IV 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 1153 
Recognizing the designation of the week of April 11 through April 17, 2024, 
as the seventh annual ‘‘Black Maternal Health Week’’. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 17, 2024 
Ms. ADAMS (for herself, Ms. UNDERWOOD, Ms. KELLY of Illinois, Mr. 
HORSFORD, Ms. LEE of California, Ms. CLARKE of New York, Mr. 
HOYER, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. TORRES of New York, Mrs. WAT-
SON COLEMAN, Mr. TONKO, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. THANEDAR, 
Ms. SCANLON, Mr. ALLRED, Ms. LEE of Pennsylvania, Ms. MCCLELLAN, 
Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER, Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI, Mr. COHEN, Mrs. RA-
MIREZ, Mr. KIM of New Jersey, Mr. MORELLE, Mr. CARSON, Ms. 
SLOTKIN, Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia, Mr. MCGARVEY, Mr. GOMEZ, Ms. 
WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Ms. OMAR, Ms. PRESSLEY, Mr. VEASEY, Mrs. 
HAYES, Mrs. TORRES of California, Mrs. BEATTY, Ms. GARCIA of Texas, 
Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, and Mr. PAYNE) submitted the following reso-
lution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing the designation of the week of April 11 through 
April 17, 2024, as the seventh annual ‘‘Black Maternal 
Health Week’’. 
Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, Black women in the United States are two to 
three times more likely than White women to die from 
pregnancy-related causes; 
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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 in the developed world; and 
(2) increasing rapidly, from 17.4 deaths per 100,000 
live births in 2018, to 20.1 in 2019, 23.8 in 2020, and 
32.9 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 Black women are 50 percent more likely than all 
other women to deliver prematurely; 
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 in the United States significantly contribute to 
the disproportionately high rates of maternal mortality 
and morbidity among Black women; 
Whereas racism and discrimination play a consequential role 
in maternal health care experiences and outcomes of 
Black birthing people; 
Whereas the overturn of Roe v. Wade, (410 U.S. 113 (1973)) 
impacts Black women and birthing people’s access to re-
productive health care, and right to bodily autonomy, and 
further perpetuates reproductive oppression as a tool to 
control women’s body; 
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Whereas a fair and wide distribution of resources and birth 
options, especially regarding reproductive health care 
services and maternal health programming, is critical to 
closing the racial gap in maternal health outcomes; 
Whereas, communities of color are disproportionately affected 
by maternity care deserts, where there are no or limited 
hospitals or birth centers offering obstetric care and no 
or limited obstetric providers, and have diminishing ac-
cess to reproductive health care due to low Medicaid re-
imbursements, rising costs, and ongoing staff shortages; 
Whereas Black midwives, doulas, perinatal health workers, 
and community-based organizations provide holistic ma-
ternal health care, but face structural and legal barriers 
to licensure, reimbursement, and provision of care; 
Whereas COVID–19, which has disproportionately harmed 
Black Americans, is associated with an increased risk for 
adverse pregnancy outcomes and maternal 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 people by exposing— 
(1) increased barriers to accessing prenatal and 
postpartum care, including maternal mental health care; 
(2) lack of uniform hospital policies permitting 
doulas and support persons to be present during labor 
and delivery; 
(3) inconsistent hospital policies regarding the sepa-
ration of the newborn from a mother that is suspected 
positive for COVID–19; 
(4) complexities in COVID–19 vaccine drug trials 
including pregnant people; 
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(5) increased rates of Cesarean section deliveries; 
(6) shortened hospital stays following delivery; 
(7) provider shortages and lack of sufficient policies 
to allow home births attended by midwives; 
(8) insufficient practical support for delivery of care 
by midwives, including telehealth access; 
(9) the adverse economic impact on Black mothers 
and families due to job loss or reduction in income during 
quarantine and the pandemic recession; and 
(10) pervasive racial injustice against Black people 
in the criminal justice, social, and health care systems; 
Whereas new data from the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention has indicated that since the COVID–19 pan-
demic, the maternal mortality rate for Black women has 
increased by 26 percent; 
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 
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— 
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(1) maternity care for Black women and birthing 
people, 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 people for the full postpartum 
period up to at least one 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; and 
Whereas ‘‘Black Maternal Health Week’’ was founded in 
2018, and led by Black Mamas Matter Alliance, Inc. 
(BMMA), to bring national attention to the maternal and 
reproductive health care crisis in the United States and 
the importance of reducing maternal mortality and mor-
bidity among Black women and birthing people: Now, 
therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives recog-
nizes— 
(1) the seventh annual ‘‘Black Maternal Health 
Week’’; and 
(2) that— 
(A) Black women are experiencing high, 
disproportionate rates of maternal mortality 
and morbidity in the United States; 
(B) the alarmingly high rates of maternal 
mortality among Black women are unaccept-
able; 
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(C) in order to better mitigate the effects 
of systemic and structural racism, Congress 
must work toward ensuring that— 
(i) the Black community has— 
(I) safe and affordable housing; 
(II) transportation equity; 
(III) nutritious food; 
(IV) clean air and water; 
(V) environments free from tox-
ins; 
(VI) safety and freedom from vi-
olence; 
(VII) a living wage; 
(VIII) equal economic oppor-
tunity; 
(IX) a sustained and expansive 
workforce 
pipeline 
for 
diverse 
perinatal professionals; and 
(X) comprehensive, high-quality, 
and affordable health care with access 
to the full spectrum of reproductive 
care; and 
(ii) reform of the criminal justice and 
family regulation systems to decriminalize 
pregnancy outcomes, remove civil penalties, 
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end surveillance of families, and end man-
datory reporting within the system; 
(D) in order to improve maternal health 
outcomes, Congress must fully support and en-
courage policies grounded in the human rights, 
reproductive justice, and birth justice frame-
works that address Black maternal health in-
equity; 
(E) Black women and birthing people must 
be active participants in the policy decisions 
that impact their lives; 
(F) in order to ensure access to safe and 
respectful maternal health care for Black birth-
ing people, Congress must pass the Black Ma-
ternal Health Momnibus Act; and 
(G) ‘‘Black Maternal Health Week’’ is an 
opportunity— 
(i) to deepen the national conversation 
about Black maternal health in the United 
States; 
(ii) to amplify and invest in commu-
nity-driven policy, research, and quality 
care solutions; 
(iii) to center the voices of Black 
Mamas, women, families, and stakeholders; 
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(iv) to provide a national platform for 
Black-led entities and efforts on maternal 
and mental health, birth, and reproductive 
justice; 
(v) to enhance community organizing 
on Black maternal health; and 
(vi) to support efforts to increase 
funding, and advance policies for Black-led 
and centered, community-based organiza-
tions, and perinatal birth workers that pro-
vide full spectrum reproductive, maternal, 
and sexual health care. 
Æ 
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