ACTION ALERT: Urge Your Representative to Pass the Momnibus Act to Protect Maternal Health
With most maternal deaths preventable and Black women facing disproportionate risk, passing the Momnibus Act is essential to advancing health equity and saving lives.
As affirmed by The United Methodist Book of Resolutions, United Methodists believe that “Motherhood is sacred.” Women are crying out for not only their own survival but also the survival of their families and communities. They deserve access to services and care that empower their personal decision-making. (2020/2024 Book of Resolutions, #4203, Maternal Health: The Church’s Role)
The United States continues to hold the highest rate of maternal mortality among any industrialized country. Black women continue to die of pregnancy-related deaths at a rate three times higher than white women. More than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. are preventable. As the Momnibus Act (H.R. 7973) has been reintroduced into the 119th United States Congress, we must work to ensure its swift passage into law.
The Momnibus Act includes 14 individual bills that will:
Make critical investments in social determinants of health that influence maternal health outcomes, like housing, transportation, and nutrition.
Extend WIC eligibility in the postpartum and breastfeeding periods.
Provide funding to community-based organizations that are working to improve maternal health outcomes and promote equity.
Increase funding for programs to improve maternal health care for veterans.
Grow and diversify the perinatal workforce to ensure that every mom in America receives maternal health care and support from people they 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.
Support moms with maternal mental health conditions and substance use disorders.
Improve maternal health care and support for incarcerated moms.
Invest in digital tools to improve maternal health outcomes in underserved areas.
Promote innovative payment models to incentivize high-quality maternity care and non-clinical support during and after pregnancy.
Invest in federal programs to address maternal and infant health risks during public health emergencies.
Invest in community-based initiatives to reduce levels of and exposure to climate change-related risks for moms and babies.
Invest in research to reduce preventable causes of maternal deaths, end disparities, and improve health for women before, during, and after pregnancy.
Promote maternal vaccinations to protect the health of moms and babies.
Act now to advocate that the Momnibus Act becomes law.
