[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3047 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3047
To amend title 10, United States Code, to improve postpartum care for
members of the Armed Forces and dependents of such members, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 7, 2021
Ms. Houlahan introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Armed Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 10, United States Code, to improve postpartum care for
members of the Armed Forces and dependents of such members, and for
other purposes.
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 ``Military Moms Matter Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENT OF POSTPARTUM CARE FOR CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE ARMED
FORCES AND DEPENDENTS.
(a) Leave for Primary and Secondary Caregivers.--
(1) In general.--Section 701 of title 10, United State
Code, is amended--
(A) in subsection (i)--
(i) by striking ``total'' each place it
appears and inserting ``parental'';
(ii) in paragraph (1)--
(I) in subparagraph (A), by
striking ``, including up to six weeks
of medical convalescent leave'' and
inserting `` and up to six weeks of
medical convalescent leave (which may
not be considered in calculating the
twelve weeks of parental leave)''; and
(II) in subparagraph (B), by
striking ``six weeks'' and inserting
``twelve weeks''; and
(iii) in paragraph (4), by inserting ``(and
such additional medical convalescent leave may
not be considered in calculating the twelve
weeks of parental leave authorized under such
paragraph)'' after ``child''; and
(B) in subsection (j)--
(i) in paragraph (1), by striking ``21 days
of leave'' and inserting ``twelve weeks of
parental leave'';
(ii) by striking paragraph (3); and
(iii) in paragraph (4), by striking
``paragraphs (6)'' and all that follows through
``shall apply'' and inserting ``paragraphs (4)
through (10) of subsection (i) shall apply''.
(2) Applicability.--The amendments made by this section
shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act and
shall apply with respect to births and adoptions that occur on
or after the date that is six months after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
(b) Postpartum Care for Certain Members and Dependents.--
(1) Postpartum care.--Section 1074d of title 10, United
States Code, is amended--
(A) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection
(c); and
(B) by inserting after subsection (a) the following
new subsection (b):
``(b) Postpartum Care for Certain Members and Dependents.--(1) At
intervals to be prescribed by the Secretary that follow the date on
which a covered individual gives birth, but not less frequently than
four times during the one-year period beginning on such date, and upon
consent of the covered individual, the Secretary shall furnish
postpartum mental health assessments to the covered individual. Such
assessments shall include screening questions related to postpartum
anxiety and postpartum depression and may be provided in connection
with the follow-up appointments described in paragraph (3).
``(2)(A) The Secretary shall ensure that, upon a covered individual
giving birth or soon thereafter, the covered individual is offered a
referral for a pelvic floor examination as part of the medical care to
which the covered individual is entitled under this chapter.
``(B) Pelvic floor examinations provided pursuant to subparagraph
(A) shall be conducted in-person wherever possible, but if the
Secretary determines a covered individual for whom a referral is
offered under such subparagraph is located in a geographic area with an
inadequate number of physical therapists trained in providing such
examinations, the examination may be provided through a telehealth
appointment.
``(3) The Secretary shall ensure that there is provided within each
military medical treatment facility an option for any covered
individual who has given birth at the facility, and who is eligible to
receive care at the facility, to schedule a follow-up appointment for
postpartum care of the covered individual that is concurrent with the
date of the follow-up appointment for postnatal care of the covered
individual's newborn infant.
``(4) In this subsection, the term `covered individual' means a
member of the armed forces (including the reserve components)
performing active service, or a dependent of such member, who is
entitled to medical care under this chapter.''.
(2) Applicability.--The amendments made by this subsection
shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act and
shall apply with respect to births that occur on or after the
date that is six months after the date of the enactment of this
Act.
(c) Physical Fitness Tests.--Not later than after 180 days after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall--
(1) develop a standardized policy under which any member of
the Armed Forces who gives birth while on active duty may not
be required to take a physical fitness test until the date that
is one year after the date on which the member gave birth; and
(2) ensure such policy is implemented uniformly across each
of the Armed Forces.
(d) Pilot Program to Streamline Postpartum Appointments.--
(1) Pilot program.--The Secretary shall carry out a one-
year pilot program to further streamline the process of
scheduling postpartum appointments at military medical
treatment facilities by reducing the number of distinct visits
required for such appointments.
(2) Streamlining of appointments.--In carrying out the
pilot program under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall ensure
that there is provided within each military medical treatment
facility selected under paragraph (3) an option for covered
individuals who have recently given birth at the facility, and
who are eligible to receive care at the facility, to receive a
physical therapy evaluation in connection with each appointment
provided by the facility for postpartum care of the covered
individual or for care of the covered individual's newborn
infant, including such appointments provided concurrently
pursuant to section 1074d(b) of title 10, United 25 States Code
(as added by subsection (b)).
(3) Selection.--The Secretary shall select not fewer than
ten military medical treatment facilities at which to carry out
the pilot program under paragraph (1). In making such
selection, the Secretary shall ensure geographic diversity with
respect to the location of the facilities, including by
considering for selection facilities located outside of the
United States.
(4) Report.--Not later than one year after the commencement
of the pilot program under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall
submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of
Representatives and the Senate a report on the effectiveness of
the pilot program. Such report shall include--
(A) a recommendation by the Secretary on whether to
expand or extend the pilot program; and
(B) a summary of the findings that led to such
recommendation.
(5) Covered individual defined.--In this subsection, the
term ``covered individual'' has the meaning given such term in
section 1074d(b) of title 10, United States Code (as added by
subsection (b)).
(e) Pelvic Health at Military Medical Treatment Facilities.--The
Secretary shall take such steps as are necessary to increase the
capacity of military medical treatment facilities to provide pelvic
health rehabilitation services, including by increasing the number of
physical therapists employed at such facilities who are trained in
pelvic health rehabilitation.
(f) Review of Pelvic Health Rehabilitation Programs.--
(1) Review required.--The Secretary shall conduct a review
of any current pelvic health rehabilitation programs of the
Department of Defense, including an evaluation of the outcomes
of any such programs.
(2) Report.--Not later than nine months after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the
Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives
and the Senate a report containing the findings of the review
required under paragraph (1).
(g) Guidance on Obstetric Hemorrhage Treatment.--Not later than 180
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall
issue guidance on the development and implementation of standard
protocols across the military health system for the treatment of
obstetric hemorrhages, including through the use of pathogen reduced
resuscitative blood products.
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