I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8027 
To improve the public health response to addressing maternal mortality and 
morbidity during the COVID–19 public health emergency. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 11, 2020 
Ms. UNDERWOOD (for herself, Ms. WILD, Mr. KHANNA, Ms. MOORE, Ms. 
NORTON, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. FOSTER, 
Mr. TRONE, Mr. LAWSON of Florida, Mrs. MCBATH, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, 
Ms. OMAR, Ms. JUDY CHU of California, Mr. COHEN, and Mr. KEN-
NEDY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Edu-
cation and Labor, and Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently 
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provi-
sions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To improve the public health response to addressing maternal 
mortality and morbidity during the COVID–19 public 
health emergency. 
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 ‘‘Maternal Health Pan-
demic Response Act of 2020’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:11 Aug 29, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8027.IH
H8027
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds as follows: 
(1) The World Health Organization declared 
COVID–19 a ‘‘Public Health Emergency of Inter-
national Concern’’ on January 30, 2020. By the be-
ginning of August 2020, there have been over 
18,000,000 confirmed cases of, and over 700,000 
deaths associated with, COVID–19 worldwide. 
(2) In the United States, the number of cases 
of COVID–19 has quickly surpassed the number of 
such cases in every other nation, and as of August 
5, 2020, over 4,000,000 cases and 156,000 deaths 
have been reported by the United States alone. 
(3) Long-standing systemic health and social 
inequities have put communities of color at increased 
risk of contracting COVID–19 or experiencing se-
vere illness; age-adjusted hospitalization rates from 
COVID–19 are highest for American Indian and 
Alaska Native, Black, and Latinx people. 
(4) Prior to the start of the COVID–19 pan-
demic, the United States was facing a maternal mor-
tality and morbidity crisis, in which the United 
States has the highest maternal mortality rate in the 
developed world, and that rate is not improving. 
(5) More than 50,000 women in the United 
States annually experience severe maternal mor-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:11 Aug 29, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8027.IH
H8027
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
bidity, and much larger numbers experience more 
common harmful challenges, such as prenatal and 
postpartum anxiety and depression and lack of sup-
port for meeting breastfeeding goals. 
(6) Compared to White women, Black and 
American Indian and Alaska Native women in the 
United States are significantly more likely to die 
from pregnancy-related complications, and Black 
and American Indian and Alaska Native women suf-
fer disproportionately high rates of maternal mor-
bidity. 
(7) The causes of maternal mortality and mor-
bidity are complex and include racial, ethnic, and so-
cioeconomic inequities; racism, bias, and discrimina-
tion; comorbidities; and inadequate access to the 
health care system, including behavioral health care, 
which are factors that have similarly contributed to 
the racial disparities seen in COVID–19 outcomes. 
(8) The burden of morbidity and mortality in 
the United States for both COVID–19 and maternal 
health outcomes has also fallen disproportionately on 
Black, Latinx, and American Indian and Alaska Na-
tive communities, who suffer the most from great 
public health needs and are the most medically un-
derserved. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:11 Aug 29, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8027.IH
H8027
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
(9) According to the Centers for Disease Con-
trol and Prevention, ‘‘pregnant people have changes 
in their bodies that may increase their risk of some 
infections’’ and ‘‘pregnant people have had a higher 
risk of severe illness when infected with viruses from 
the same family as COVID–19 and other viral res-
piratory infections, such as influenza’’. 
(10) As of June 25, 2020, the latest informa-
tion from the Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
vention indicates that pregnant women are more 
likely to be hospitalized and are at higher risk for 
intensive care unit admissions than nonpregnant 
women due to COVID–19, and Latinx and Black 
pregnant people have been disproportionately in-
fected by COVID–19. 
(11) Our understanding of the specific impact 
of COVID–19 on pregnant people is limited, in part 
due to a lack of robust data collection, but the 
COVID–19 pandemic has further strained the health 
care system and added another layer of fear and vul-
nerability for pregnant people, with disproportionate 
effects on people of color. 
(12) As of July 30, 2020, over 14,000 pregnant 
people in the United States have tested positive for 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:11 Aug 29, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8027.IH
H8027
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
COVID–19 and 35 pregnant people have died as re-
sult of COVID–19. 
(13) The World Health Organization states 
that everyone ‘‘has the right to safe and positive 
childbirth experience, whether or not they have a 
confirmed COVID–19 infection, this includes the 
right to respect and dignity, a companion of choice, 
clear communication by maternity staff, pain relief 
strategies, and mobility in labor when possible and 
the position of choice’’. 
(14) A COVID–19 public health response with-
out concerted Federal action and focus on maternal 
health care access and quality, research, data collec-
tion, mitigating negative socioeconomic consequences 
of the pandemic, and safeguarding the right to safe 
and positive childbirth experience will risk exacer-
bating the maternal mortality and morbidity crisis. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) COVID–19 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY.— 
The term ‘‘COVID–19 public health emergency’’ 
means the period beginning on the date that the 
public health emergency declared by the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services under section 319 of 
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d) on 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:11 Aug 29, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8027.IH
H8027
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
January 31, 2020, with respect to COVID–19 took 
effect, and ending on the later of the end of such 
public health emergency or January 1, 2023. 
(2) CULTURALLY CONGRUENT.—The term ‘‘cul-
turally congruent’’, with respect to care or maternity 
care, means care that is anti-racist and is in agree-
ment with the preferred cultural values, beliefs, 
worldview, and practices of the health care consumer 
and other stakeholders. 
(3) INDIAN TRIBE, TRIBAL ORGANIZATION, AND 
URBAN INDIAN ORGANIZATION.—The terms ‘‘Indian 
Tribe’’ and ‘‘Tribal organization’’ have the meanings 
given the terms ‘‘Indian tribe’’ and ‘‘tribal organiza-
tion’’, respectively, in section 4 of the Indian Self- 
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 
U.S.C. 5304), and the term ‘‘urban Indian organiza-
tion’’ has the meaning given such term in section 4 
of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 
U.S.C. 1603). 
(4) MATERNAL MORTALITY.—The term ‘‘mater-
nal mortality’’ means a death occurring during preg-
nancy or within one year of the end of pregnancy, 
from a pregnancy complication, a chain of events 
initiated by pregnancy, or the aggravation of an un-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:11 Aug 29, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8027.IH
H8027
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
related condition by the physiologic effects of preg-
nancy. 
(5) POSTPARTUM.—The term ‘‘postpartum’’ 
means the 1-year period beginning on the last day 
of a person’s pregnancy. 
(6) RESPECTFUL MATERNITY CARE.—The term 
‘‘respectful maternity care’’ refers to care organized 
for, and provided to, all pregnant and postpartum 
people in a manner that is culturally congruent, 
maintains their dignity, privacy, and confidentiality, 
ensures freedom from harm and mistreatment, and 
enables informed choice and continuous support dur-
ing labor, childbirth, and postpartum. 
(7) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 
(8) SEVERE MATERNAL MORBIDITY.—The term 
‘‘severe maternal morbidity’’ means an unexpected 
outcome caused by labor and delivery that results in 
significant short-term or long-term consequences to 
the health of the pregnant person. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:11 Aug 29, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8027.IH
H8027
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
SEC. 4. EMERGENCY FUNDING FOR FEDERAL DATA COL-
LECTION, SURVEILLANCE AND RESEARCH ON 
MATERNAL HEALTH OUTCOMES DURING THE 
COVID–19 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY. 
To conduct or support data collection, surveillance, 
and research on maternal health as a result of the 
COVID–19 public health emergency, including support to 
assist in the capacity building for State, Tribal, territorial, 
and local public health departments to collect and trans-
mit racial, ethnic, and other demographic data related to 
maternal health, there are authorized to be appro-
priated— 
(1) $100,000,000 for the Surveillance for 
Emerging Threats to Mothers and Babies program 
of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
to support the Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
vention in its efforts to— 
(A) work with public health, clinical, and 
community-based organizations to provide time-
ly, continually updated guidance to families and 
health care providers on ways to reduce risk to 
mothers and babies and tailor interventions to 
improve their long-term health; 
(B) partner with more State, Tribal, terri-
torial, and local public health programs in the 
collection and analysis of clinical data on the 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:11 Aug 29, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8027.IH
H8027
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
impact 
of 
COVID–19 
on 
pregnant 
and 
postpartum patients and their newborns, includ-
ing among pregnant people of color; and 
(C) establish regionally based centers of 
excellence to offer medical, public health, and 
other knowledge to ensure communities, espe-
cially communities of color, can help pregnant 
and postpartum patients and infants get the 
care they need; 
(2) $30,000,000 for the Enhancing Reviews 
and Surveillance to Eliminate Maternal Mortality 
program (commonly known as the ‘‘ERASE MM 
program’’) of the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, to support the Centers for Disease Con-
trol and Prevention in expanding its partnerships 
with States and Indian Tribes and provide technical 
assistance to existing Maternal Mortality Review 
Committees; 
(3) $45,000,000 for the Pregnancy Risk As-
sessment Monitoring System (commonly known as 
the ‘‘PRAMS’’) of the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention, to support the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention in its efforts to— 
(A) create a COVID–19 supplement to its 
PRAMS questionnaire; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:11 Aug 29, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8027.IH
H8027
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
(B) add questions around experiences of 
respectful 
maternity 
care 
in 
prenatal, 
intrapartum, and postpartum care; 
(C) 
conduct 
a 
rapid 
assessment 
of 
COVID–19 awareness, impact on care and ex-
periences, and use of preventive measures 
among pregnant, laboring and birthing, and 
postpartum people during the COVID–19 pub-
lic health emergency; and 
(D) work to transition the survey to an 
electronic platform and expand the survey to a 
larger population, with a special focus on reach-
ing underrepresented communities; and 
(4) $15,000,000 for the National Institute of 
Child Health and Human Development, to conduct 
or support research for interventions to mitigate the 
effects of the COVID–19 public health emergency on 
pregnant and postpartum people, including Black, 
Latinx, Asian American and Pacific Islander, and 
American Indian and Alaska Native people. 
SEC. 5. COVID–19 MATERNAL HEALTH DATA COLLECTION 
AND DISCLOSURE. 
(a) DATA
COLLECTION.—The Secretary, acting 
through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention and the Administrator of the Centers for 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:11 Aug 29, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8027.IH
H8027
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS