III 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. DUR- BIN, 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 preg- nancy-related causes; VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:47 Apr 18, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR159.IS SR159 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 2 •SRES 159 IS Whereas Black women in the United States suffer from life- threatening pregnancy complications, known as ‘‘mater- nal morbidities’’, twice as often as White women; Whereas maternal mortality rates in the United States are— (1) among the highest of any member country of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Develop- ment; and (2) increasing rapidly, from 17.4 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2018, to 32.1 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2021; Whereas the United States has the highest maternal mor- tality rate among affluent countries, in part because of the disproportionate mortality rate of Black women; Whereas the rate of preterm birth among Black women is nearly 50 percent higher than the preterm birth rate among White or Hispanic women; Whereas the high rates of maternal mortality among Black women span across— (1) income levels; (2) education levels; and (3) socioeconomic status; Whereas structural racism, gender oppression, and the social determinants of health inequities experienced by Black women and birthing persons in the United States signifi- cantly contribute to the disproportionately high rates of maternal mortality and morbidity among Black women and birthing persons; Whereas racism and discrimination play a consequential role in maternal health care experiences and outcomes of Black birthing persons; VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:47 Apr 18, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR159.IS SR159 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 3 •SRES 159 IS 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 ma- ternal care, but face structural and legal barriers to li- censure, 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 mater- nal 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 Pre- vention 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, treat- ment, and support before, during, and after pregnancy; Whereas Black pregnant and postpartum workers are dis- proportionately denied reasonable accommodations in the workplace, leading to adverse pregnancy outcomes; Whereas Black pregnant people disproportionately experience surveillance and punishment, including shackling incar- cerated people in labor, drug testing mothers and infants VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:47 Apr 18, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR159.IS SR159 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 4 •SRES 159 IS without informed consent, separating mothers from their newborns, and criminalizing pregnancy outcomes; Whereas justice-informed, culturally congruent models of care are beneficial to Black women; and Whereas an investment must be made in— (1) maternity care for Black women and birthing persons, including support of care led by the communities most affected by the maternal health crisis in the United States; (2) continuous health insurance coverage to support Black women and birthing persons for the full postpartum period up to at least 1 year after giving birth; and (3) policies that support and promote affordable, comprehensive, and holistic maternal health care that is free from gender and racial discrimination, regardless of incarceration: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate recognizes that— 1 (1) Black women are experiencing high, dis- 2 proportionate rates of maternal mortality and mor- 3 bidity in the United States; 4 (2) the alarmingly high rates of maternal mor- 5 tality among Black women are unacceptable; 6 (3) in order to better mitigate the effects of 7 systemic and structural racism, Congress must work 8 toward ensuring that the Black community has— 9 (A) safe and affordable housing; 10 (B) transportation equity; 11 (C) nutritious food; 12 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:47 Apr 18, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR159.IS SR159 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 5 •SRES 159 IS (D) clean air and water; 1 (E) environments free from toxins; 2 (F) fair treatment within the criminal jus- 3 tice system; 4 (G) safety and freedom from violence; 5 (H) a living wage; 6 (I) equal economic opportunity; 7 (J) a sustained workforce pipeline for di- 8 verse perinatal professionals; and 9 (K) comprehensive, high-quality, and af- 10 fordable health care with access to the full spec- 11 trum of reproductive care; 12 (4) in order to improve maternal health out- 13 comes, Congress must fully support and encourage 14 policies grounded in the human rights, reproductive 15 justice, and birth justice frameworks that address 16 Black maternal health inequity; 17 (5) Black women and birthing persons must be 18 active participants in the policy decisions that im- 19 pact their lives; 20 (6) in order to ensure access to safe and re- 21 spectful maternal health care for Black birthing per- 22 sons, Congress must reintroduce and pass the Black 23 Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021 (S. 346, 24 H.R. 959, 117th Congress); and 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:47 Apr 18, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR159.IS SR159 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 6 •SRES 159 IS (7) ‘‘Black Maternal Health Week’’ is an oppor- 1 tunity to— 2 (A) deepen the national conversation about 3 Black maternal health in the United States; 4 (B) amplify community-driven policy, re- 5 search, and care solutions; 6 (C) center the voices of Black mothers, 7 women, families, and stakeholders; 8 (D) provide a national platform for Black- 9 led entities and efforts on maternal health, 10 birth, and reproductive justice; and 11 (E) enhance community organizing on 12 Black maternal health. 13 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:47 Apr 18, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR159.IS SR159 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB