[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 159 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 159
Recognizing the designation of the week of April 11 through April 17,
2023, as the sixth annual ``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 18, 2023
Mr. Booker (for himself, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Markey, Ms. Warren, Mr.
Padilla, Mr. Blumenthal, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Menendez, Ms. Duckworth, Ms.
Smith, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Durbin, Ms. Stabenow, Ms.
Rosen, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Brown, Mr. Merkley, and Ms. Klobuchar)
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee
on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Recognizing the designation of the week of April 11 through April 17,
2023, as the sixth annual ``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 2.6 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 of any member country of the Organisation for
Economic Co-operation and Development; and
(2) increasing rapidly, from 17.4 deaths per 100,000 live births in
2018, to 32.1 deaths per 100,000 live births 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 the rate of preterm birth among Black women is nearly 50 percent higher
than the preterm birth rate among White or Hispanic women;
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 and birthing persons in the
United States significantly contribute to the disproportionately high
rates of maternal mortality and morbidity among Black women and birthing
persons;
Whereas racism and discrimination play a consequential role in maternal health
care experiences and outcomes of Black birthing persons;
Whereas a fair and wide distribution of resources and birth options, especially
with regard to reproductive health care services and maternal health
programming, is critical to closing the racial gap in maternal health
outcomes;
Whereas Black midwives, doulas, perinatal health workers, and community-based
organizations provide holistic maternal 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 of 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 of that system to
Black women and birthing persons;
Whereas data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has indicated
that Black women had the highest rate of maternal deaths related to
COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021, at 13.2 per 100,000 live births, while the
rate among White women was 4.5 per 100,000 live births;
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; 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 health care that is free from gender and racial
discrimination, regardless of incarceration: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate recognizes that--
(1) Black women are experiencing high, disproportionate
rates of maternal mortality and morbidity in the United States;
(2) the alarmingly high rates of maternal mortality among
Black women are unacceptable;
(3) 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, high-quality, and affordable
health care with access to the full spectrum of
reproductive care;
(4) in order to improve maternal health outcomes, Congress
must fully support and encourage policies grounded in the human
rights, reproductive justice, and birth justice frameworks that
address Black maternal health inequity;
(5) Black women and birthing persons must be active
participants in the policy decisions that impact their lives;
(6) in order to ensure access to safe and respectful
maternal health care for Black birthing persons, Congress must
reintroduce and pass the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of
2021 (S. 346, H.R. 959, 117th Congress); and
(7) ``Black Maternal Health Week'' is an opportunity to--
(A) deepen the national conversation about Black
maternal health in the United States;
(B) amplify community-driven policy, research, and
care solutions;
(C) center the voices of Black mothers, women,
families, and stakeholders;
(D) provide a national platform for Black-led
entities and efforts on maternal health, birth, and
reproductive justice; and
(E) enhance community organizing on Black maternal
health.
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