[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 1]
[House]
[Pages 367-368]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 IMPROVING ACCESS TO MATERNITY CARE ACT

  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 315) to amend the Public Health Service Act to distribute 
maternity care health professionals to health professional shortage 
areas identified as in need of maternity care health services.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 315

       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 ``Improving Access to 
     Maternity Care Act''.

     SEC. 2. MATERNITY CARE HEALTH PROFESSIONAL TARGET AREAS.

       Section 332 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
     254e) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     subsection:
       ``(k)(1) The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of 
     the Health Resources and Services Administration, shall 
     identify, based on the data collected under paragraph (3), 
     maternity care health professional target areas that satisfy 
     the criteria described in paragraph (2) for purposes of, in 
     connection with receipt of assistance under this title, 
     assigning to such identified areas maternity care health 
     professionals who, without application of this subsection, 
     would otherwise be eligible for such assistance. The 
     Secretary shall distribute maternity care health 
     professionals within health professional shortage areas using 
     the maternity care health professional target areas so 
     identified.
       ``(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), the Secretary shall 
     establish criteria for maternity care health professional 
     target areas that identify geographic areas within health 
     professional shortage areas that have a shortage of maternity 
     care health professionals.
       ``(3) For purposes of this subsection, the Secretary shall 
     collect and publish in the Federal Register data comparing 
     the availability and need of maternity care health services 
     in health professional shortage areas and in areas within 
     such health professional shortage areas.
       ``(4) In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall 
     seek input from relevant provider organizations, including 
     medical societies, organizations representing medical 
     facilities, and other organizations with expertise in 
     maternity care.
       ``(5) For purposes of this subsection, the term `full scope 
     maternity care health services' includes during labor care, 
     birthing, prenatal care, and postpartum care.
       ``(6) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as--
       ``(A) requiring the identification of a maternity care 
     health professional target area in an area not otherwise 
     already designated as a health professional shortage area; or
       ``(B) affecting the types of health professionals, without 
     application of this subsection, otherwise eligible for 
     assistance, including a loan repayment or scholarship, 
     pursuant to the application of this section.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Burgess) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gene Green) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess).


                             General Leave

  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
insert extraneous material in the Record on the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 315, the Improving 
Access to Maternity Care Act, which I introduced with Representative 
Eshoo.
  H.R. 315 increases data collection by the Department of Health and 
Human Services to help better place maternity care providers through 
the National Health Service Corps repayment program. Currently, 
maternity care providers participate in the National Health Service 
Corps through the primary care designation, but they are not always 
placed where they are needed the most. H.R. 315 will require increased 
data collection on maternity care providers who will then be placed in 
geographic areas within existing health professional shortage areas, 
again, where they are most needed.
  This legislation enjoyed broad support on the Energy and Commerce 
Committee, passing through the full committee markup by a voice vote in 
the 114th Congress.
  H.R. 315 provides no new spending, Mr. Speaker.
  I urge all my colleagues to support this legislation.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 315, the Improving Access to 
Maternity Care Act.
  This important legislation would require the Health Resources and 
Services Administration to better identify areas with increased need 
for maternity care services. This would help ensure the placement of 
maternity care providers within the National Health Service Corps in 
areas with the most need for their services.
  Improving access to maternity care providers in our most underserved 
communities will help reduce the poor health outcomes that can result 
when women don't have access to quality, prenatal maternity services 
that they need. Those outcomes can include increased infant mortality, 
preterm births, low birth weight infants, and maternal mortality.
  To provide just one example of how limited access to quality 
maternity care service is affecting American communities is that while 
global maternal mortality rates have fallen by more than a third from 
2000 to 2015, the maternal mortality rate in the United States has 
increased. In 2015, 25 women lost their lives during pregnancy or 
childbirth per 100,000 births in the U.S., compared to 23 women who did 
so in only 2000.
  It is clear that we must do more to reverse the troubling trend and 
other poor outcomes that result in limited access to maternity care 
providers. Congress must make it a priority to ensure our women have 
access to prenatal and maternity care services.
  I support H.R. 315. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Tennessee (Mr. Roe), the chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee 
and a fellow OB/GYN.

                              {time}  1645

  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 
315, the Improving Access to Maternity Care Act, sponsored by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess), a fellow OB/GYN and chairman of the 
Health Caucus.
  One of the easiest ways to ensure a safer and healthier pregnancy 
experience for both mother and child is through adequate maternity 
care. Unfortunately, there are pockets across the United States where 
women do not have access to needed OB/GYN care, which puts both mothers 
and babies at risk should a complication arise.
  As an OB/GYN who spent 31 years in practice, I find it unacceptable 
that 1 million babies are born to mothers who did not receive adequate 
prenatal care. Without that proper care, babies born to these mothers 
are three times more likely to be born at a low birth weight and five 
times more likely to die than babies whose mothers did receive adequate 
maternity care.
  With a large number of OB/GYNs nearing retirement age and a female 
population expected to increase by 36 percent by 2050, there is no more 
important time than now to ensure adequate access to maternity care for 
all mothers, no matter where they live. A woman living in rural east 
Tennessee or rural Texas should have the same

[[Page 368]]

access to adequate maternity care as someone living in the city of 
Nashville, Memphis, Dallas, or wherever.
  I am a proud cosponsor of this legislation that would require the 
Health Resources and Services Administration to designate maternity 
healthcare professional shortage areas and target maternity care 
resources where they are most needed, helping to ensure healthier 
pregnancies and healthier babies.
  It was my job as an OB/GYN to make sure that mothers and their 
children were healthy during and after pregnancy, and I feel very 
strongly about that duty now that I am here in Congress. While this 
bill will not solve the entire shortage crisis, I think this bill is a 
meaningful start. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 3 minutes to the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter).
  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 315, the Improving 
Access to Maternity Care Act.
  Our Nation is facing a critical shortage of maternity healthcare 
services and professionals. Many Americans in rural or medically 
underserved areas have little to no access to maternity care services, 
either due to geographical constraints or a shortage of healthcare 
providers. This bill would encourage physicians and other healthcare 
professionals to serve in rural and underserved communities by creating 
a maternity care designation in the National Health Service Corps.
  The National Health Service Corps provides up to $50,000 in student 
loan repayments for healthcare professionals who commit to providing 
care in health profession shortage areas for a minimum of 2 years. The 
program has already made great progress in increasing access and 
reducing provider shortages in dental care, mental health, and primary 
care.
  Maternity health professionals can and do already serve in the 
National Health Service Corps, but they are placed in the same manner 
as primary care providers. This bill would create a separate 
designation for maternity care providers, ensuring that maternity 
health needs are more efficiently addressed in underserved communities 
that need them the most.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 315, once again, is a bill that passed 
with overwhelming support in the last Congress. I hope that by taking 
it up early in this Congress, we will allow time for the other body to 
attend to this needed legislation. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 
315.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 315, the 
bipartisan Improving Access to Maternity Care Act which I was pleased 
to introduce with Representative Burgess.
  Today, millions of expectant mothers in rural and underserved areas 
in our country face lengthy wait times and have to travel long 
distances to receive maternity care. Without adequate care, they are at 
increased risk for complications and their newborns are at higher risk 
to endure health problems. Access to maternal health care professionals 
including OB-GYNs and midwives is a critical component of consistent, 
high-quality maternal health care from conception through birth.
  In my home state of California there are only 4,856 OB-GYNs according 
to the Pew Charitable Trust, for almost 40 million residents, a 
shortage which can result in dangerous health risks and long-term 
consequences for new mothers and their babies.
  I'm proud to support H.R. 315, which takes an important first step 
toward meeting the growing need for maternal health care professionals 
across our country. By directing the collection of data about current 
access to maternity care, this legislation will identify the geographic 
regions of our country that face shortages in maternal health care 
professionals and will eventually result in the distribution of 
maternal health care professionals, including doctors and midwives to 
areas of the country where the full scope of their medical practice can 
be utilized and where they are needed most. This bill makes important 
progress toward ensuring that all Americans, expectant and new mothers 
have access to the healthcare they need and deserve.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 315.
  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. BURGESS. 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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