Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act of 2023

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this bipartisan effort to address the maternal health crisis.

One of the most glaring inequities in our country is the disparities in maternal health outcomes. In the richest country in the world, the United States is falling behind and failing our mothers and babies.

Over 1,000 women died in 2021 because of complications from childbirth. This is up from 861 deaths in 2020 and 754 deaths in 2019. What is even worse, as you have heard, is that Black women are nearly three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes as non- Hispanic White women, and that depends on where you live. The area I represent is six times as likely. Indigenous women are more than twice as likely to die from pregnancy-related causes as non-Hispanic White women. Again, it depends on where they live. This is just unacceptable.

I am proud to say that this legislation will bring us closer to a future where no mother has to worry that growing her family will cost her life. The Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act, that I co-led with Representatives Burgess, Cammack, Castor, Carter, and DeGette, will strengthen and expand Federal support for Maternal Mortality Review Committees, or MMRCs. State-fashioned MMRCs are tasked with identifying maternal deaths, analyzing the factors that contributed to those deaths, and translating those lessons into policy changes.

I am proud to say that a piece of my comprehensive maternal health legislation, the MOMMA's Act, is included in this legislation.

The Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act has received unanimous, bipartisan support from the Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Health and the full committee.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill and save moms' lives.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source