Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1696590943850.pdf (United States)
April 4, 2022 b 1703 AFTER RECESS The recess having expired, the House was called to order by the Speaker pro tempore (Ms. KELLY of Illinois) at 5 o’clock and 3 minutes p.m. f ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE The SPEAKER pro tempore.

Pursu- ant to clause 8 of rule XX, the Chair will postpone further proceedings today on motions to suspend the rules on which the yeas and nays are or- dered.

The House will resume proceedings on postponed questions at a later time.
f DATA MAPPING TO SAVE MOMS’ LIVES ACT Mr. PALLONE.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R.

1218) to require the Federal Communications Commission to incor- porate data on maternal health out- comes into its broadband health maps, as amended.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R.

1218 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep- resentatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1.

SHORT TITLE.
SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Data Mapping to Save Moms’ Lives Act’’.

SEC.

2.

MAPPING BROADBAND CONNECTIVITY AND MATERNAL HEALTH OUTCOMES.
(a) INCORPORATION OF MATERNAL MORTALITY AND SEVERE MATERNAL MORBIDITY DATA.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact- ment of this Act, the Federal Communications Commission shall incorporate publicly available data on maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity, including for not less than 1 year postpartum, the Mapping Broadband Health in America platform of the Commission.
(b) CONSULTATION WITH CDC.—The Federal Communications Commission shall consult with the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding the maternal mor- tality and severe maternal morbidity data that should be incorporated under subsection (a).

into The SPEAKER pro tempore.

Pursu- ant to the rule, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. PALLONE) and the gen- tleman from Ohio (Mr. LATTA) each will control 20 minutes.

The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.
GENERAL LEAVE Mr. PALLONE.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Mem- bers may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their re- marks and include extraneous material on H.R.

1218.

The SPEAKER pro tempore.

Is there objection to the request of the gen- tleman from New Jersey?

There was no objection.

Mr. PALLONE.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may con- sume.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong sup- port of H.R.

1218, the Data Mapping to Save Moms’ Lives Act.


CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE Tragically, the United States has the highest rate of maternal mortality across developed nations.

While mater- nal mortality and morbidity are prob- lems that affect women across the country, these concerns are especially pronounced in Black and Native Amer- ican communities.
Maternal mortality rates for Black women are three times higher than those of White women, and the rate of death for American Indian and Alaska Native women is two times higher.

This legislation seeks to provide a visualization for the public on how connectivity and these health data intersect.

It will help guide policy- makers on how to target telehealth services to vulnerable populations and communities at risk in an effort to re- duce maternal mortality and morbidity in this country.
For pregnant women, access to tele- health services like routine checkups, health monitoring, and updated pre- scriptions can go a long way in ensur- ing the health and safety of both the mother and child.

Specifically, under this legislation, the FCC is required to integrate pub- licly available data related to maternal health, including mortality and severe morbidity, into its Mapping Broadband Health in America platform.
The FCC will be required to consult with the Centers for Disease Control and Pre- vention to determine the right data to include for this effort.

I commend Representatives BUTTERFIELD, BILIRAKIS, and BLUNT ROCHESTER for their bipartisan efforts on this legislation.

I also thank Sub- committee Chairman DOYLE for work- ing to get this legislation through the Communications and Technology Sub- committee.
I also commend you, Madam Speak- er, as the vice chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee, because you have spent quite a bit of time dealing with these maternal mortality issues.

This initiative, combined with other good work we and the executive branch have done, will help us better under- stand the communications barriers some pregnant women face so that we can then explore connectivity policies that help keep these women safe and healthy.
I know the Senate has passed a com- panion bill recently, led by Senators ROSEN and FISCHER.

Although there are some technical differences between the two bills, my hope is that we can get those worked out as quickly as possible and get this legislation to the Presi- dent’s desk.

Madam Speaker, I urge my col- leagues to support the Data Mapping to Save Moms’ Lives Act in a bipartisan manner, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LATTA.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R.

1218, the Data Mapping to Save Moms’ Lives Act, which was introduced by Representatives BUTTERFIELD and BILIRAKIS.

H4133 Maternal mortality continues to af- fect mothers and children across the United States, particularly in rural areas.

The Energy and Commerce Com- mittee has worked to address this pre- ventable issue, but unfortunately, chal- lenges remain.
Congress has previously taken steps to understand which communities are most affected and what we can do to reverse this alarming trend.

Today’s legislation will build on ex- isting tools of the Federal Communica- tions Commission by incorporating publicly available data on maternal health outcomes into its Mapping Broadband Health in America tool.

The FCC would be required to work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to determine which mater- nal health outcomes to include.
Madam Speaker, I urge my col- leagues to support this bill, and I re- serve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE.

Madam Speaker, I re- serve the balance of my time.

Mr. LATTA.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. BILI- RAKIS), the cosponsor of this legisla- tion.

Mr. BILIRAKIS.

Madam Speaker, we know that maternal mortality has been increasing in the U.S. while de- clining in other countries, unfortu- nately.
We know these rates are even worse for Black women, Madam Speak- er.

We also know that lack of broadband in today’s society can lead to isolation, poorer education outcomes, and fewer work opportunities.

What we don’t know is how broadband access impacts maternal health outcomes.

Finding this out is our goal.

At the end of the day, we all want to lower maternal mortality rates and en- sure that babies are both healthy and grow up with the love and support of their mothers.
I am proud to co-lead this legislation, a bipartisan piece of legislation, with my good friend, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, who we are going to miss because he is re- tiring after this term, and Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER, another fellow member of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Madam Speaker, I urge passage of this great bill.

Mr. PALLONE.

Madam Speaker, I re- serve the balance of my time.

Mr. LATTA.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. BALDERSON).

Mr. BALDERSON.
Mr. BALDERSON.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Data Map- ping to Save Moms’ Lives Act.

The United States is one of the few Nations in the world experiencing a rise in pregnancy-related deaths, claiming the lives of hundreds of moms each year.

Behind each of these cases are stories of heartbreak and devasta- tion for families and communities.

We must do more to improve health outcomes for moms and babies across this country, and telehealth services will play a critical role in doing so.
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE Median wages for Black women in the United States are $36,227 per year, which is $21,698 less than the median wages for white, non-Hispanic men.
H4134 This bill would instruct the FCC to work with the CDC to incorporate pub- licly available data on severe maternal morbidity and mortality into its Map- ping Broadband Health in America platform.

that Using this data, we can more accu- rately identify the communities with high maternal morbidity and mortality rates broadband connectivity.
This will allow for the government to better target areas with critical telehealth services and, ulti- mately, pave the way for better health outcomes for new and expecting moth- ers.

lack Madam Speaker, I strongly urge all of my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. PALLONE.

Madam Speaker, I re- serve the balance of my time.

Mr. LATTA.

Madam Speaker, again, I rise in support of H.R.

1218, the Data Mapping to Save Moms’ Lives Act, and I urge all Members to support this leg- islation.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the bal- ance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE.

Madam Speaker, I urge bipartisan support for this bill as part of our continued effort to address maternal mortality, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON LEE.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R.


1218, the ‘‘Data Mapping to Save Moms’ Lives Act’’ which di- rects the Federal Communications Commis- sion to identify areas of the country where poor maternal health rates overlap with defi- ciencies in broadband access that are needed to effectively deploy telehealth services.

In the United States, black women are 2 to 6 times more likely to die from complications of pregnancy than white women, depending on where they live.
Dating back to maternity mortality analysis from 1979 to 1992, the overall pregnancy-re- lated mortality ratio was 25.1 deaths per 100,000 for black women, 10.3 for Hispanic women, and 6.0 for non-Hispanic white women.
During 2011–2015, the pregnancy-related mortality ratios were— 42.8 deaths per 100,000 live births for black non-Hispanic women; 32.5 deaths per 100,000 live births for American Indian/Alaskan Native non-Hispanic women; 14.2 deaths per 100,000 live births for Asian/Pacific Islander non-Hispanic women; 13.0 deaths per 100,000 live births for white non-Hispanic women; and 11.4 deaths per 100,000 live births for His- panic women.
Madam Speaker, Black women the United States experience unacceptably poor maternal health outcomes, including dispropor- tionately high rates of death related to preg- nancy or childbirth.

in Both societal and health system factors con- tribute to high rates of poor health outcomes and maternal mortality for Black women, who are more likely to experience barriers to ob- taining quality care and often face racial dis- crimination throughout their lives.
Health inequity stems from economic in- equality and its contributing factors including sexism and racism.

To that point, Black women are typically paid just 63 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men.

These lost wages mean Black women and their families have less money to support themselves and their families and may have to choose between essential resources like hous- ing, childcare, food, and health care.
These trade-offs are evident in Black wom- en’s health outcomes and use of medical care.

Compared to white women, Black women are more likely to be uninsured, face greater financial barriers to care when they need it and are less likely to access prenatal care.

Black women experience higher rates of many preventable disease and chronic health conditions including diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.
When Black women choose to become pregnant, these health conditions influence both maternal and infant health outcomes.

To improve Black women’s maternal health, we need a multi-faceted approach that ad- dresses Black women’s health across the life- span, improves access to quality care, ad- dresses social determinants of health and pro- vides greater economic security.

Comprehen- sive data on maternal health is certainly a part of that approach.
Black women are three to four times more likely to experience a pregnancy-related death than white women.

Black women are more likely to experience preventable maternal death compared with white women.

Black women’s heightened risk of preg- nancy-related death spans income and edu- cation levels.

Black women experience more maternal health complications than white women.

Black women are more likely to experience com- plications throughout the course of their preg- nancies than white women.
Black women are three times more likely to have fibroids (benign tumors that grow in the uterus and can cause postpartum hem- orrhaging) than white women, and the fibroids occur at younger ages and grow more quickly for Black women.

Black women display signs of preeclampsia earlier in pregnancy than white women.

This condition, which involves high blood pressure during pregnancy, can lead to severe com- plications including death if improperly treated.
Black women experience physical ‘‘weath- ering,’’ meaning their bodies age faster than white women’s due to exposure to chronic stress linked to socioeconomic disadvantage and discrimination over the life course, thus making pregnancy riskier at an earlier age.

Primarily Black-serving hospitals provide lower quality maternity care, where seventy- five percent of Black women give birth.

Those same hospitals also have higher rates of maternal complications than other hospitals.
They also perform worse on 12 of 15 birth outcomes, including elective deliv- eries, non-elective cesarean births and mater- nal mortality.

the reproductive health care Many Black women have a difficult time ac- cessing that meets their needs.

Access to reproductive health care, which helps women plan their families, improves health outcomes for women and children.
Black women experience higher rates of un- intended pregnancies than all other racial April 4, 2022 groups, in part because of disparities in ac- cess to quality contraceptive care and coun- seling.

Many Black women lack access to quality contraceptive care and counseling.
For example, in a recent analysis of Cali- fornia women enrolled in Medicaid, Black women were less likely than white or Latina women to receive postpartum contraception, and when they did receive it, they were less likely to receive a highly effective method.

Black women’s access to abortion is limited, and they may be more likely to experience the ill effects of abortion restrictions—such as de- layed care, increased costs or lack of access to care.
Black and Hispanic adults in the United States remain less likely than White adults to say they own a traditional computer or have high-speed internet at home, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted Jan. 25 to Feb. 8, 2021.

In addition, only 40 percent of Black adults report having broadband access their homes.

This figure is another testament to the inhibitions black women face in getting the care they need, which this act aims to resolve.
It is for that reason Madam Speaker I sup- port the ‘‘Data Mapping to Save Moms’ Lives Act.’’ in Comprehensive data on maternal health will play a role in saving the lives of pregnant black women, so I am proud to support this Act.

Though there is still much work to be done, this bill is a good first step in the right direc- tion.

I urge my colleagues to support this po- tentially life-saving piece of legislation.
For far too long black women have dis- proportionately suffered lower maternal health rates and outcomes.

The passage of this Act finally provides us a route to remediation.

The SPEAKER pro tempore.

The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. PALLONE) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R.

1218, as amended.

The question was taken.

The SPEAKER pro tempore.

In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. GOOD of Virginia.

Madam Speak- er, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

The SPEAKER pro tempore.

Pursu- ant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 8, the yeas and nays are ordered.

Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, fur- ther proceedings on this motion are postponed.

f SPECTRUM COORDINATION ACT Mr. PALLONE.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R.
2501) to require the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the Federal Com- munications Commission to update the memorandum of understanding on spectrum coordination, as amended.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R.

2501 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep- resentatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1.

SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Spectrum Co- ordination Act’’.
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