IV 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. RES. 1182 Recognizing the roles and the contributions of America’s certified nurse- midwives and certified midwives in providing high-quality, evidence-based, cost-effective, and essential sexual and reproductive health care services to women and pregnant people. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OCTOBER 6, 2020 Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce RESOLUTION Recognizing the roles and the contributions of America’s certified nurse-midwives and certified midwives in pro- viding high-quality, evidence-based, cost-effective, and es- sential sexual and reproductive health care services to women and pregnant people. Whereas certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) and certified mid- wives (CMs) are essential to America’s maternal health care system, providing a wide range of sexual and repro- ductive health care services for people, including the inde- pendent provision of primary care, gynecologic and con- traceptive services, preconception care, care during preg- nancy, childbirth and the postpartum period, and care of the normal newborn during the first 28 days of life; VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:58 Oct 06, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR1182.IH HR1182 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HRES 1182 IH Whereas CNMs and CMs care for people throughout their lifespan, from adolescence to beyond menopause, and at- tend approximately 10 percent of our Nation’s births an- nually and serve as frontline essential health care pro- viders during the COVID–19 pandemic; Whereas midwives and midwifery-led care is evidence-based and has been shown to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality, rates of stillbirth, perineal trauma, instru- mental births, intrapartum analgesia use, rates of severe blood loss, preterm birth, low birth weight, and neonatal hypothermia, and has furthermore been associated with more efficient use of resources and improved outcomes including increased rates of spontaneous labor, vaginal birth, and breastfeeding; Whereas women and pregnant people who receive midwifery care have higher rates of satisfaction with their mid- wifery-led health care, pain relief in labor, and maternal- newborn interaction; Whereas CNMs and CMs play an integral role in improving health outcomes for all women, pregnant people, and newborns in their communities; Whereas midwifery care is associated with decreased preg- nancy-related racial and ethnic health disparities and the profession of midwifery in the African-American commu- nity has a rich history dating back centuries; Whereas Black, indigenous, and people of color CNMs and CMs play an integral role in improving health outcomes for women, pregnant people, and newborns in their com- munities; Whereas midwifery is a significant source of maternal health services in rural, underserved, and low-resource urban VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:58 Oct 06, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR1182.IH HR1182 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HRES 1182 IH areas, and CNMs and CMs attend over 30 percent of de- liveries in rural hospitals; Whereas CNMs and CMs provide care in every setting in which sexual and reproductive health care services are de- livered, including hospitals, private office practices, public health departments, community health centers, the Armed Forces, the Veterans Health Administration, the Indian Health Service, freestanding birth centers, and in the home setting; Whereas 2020 has been designated by the World Health Or- ganization as the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife; Whereas, in 1982, Congress passed a resolution designating April 19 through 26 as the first National Nurse-Mid- wifery Week, and the week continued to be observed in April until 1986 when the observance moved to Novem- ber 2 through 8; Whereas, since 1988, National Midwifery Week has been cele- brated during the last week of September or the first week of October in order to raise public awareness of and celebrate the Nation’s 13,000 certified nurse-midwives, certified midwives, and student midwives; and Whereas the celebration of National Midwifery Week 2020 is October 4 through October 10: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 1 (1) acknowledges the celebration of National 2 Midwifery Week; 3 (2) recognizes the roles and the contributions of 4 America’s certified nurse-midwives and certified 5 midwives in providing high-quality, evidence-based, 6 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:58 Oct 06, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR1182.IH HR1182 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HRES 1182 IH cost-effective, and essential sexual and reproductive 1 health care services to women and pregnant people; 2 (3) thanks and promotes the profession of mid- 3 wifery as practiced by certified nurse-midwives and 4 certified midwives; and 5 (4) encourages consumers, hospital administra- 6 tors, health care professionals, policymakers, and 7 others to become more familiar with the certified 8 nurse-midwife and certified midwife credential and 9 the exceptional people who have earned it and are 10 currently studying to earn it by participating in Na- 11 tional Midwifery Week. 12 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:58 Oct 06, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\HR1182.IH HR1182 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS