I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3310 
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 
MAY 15, 2023 
Ms. ADAMS (for herself, Ms. UNDERWOOD, Mr. AGUILAR, Mr. ALLRED, Ms. 
BARRAGA´N, Mrs. BEATTY, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. BLUMENAUER, 
Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER, Ms. BROWNLEY, Ms. BUDZINSKI, Ms. BUSH, 
Ms. CARAVEO, Mr. CARBAJAL, Mr. CARSON, Mr. CARTER of Louisiana, 
Mrs. CHERFILUS-MCCORMICK, Ms. CLARKE of New York, Mr. CLEAVER, 
Mr. COHEN, Ms. CRAIG, Ms. CROCKETT, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Ms. DEAN 
of Pennsylvania, Ms. ESCOBAR, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mr. EVANS, Mrs. 
FOUSHEE, Mr. GARAMENDI, Ms. GARCIA of Texas, Mr. GARCI´A of Illi-
nois, Mr. GREEN of Texas, Mrs. HAYES, Mr. HORSFORD, Mr. HUFFMAN, 
Mr. IVEY, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Ms. JACOBS, Ms. 
JAYAPAL, Mr. JOHNSON
of Georgia, Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE, Mr. 
KRISHNAMOORTHI, Ms. KUSTER, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. LIEU, Ms. 
LOFGREN, Mrs. MCBATH, Mrs. MCCLELLAN, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. 
MCGOVERN, Mr. MEEKS, Ms. MENG, Mr. MFUME, Mr. MORELLE, Mr. 
MOULTON, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. MRVAN, Mr. MULLIN, Mrs. 
NAPOLITANO, Mr. NEGUSE, Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ, Mr. PAPPAS, Mr. 
PAYNE, Mr. PHILLIPS, Ms. PORTER, Ms. PRESSLEY, Mr. RUPPERS-
BERGER, Ms. SALINAS, Ms. SCANLON, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. SCHNEIDER, Ms. 
SCHOLTEN, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia, Ms. 
SEWELL, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Mr. SOTO, Ms. SPANBERGER, Ms. 
STANSBURY, Ms. STRICKLAND, Mrs. SYKES, Mr. TAKANO, Ms. TLAIB, 
Ms. TOKUDA, Mr. TONKO, Mrs. TORRES of California, Mrs. TRAHAN, Mr. 
TRONE, Mr. VARGAS, Mr. VEASEY, Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ, Ms. WASSERMAN 
SCHULTZ, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Ms. WEXTON, Ms. WILLIAMS of 
Georgia, Mr. PASCRELL, Ms. DELBENE, and Mr. LYNCH) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Com-
merce 
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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’’. 
SEC. 2. SUSTAINED FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY-BASED OR-
GANIZATIONS 
TO 
ADVANCE 
MATERNAL 
HEALTH EQUITY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Sec-
retary’’) shall award grants to eligible entities to establish 
or expand programs to advance maternal health equity. 
(b) TIMING.—Following the 1-year period described 
in subsection (d), the Secretary shall commence awarding 
the grants authorized by subsection (a). 
(c) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—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 mater-
nal health outcomes for demographic groups with elevated 
rates of maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, 
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maternal health disparities, or other adverse perinatal or 
childbirth outcomes. 
(d) 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. 
(e) SPECIAL CONSIDERATION.— 
(1) OUTREACH.—In conducting outreach under 
subsection (d), the Secretary shall give special con-
sideration to eligible entities that— 
(A) are based in, and provide support for, 
communities with elevated rates of maternal 
mortality, severe maternal morbidity, maternal 
health disparities, or other adverse perinatal or 
childbirth outcomes, to the extent such data are 
available; 
(B) are led by individuals from demo-
graphic groups with elevated rates of maternal 
mortality, severe maternal morbidity, maternal 
health disparities, or other adverse perinatal or 
childbirth outcomes; and 
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(C) offer programs and resources that are 
aligned with evidence-based practices for im-
proving maternal health outcomes for individ-
uals from demographic groups with elevated 
rates of maternal mortality, severe maternal 
morbidity, maternal health disparities, or other 
adverse perinatal or childbirth outcomes. 
(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 individ-
uals from demographic groups with elevated 
rates of maternal mortality, severe maternal 
morbidity, maternal health disparities, or other 
adverse perinatal or childbirth outcomes; 
(C) offer programs and resources in the 
communities in which the respective eligible en-
tities are located that— 
(i) promote maternal mental health 
and maternal substance use disorder treat-
ments and supports that are aligned with 
evidence-based practices for improving ma-
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ternal mental and behavioral health out-
comes for individuals from demographic 
groups with elevated rates of maternal 
mortality, severe maternal morbidity, ma-
ternal health disparities, or other adverse 
perinatal or childbirth outcomes; 
(ii) address social determinants of ma-
ternal health; 
(iii) promote evidence-based health lit-
eracy and pregnancy, childbirth, and par-
enting education; 
(iv) provide support from perinatal 
health workers; 
(v) provide culturally and linguis-
tically congruent training to perinatal 
health workers; 
(vi) conduct or support research on 
maternal health issues disproportionately 
impacting individuals from demographic 
groups with elevated rates of maternal 
mortality, severe maternal morbidity, ma-
ternal health disparities, or other adverse 
perinatal or childbirth outcomes; 
(vii) offer group prenatal care or 
group postpartum care; 
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(V) expanding the midwifery 
practice; or 
(VI) related needs identified by 
the midwifery practice and described 
in the practice’s application; and 
(D) have developed other programs and re-
sources that address community-specific needs 
for pregnant and postpartum individuals and 
are aligned with evidence-based practices for 
improving maternal health outcomes for individ-
uals from demographic groups with elevated 
rates of maternal mortality, severe maternal 
morbidity, maternal health disparities, or other 
adverse perinatal or childbirth outcomes. 
(f) 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 advance maternal health equity; 
(2) best practices in data collection, measure-
ment, evaluation, and reporting; and 
(3) planning for sustaining programs to ad-
vance maternal health equity after the period of the 
grant. 
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(g) EVALUATION.—Not later than the end of fiscal 
year 2028, 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 
programs and funding opportunities related to ma-
ternal health; 
(3) assesses the effectiveness of programs fund-
ed by grants under this section in improving mater-
nal health outcomes for individuals from demo-
graphic groups with elevated rates of maternal mor-
tality, severe maternal morbidity, maternal health 
disparities, or other adverse perinatal or childbirth 
outcomes, to the extent practicable; and 
(4) makes recommendations for future Depart-
ment of Health and Human Services grant programs 
and funding opportunities that deliver funding to 
community-based organizations that provide pro-
grams and resources that are aligned with evidence- 
based practices for improving maternal health out-
comes for individuals from demographic groups with 
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elevated rates of maternal mortality, severe maternal 
morbidity, maternal health disparities, or other ad-
verse perinatal or childbirth outcomes. 
(h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry 
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated 
$100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028. 
SEC. 3. RESPECTFUL MATERNITY CARE TRAINING FOR ALL 
EMPLOYEES IN MATERNITY CARE SETTINGS. 
Part B of title VII of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 293 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 742. RESPECTFUL MATERNITY CARE TRAINING FOR 
ALL EMPLOYEES IN MATERNITY CARE SET-
TINGS. 
‘‘(a) GRANTS.—The Secretary shall award grants for 
programs to reduce and prevent bias, racism, and dis-
crimination in maternity care settings and to advance re-
spectful, culturally and linguistically congruent, trauma- 
informed care. 
‘‘(b) SPECIAL CONSIDERATION.—In awarding grants 
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall give special con-
sideration to applications for programs that would— 
‘‘(1) apply to all maternity care providers and 
any employees who interact with pregnant and 
postpartum individuals in the provider setting, in-
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cluding front desk employees, sonographers, sched-
ulers, health care professionals, hospital or health 
system administrators, security staff, and other em-
ployees; 
‘‘(2) emphasize periodic, as opposed to one- 
time, trainings for all birthing professionals and em-
ployees described in paragraph (1); 
‘‘(3) address implicit bias, racism, and cultural 
humility; 
‘‘(4) be delivered in ongoing education settings 
for providers maintaining their licenses, with a pref-
erence for trainings that provide continuing edu-
cation units; 
‘‘(5) include trauma-informed care best prac-
tices and an emphasis on shared decision making be-
tween providers and patients; 
‘‘(6) include antiracism training and programs; 
‘‘(7) be delivered in undergraduate programs 
that funnel into health professions schools; 
‘‘(8) be delivered in settings that apply to pro-
viders of the special supplemental nutrition program 
for women, infants, and children under section 17 of 
the Child Nutrition Act of 1966; 
‘‘(9) integrate bias training in obstetric emer-
gency simulation trainings or related trainings; 
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‘‘(10) include training for emergency depart-
ment employees and emergency medical technicians 
on recognizing warning signs for severe pregnancy- 
related complications; 
‘‘(11) offer training to all maternity care pro-
viders on the value of racially, ethnically, and profes-
sionally diverse maternity care teams to provide cul-
turally and linguistically congruent care; or 
‘‘(12) be based on one or more programs de-
signed by a historically Black college or university or 
other minority-serving institution. 
‘‘(c) APPLICATION.—To seek a grant under sub-
section (a), an entity shall submit an application at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such information as 
the Secretary may require. 
‘‘(d) REPORTING.—Each recipient of a grant under 
this section shall annually submit to the Secretary a report 
on the status of activities conducted using the grant, in-
cluding, as applicable, a description of the impact of train-
ing provided through the grant on patient outcomes and 
patient experience for pregnant and postpartum individ-
uals from racial and ethnic minority groups and their fam-
ilies. 
‘‘(e) BEST PRACTICES.—Based on the annual reports 
submitted pursuant to subsection (d), the Secretary— 
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