I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1212 
To end preventable maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity in 
the United States and close disparities in maternal health outcomes, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 23, 2021 
Ms. ADAMS (for herself, Ms. UNDERWOOD, Mr. KHANNA, Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ, 
Mrs. MCBATH, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Ms. SCANLON, Mr. LAWSON 
of Florida, Mrs. HAYES, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, 
Ms. STRICKLAND, Mr. RYAN, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. 
HORSFORD, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Ms. BARRAGA´N, Mr. DEUTCH, 
Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. MOULTON, Mr. SOTO, Mr. NADLER, Mr. TRONE, 
Ms. CLARKE of New York, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. BASS, Ms. PRESSLEY, 
Mr. EVANS, Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER, Ms. CASTOR of Florida, Ms. SE-
WELL, and Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To end preventable maternal mortality and severe maternal 
morbidity in the United States and close disparities in 
maternal health outcomes, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Kira Johnson Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. INVESTMENTS IN COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZA-
TIONS 
TO 
IMPROVE 
BLACK 
MATERNAL 
HEALTH OUTCOMES. 
(a) AWARDS.—Following the 1-year period described 
in subsection (c), the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) 
shall award grants to eligible entities to establish or ex-
pand programs to prevent maternal mortality and severe 
maternal 
morbidity 
among 
Black 
pregnant 
and 
postpartum individuals. 
(b) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to seek a grant 
under this section, an entity shall be a community-based 
organization offering programs and resources aligned with 
evidence-based practices for improving maternal health 
outcomes for Black pregnant and postpartum individuals. 
(c) OUTREACH
AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PE-
RIOD.—During the 1-year period beginning on the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall— 
(1) conduct outreach to encourage eligible enti-
ties to apply for grants under this section; and 
(2) provide technical assistance to eligible enti-
ties on best practices for applying for grants under 
this section. 
(d) SPECIAL CONSIDERATION.— 
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(1) OUTREACH.—In conducting outreach under 
subsection (c), the Secretary shall give special con-
sideration to eligible entities that— 
(A) are based in, and provide support for, 
communities with high rates of adverse mater-
nal health outcomes or significant racial and 
ethnic disparities in maternal health outcomes, 
to the extent such data are available; 
(B) are led by Black women; and 
(C) offer programs and resources that are 
aligned with evidence-based practices for im-
proving maternal health outcomes for Black 
pregnant and postpartum individuals. 
(2) AWARDS.—In awarding grants under this 
section, the Secretary shall give special consideration 
to eligible entities that— 
(A) are described in subparagraphs (A), 
(B), and (C) of paragraph (1); 
(B) offer programs and resources designed 
in consultation with and intended for Black 
pregnant and postpartum individuals; and 
(C) offer programs and resources in the 
communities in which the respective eligible en-
tities are located that— 
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(i) promote maternal mental health 
and maternal substance use disorder treat-
ments and supports that are aligned with 
evidence-based practices for improving ma-
ternal mental and behavioral health out-
comes for Black pregnant and postpartum 
individuals; 
(ii) address social determinants of ma-
ternal health for pregnant and postpartum 
individuals; 
(iii) promote evidence-based health lit-
eracy and pregnancy, childbirth, and par-
enting 
education 
for 
pregnant 
and 
postpartum individuals; 
(iv) provide support from perinatal 
health 
workers 
to 
pregnant 
and 
postpartum individuals; 
(v) provide culturally congruent train-
ing to perinatal health workers; 
(vi) conduct or support research on 
maternal health issues disproportionately 
impacting Black pregnant and postpartum 
individuals; 
(vii) provide support to family mem-
bers of individuals who suffered a preg-
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nancy-associated death or pregnancy-re-
lated death; 
(viii) operate midwifery practices that 
provide 
culturally 
congruent 
maternal 
health care and support, including for the 
purposes of— 
(I) supporting additional edu-
cation, training, and certification pro-
grams, including support for distance 
learning; 
(II) providing financial support 
to current and future midwives to ad-
dress education costs, debts, and 
other needs; 
(III) clinical site investments; 
(IV) supporting preceptor devel-
opment trainings; 
(V) expanding the midwifery 
practice; or 
(VI) related needs identified by 
the midwifery practice and described 
in the practice’s application; or 
(ix) have developed other programs 
and resources that address community-spe-
cific needs for pregnant and postpartum 
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individuals and are aligned with evidence- 
based practices for improving maternal 
health outcomes for Black pregnant and 
postpartum individuals. 
(e) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary shall 
provide to grant recipients under this section technical as-
sistance on— 
(1) capacity building to establish or expand pro-
grams to prevent adverse maternal health outcomes 
among Black pregnant and postpartum individuals; 
(2) best practices in data collection, measure-
ment, evaluation, and reporting; and 
(3) planning for sustaining programs to prevent 
maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity 
among Black pregnant and postpartum individuals 
after the period of the grant. 
(f) EVALUATION.—Not later than the end of fiscal 
year 2026, the Secretary shall submit to the Congress an 
evaluation of the grant program under this section that— 
(1) assesses the effectiveness of outreach efforts 
during the application process in diversifying the 
pool of grant recipients; 
(2) makes recommendations for future outreach 
efforts to diversify the pool of grant recipients for 
Department of Health and Human Services grant 
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