people by exposing--
       (1) increased barriers to accessing prenatal and postpartum 
     care, including maternal mental health care;
       (2) a 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 to be positive 
     for COVID-19;
       (4) complexities in COVID-19 vaccine drug trials including 
     pregnant people;
       (5) increased rates of Cesarean 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) the 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 health care systems;
       Whereas new data from the Centers for Disease Control and 
     Prevention has indicated that since the COVID-19 pandemic, 
     the maternal mortality rate for Black women has increased by 
     26 percent;
       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 Black pregnant and postpartum workers are 
     disproportionately denied reasonable accommodations in the 
     workplace, leading to adverse pregnancy outcomes;
       Whereas Black pregnant people disproportionately experience 
     surveillance and punishment, including shackling incarcerated 
     people in labor, drug testing mothers and infants without 
     informed consent, separating mothers from their newborns, and 
     criminalizing pregnancy outcomes;
       Whereas justice-informed, culturally congruent models of 
     care are beneficial to Black women;
       Whereas an investment must be made in--
       (1) maternity care for Black women and birthing people, 
     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 people 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 health care that is free 
     from gender and racial discrimination, regardless of 
     incarceration; and
       Whereas Black Maternal Health Week was founded in 2018 and 
     led by Black Mamas Matter Alliance, inc. to bring national 
     attention to the maternal and reproductive healthcare crisis 
     in the United States and the importance of reducing maternal 
     mortality and morbidity among Black women and birthing 
     people: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate recognizes--
       (1) the seventh annual ``Black Maternal Health Week''; and
       (2) that--
       (A) Black women are experiencing high, disproportionate 
     rates of maternal mortality and morbidity in the United 
     States;
       (B) the alarmingly high rates of maternal mortality among 
     Black women are unacceptable;
       (C) in order to better mitigate the effects of systemic and 
     structural racism, Congress must work toward ensuring--
       (i) that the Black community has--

       (I) safe and affordable housing;
       (II) transportation equity;
       (III) nutritious food;
       (IV) clean air and water;
       (V) environments free from toxins;
       (VI) safety and freedom from violence;
       (VII) a living wage;
       (VIII) equal economic opportunity;
       (IX) a sustained and expansive workforce pipeline for 
     diverse perinatal professionals; and
       (X) comprehensive, high-quality, and affordable health care 
     with access to the full spectrum of reproductive care; and

       (ii) reform of the criminal justice and family regulation 
     systems to decriminalize pregnancy, remove civil penalties, 
     end surveillance of families, and end mandatory reporting 
     within the system;
       (D) in order to improve maternal health outcomes, Congress 
     must fully support and encourage policies grounded in the 
     human rights, reproductive justice policies, and birth 
     justice frameworks that address Black maternal health 
     inequity;
       (E) Black women and birthing people must be active 
     participants in the policy decisions that impact their lives;
       (F) in order to ensure access to safe and respectful 
     maternal health care for Black birthing people, Congress must 
     pass the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act; and
       (G) ``Black Maternal Health Week'' is an opportunity to--
       (i) deepen the national conversation about Black maternal 
     health in the United States;
       (ii) amplify and invest in community-driven policy, 
     research, and quality care solutions;
       (iii) center the voices of Black mamas, women, families, 
     and stakeholders;
       (iv) provide a national platform for Black-led entities and 
     efforts that promote maternal and mental health, safe and 
     healthy births, and reproductive justice;
       (v) enhance community organizing on Black maternal health; 
     and
       (vi) support efforts to increase funding for, and advance 
     policies that assist, Black-led and centered community-based 
     organizations and perinatal birth workers that provide full 
     spectrum reproductive, maternal, and sexual healthcare.

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