[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 153 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 153
Recognizing the week of April 11 through April 17, 2021, as ``Black
Maternal Health Week'' to bring national attention to the maternal
health crisis in the United States and the importance of reducing
maternal mortality and morbidity among Black women and birthing
persons.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 13, 2021
Mr. Booker (for himself, Mrs. Feinstein, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Blumenthal,
Mr. Markey, Ms. Cortez Masto, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Menendez,
Mr. Padilla, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Brown, Mr. Warnock, Mr. Peters, Ms.
Baldwin, Ms. Smith, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Bennet,
Ms. Klobuchar, Mrs. Gillibrand, and Ms. Rosen) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education,
Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Recognizing the week of April 11 through April 17, 2021, as ``Black
Maternal Health Week'' to bring national attention to the maternal
health crisis in the United States and the importance of reducing
maternal mortality and morbidity among Black women and birthing
persons.
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;
Whereas the United States has the highest maternal mortality rate among affluent
countries, in part because of the disproportionate mortality rate among
Black women;
Whereas Black women are 49 percent more likely than White 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 the maternal
healthcare experiences and outcomes of Black birthing people;
Whereas a fair and wide distribution of resources and birth options, especially
with regard to reproductive healthcare services and maternal health
programming, are critical to closing the racial gap in maternal health
outcomes;
Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted issues within the broken
healthcare system in the United States and the harm of that system to
Black women and birthing persons by exposing--
(1) increased barriers to accessing prenatal and postpartum care,
including maternal mental healthcare;
(2) the 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 positive for COVID-19;
(4) complexities in COVID-19 vaccine and therapeutics trials including
pregnant and lactating people;
(5) increased rates of caesarean 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) 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 healthcare systems;
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 justice-informed, culturally congruent models of care are beneficial to
Black women; and
Whereas an investment must be made in--
(1) maternity care for Black women and birthing persons, 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 persons 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 healthcare that is free from gender and racial
discrimination, regardless of incarceration: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate recognizes--
(1) that Black women are experiencing high,
disproportionate rates of maternal mortality and morbidity in
the United States;
(2) that the alarmingly high rates of maternal mortality
and morbidity among Black women are unacceptable;
(3) that, in order to better mitigate the effects of
systemic and structural racism, Congress must work toward
ensuring that the Black community has--
(A) safe and affordable housing;
(B) transportation equity;
(C) nutritious food;
(D) clean air and water;
(E) environments free from toxins;
(F) fair treatment within the criminal justice
system;
(G) safety and freedom from violence;
(H) a living wage;
(I) equal economic opportunity;
(J) a sustained workforce pipeline for diverse
perinatal professionals; and
(K) comprehensive, quality, and affordable
healthcare with access to the full spectrum of
reproductive care;
(4) that, in order to improve maternal health outcomes,
Congress must fully support and encourage policies grounded in
the human rights and reproductive justice frameworks that
address Black maternal health inequity;
(5) that Black women and birthing persons must be active
participants in the policy decisions that impact their lives;
(6) that, in order to ensure access to safe and respectful
maternal healthcare for Black women and birthing persons,
Congress must pass the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of
2021;
(7) that Black Maternal Health Week is an opportunity to--
(A) raise national awareness of the state of Black
maternal health in the United States;
(B) amplify the voices of Black women and birthing
persons, families, and communities;
(C) serve as a national platform for--
(i) entities led by Black women; and
(ii) efforts on maternal health; and
(D) enhance community organizing on Black maternal
health; and
(8) the significance of April 11 through April 17, 2021, as
``Black Maternal Health Week''.
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