DUCKWORTH'S BIPARTISAN PROTECTING MOMS WHO SERVED ACT SIGNED INTO LAW

Statement

U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Susan Collins (R-ME) and U.S. Representative Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14) joined President Biden at the White House today as he signed their bipartisan Protecting Moms Who Served Act into law to help address the maternal mortality crisis among women Veterans by helping improve care at VA facilities and shed light on the scope of this crisis, particularly among women of color. There are more than half a million women Veterans in our nation who are under the age of 40. Duckworth, a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, is a combat Veteran who served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years. Photos from today's bill signing ceremony can be found here and video can be found here.

"It's a tragedy every time a mother dies from a preventable cause related to pregnancy or childbirth, and it's shameful that far too often these moms are women of color whose pain or symptoms have been overlooked or ignored," said Duckworth. "I'm so proud that President Biden signed this bipartisan bill I introduced with Senator Collins and Representative Underwood--which would help address our nation's growing maternal mortality crisis by helping ensure the pregnancy complications of all women Veterans are not overlooked or ignored--into law today."

"Providing support to our veterans and those who serve today is among our greatest obligations. The U.S. has an unacceptably high maternal mortality rate, and the impact of this crisis on women veterans is not well understood," said Collins. "This legislation Senator Duckworth and I partnered on will help examine ways to improve care coordination, identify gaps in coverage, and eliminate disparities. Now that our bill has been signed into law, the U.S. can help ensure that the brave women who have served in our military receive the maternal care they have earned."

"The U.S. suffers unacceptable rates of preventable maternal mortality and veterans are uniquely at-risk; we must ensure that the VA is providing the highest-quality maternal health care and support to moms who served," said Underwood. "I am thrilled to see the President sign the Protecting Moms Who Served Act into law, a bipartisan bill that Senator Duckworth and I introduced to improve maternal health outcomes among veterans. I thank my colleagues who joined me to introduce this bill, including House Veterans' Affairs Health Subcommittee Chairwoman Julia Brownley and Representatives Gus Bilirakis and Brian Fitzpatrick, and I look forward to passing the Build Back Better Act so we can continue to save moms' lives."

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