I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7087 
To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish a pilot program for evidence- 
based perinatal mental health prevention for pregnant and postpartum 
members of the Armed Forces and beneficiaries, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 25, 2024 
Ms. HOULAHAN (for herself and Mr. BACON) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish a pilot pro-
gram for evidence-based perinatal mental health preven-
tion for pregnant and postpartum members of the Armed 
Forces and beneficiaries, 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 ‘‘Maintaining our Obli-
gation to Moms who Serve Act’’ or the ‘‘MOMS Act’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:24 Jan 30, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7087.IH
H7087
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. PREVENTING PERINATAL MENTAL HEALTH CONDI-
TIONS 
IN 
PREGNANT 
AND 
POSTPARTUM 
MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND 
BENEFICIARIES 
TO 
IMPROVE 
MILITARY 
READINESS. 
(a) PILOT PROGRAM.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense, acting through the Defense 
Health Agency, shall establish a pilot program to as-
sess the feasibility and impact of providing evidence- 
based perinatal mental health prevention programs 
for pregnant and postpartum members of the Armed 
Forces and beneficiaries in military medical treat-
ment facilities with the goal of reducing the rates of 
perinatal mental health conditions and improving the 
military readiness of such members and their fami-
lies. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—Pursuant to the pilot 
program, the Secretary shall carry out the following: 
(A) Integrate the evidence-based perinatal 
mental health prevention programs for pregnant 
and postpartum members of the Armed Forces 
and beneficiaries within existing maternal or 
pediatric care or programming such as primary 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:24 Jan 30, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7087.IH
H7087
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
care, obstetric care, pediatric care, or family or 
parenting programs, when applicable. 
(B) Select pilot sites in a manner to rep-
resent the diversity amongst the Armed Force 
including— 
(i) at least two military medical treat-
ment facilities per Armed Force; 
(ii) geographically diverse sites across 
the United States and outside of the conti-
nental United States; and 
(iii) prioritization of military medical 
treatment facilities with established mater-
nal health programs or Women’s Clinics. 
(C) Implement the prevention programs at 
times, locations, and structured in a manner 
that incentivizes participation by pregnant and 
postpartum members of the Armed Forces and 
beneficiaries, including removing barriers for 
member and beneficiary participation such as 
childcare availability, differences in rank and 
military occupational specialty, and any other 
factor the Secretary determines. 
(D) Increase awareness of and encourage 
participation in care or programming for preg-
nant and postpartum members of the Armed 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:24 Jan 30, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7087.IH
H7087
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
Forces and beneficiaries as described in sub-
paragraph (A). 
(b) ADVISORY COMMITTEE.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall establish an advisory com-
mittee to assist the Department of Defense in car-
rying out the requirements under this section. 
(2) MEMBERS.—The Secretary shall select the 
members of the advisory committee including the fol-
lowing: 
(A) Members of the Armed Forces or bene-
ficiaries— 
(i) who are or have experienced 
perinatal care in the previous five years 
while in the service; 
(ii) represent various branches and 
ranks within the Armed Forces; and 
(iii) preference for members of the 
Armed Forces or beneficiaries who experi-
enced a perinatal mental health condition. 
(B) Representatives of military and vet-
erans service organizations. 
(C) Experts in perinatal mental health pro-
motion, prevention, and intervention. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:24 Jan 30, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7087.IH
H7087
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(D) Representatives from the Federal Ma-
ternal Mental Health Hotline and related 
perinatal mental health programs. 
(3) DUTIES.—The advisory committee shall 
guide the Secretary through the implementation of 
the requirements under this section by providing rec-
ommendations to the Secretary on the following 
items: 
(A) 
Identification 
of 
evidence-based 
perinatal prevention programs. 
(B) Strategies to increase participation 
amongst a diverse group of pregnant and 
postpartum members of the Armed Forces and 
beneficiaries. 
(C) Outreach to eligible pregnant and 
postpartum members of the Armed Forces and 
beneficiaries on the benefits of prevention and 
availability of pilot program participation. 
(D) Strategies to reduce stigma amongst 
members of the Armed Forces and beneficiaries 
about perinatal mental health conditions and 
the use of prevention programs. 
(c) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary shall 
provide technical assistance to military medical treatment 
facilities in implementing evidence-based perinatal preven-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:24 Jan 30, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7087.IH
H7087
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
tion programs under subsection (a) and outside of this 
pilot program. 
(d) STUDY.—The Secretary shall conduct a study of 
the effectiveness of the pilot program under subsection (a) 
in preventing or reducing the onset of symptoms of 
perinatal mental health conditions amongst pregnant and 
postpartum members of the Armed Forces and bene-
ficiaries. 
(e) REPORTS.— 
(1) ANNUAL
REPORT.—The Secretary shall 
submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the 
Senate and House of Representatives an annual re-
port on the progress of the pilot program adminis-
tered under subsection (a) for the year covered by 
the report, including the number of pregnant and 
postpartum members of the Armed Forces and bene-
ficiaries completing the evidence-based prevention 
program broken out by type of prevention program, 
military service, military occupational specialty, 
rank, marital status, birth setting of delivery, sex, 
age, race, and ethnicity. 
(2) FINAL REPORT.—The Secretary shall sub-
mit a final report to the Congressional Defense 
Committees, and make sure report available to the 
public, including— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:24 Jan 30, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7087.IH
H7087
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(A) all elements within the annual report 
under paragraph (1); 
(B) an assessment and findings from the 
study in subsection (d); 
(C) recommendations on whether the 
model studied in the pilot program should be 
continued or more widely adopted by the De-
partment; and 
(D) recommendations on how to scale the 
pilot program and ensure cost-effective sustain-
ability. 
(f) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are to be appropriated to carry out this section, 
$5,000,000 for each fiscal year 2025 through 2029. 
(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) PERINATAL MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION.— 
The term ‘‘perinatal mental health condition’’ means 
a mental health disorder that onsets during the 
pregnancy or within the one-year postpartum period. 
(2) PREVENTION PROGRAMS.—The term ‘‘pre-
vention programs’’ means an activity shown to avert 
or decrease the onset or symptoms of a perinatal 
mental health condition. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:24 Jan 30, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H7087.IH
H7087
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS