From Congresswoman Lauren Underwood press release:

Representatives Underwood and Adams, Senator Harris, Members of the Black Maternal Health Caucus Unveil Historic Leglisative Package to Address Amercia’s Black Maternal Health Crisis

March 9, 2020 Press Release The Black Maternal Health Momnibus includes nine bills to comprehensively improve maternal health outcomes and close racial disparities in outcomes

Endorsed by over 100 leading maternal health and health care organizations

WASHINGTON— Today, Representatives Lauren Underwood (IL-14) and Alma Adams (NC-12), Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA), and members of the Black Maternal Health Caucus introduced a historic legislative package to address the United States’ urgent maternal health crisis. The Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2020 will build on existing maternal health legislation by filling gaps through the nine new bills to comprehensively address every dimension of the Black maternal health crisis. The Black Maternal Health Momnibus makes investments in social determinants of health, community-based organizations, the growth and diversification of the perinatal workforce, improvements in data collection and quality measures, digital tools like telehealth, and innovative payment models. In addition to direct efforts to improve Black maternal health outcomes, the Momnibus focuses on high-risk populations, including women veterans, incarcerated women, and Native Americans.

The United States has the worst maternal death rates in the developed world, and the only rate that is rising. The maternal mortality rate is significantly higher among black women, who are three to four times more likely than white women to die from pregnancy-related complications.

Black women also experience higher rates of maternal complications and infant mortality. They are twice as likely to lose an infant to premature death, and these disparities have not improved for more than 30 years.

“While maternal mortality rates continue to drop around the world, they are rising in the U.S., leaving behind devastated families and children who will grow up never knowing their moms.

“This crisis demands urgent attention and serious action to save the lives of Black mothers and all women across the county,”

Lauren Underwood press release 3/9/20
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The Black Maternal Health Momnibus is composed of nine individual bills sponsored by members of the Black Maternal Health Caucus and Senator Harris. The legislation will:  

• Make critical investments in social determinants of health that influence maternal health outcomes, like housing, transportation, and nutrition;
• Provide funding to community-based organizations that are working to improve maternal health outcomes, particularly for Black women;
• Comprehensively study the unique maternal health risks facing women veterans and invest in VA maternity care coordination;
• Grow and diversify the perinatal workforce to ensure that every mom in America receives maternity care and support from people she can trust;
• Improve data collection processes and quality measures to better understand the causes of the maternal health crisis in the United States and inform solutions to address it;
• Invest in maternal mental health care and substance use disorder treatments;
• Improve maternal health care and support for incarcerated women;
• Invest in digital tools like telehealth to improve maternal health outcomes in underserved areas; and
• Promote innovative payment models to incentivize high-quality maternity care and continuity of health insurance coverage from pregnancy through labor and delivery and up to 1 year postpartum.

A one-pager of the Black Maternal Health Momnibus can be found here.

A section-by-section summary of the Black Maternal Health Momnibus can be found here.

The Black Maternal Health Momnibus has also gained endorsements from many of the leading health and family organizations, including the Center for Reproductive Rights, the Black Mamas Matter Alliance, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Additionally, The Black Maternal Health Momnibus is endorsed by 93 groups. A full list of endorsements of the Momnibus can be found here.

Link to full press release:

• https://underwood.house.gov/media/press-releases/underwood-adams-harris-members-black-maternal-health-caucus-unveil-historic

RELATED: When Congresswoman Underwood spoke at the City Club of Chicago on February 24, the first 1/2 hour was a preview of the Momnibus announced on Monday.

The video can be accessed here:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CpNng3KjAs&feature=youtu.be&t=50