Protecting Moms Who Served Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. UNDERWOOD. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 958, the Protecting Moms Who Served Act, my bipartisan bill to address maternal mortality among veterans that I proudly introduced with Representative Gus Bilirakis and Julia Brownley and Brian Fitzpatrick.

Madam Speaker, the United States is currently confronting a maternal health crisis. We have the highest maternal mortality rate in the developed world and significant racial and ethnic disparities in maternity health outcomes.

Some of the drivers of maternal mortality and morbidity can even be more common in women who serve. For example, one in three women veterans report that they experience military sexual trauma, which is linked with risk factors for pregnancy-related complications. With unacceptable maternal mortality rates for all U.S. mothers and unique risks for veterans, we must ensure that the VA is providing the highest quality maternal healthcare and support to moms who serve.

My bipartisan Protecting Moms Who Served Act would codify VA's maternity healthcare and coordination programs, which offers screenings and treatments to pregnant veterans with mental health conditions and include measures to strengthen community partnerships with organizations that support new parents.

The VA's maternity care coordination programs have been successful in ensuring that veterans can receive high-quality, culturally appropriate care and robust support throughout pregnancy, during labor and delivery, and for the full yearlong postpartum period and beyond. By codifying and strengthening these programs, veterans will continue to receive the world-class care and support that they have earned.

The Protecting Moms Who Served Act would also invest in trainings for community maternity care providers so that nurses, midwives, and physicians caring for pregnant and postpartum veterans understand the unique needs of veteran patients, particularly related to mental and behavioral health conditions that might have been caused or exacerbated by military service or the transition back to civilian life. These trainings will ensure that veterans receive care that is responsive to the lingering physical and psychological impacts of their service.

Finally, my bill will commission the first-ever comprehensive study of maternal mortality, morbidity, and racial and ethnic disparities for veterans. By having a complete understanding of the ways in which our Nation's maternity health crisis extends to our veteran population, we can develop evidence-based solutions to improve outcomes and save veterans' lives.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support the Protecting Moms Who Served Act. I thank the chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Chairman Takano, for his leadership to advance this critically important bipartisan legislation--the first bill in our Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act to be considered here in the House.

As a cofounder and co-chair of the Black Maternal Health Caucus, I am committed to advancing each bill in the Momnibus to save moms' lives and support families.

Madam Speaker, finally, I would also really like to thank--truly, it has been a pleasure to work with--Representative Bilirakis, Representative Brownley, Representative Fitzpatrick, and Ranking Member Bost. Thank you for co-leading this bill with me.

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