[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 118 (Monday, July 20, 2026)]
[House]
[Pages H4672-H4673]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1920
             RECOGNIZING BLACK MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH WEEK

  (Ms. TLAIB asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, this is Black Maternal Mental Health Week, 
and it is a time for action. We can save countless Black mothers from 
preventable death.
  Michigan has one of the highest death rates among Black pregnant 
people because our health system fails to provide comprehensive and 
accessible healthcare.
  Folks here may not know this, but mental health is the leading cause 
of maternal deaths, and Black women in our country are the most 
underreported and undertreated.
  As the chair of the Congressional Mamas Caucus, our members and I are 
committing to improving mothers' mental health all year round, not just 
this week.
  Every year, we display portraits of Black mothers who died from 
pregnancy-related causes because so many

[[Page H4673]]

of our Black mothers are held invisible in our policymaking. They are 
ignored and dismissed when they are the ones who need to be heard the 
most concerning the cause of maternal health in our country.
  I will continue to amplify their voices so that all Black mamas can 
thrive alongside their families. It is important that our country saves 
Black mothers now and not wait for statistics to come every single year 
to tell us we are not doing our job.

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