OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Maternal Health Crisis

Floor Speech

Date: March 11, 2020
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Health and Health Care

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Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the historic bipartisan legislative package introduced this week to address the United States' urgent maternal health crisis. I am referring to the Black Maternal Health Momnibus.

Each year, 700 women in our country die from pregnancy complications, but 3 in 5 of those deaths could be prevented.

The United States' maternal mortality rate is exponentially higher than that of any other developed country, and Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than White women, a glaring disparity that we cannot ignore.

In my community, organizations like The Foundation for Delaware County and the Maternity Care Coalition have stepped up to address this crisis, but we must do more.

I am proud to join Congresswomen Lauren Underwood and Alma Adams, Senator Kamala Harris, and other congressional leaders in introducing the Black Maternal Health Momnibus.

The momnibus provides a comprehensive approach to maternal health, and particularly Black maternal health, by funding community-based organizations, investing in social determinants that influence maternal health outcomes, and growing and diversifying the prenatal workforce.

I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation for all our families.

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