Skip to main content

Underwood’s ‘Momnibus’ Passes House in Build Back Better Act; Makes Largest Investment to Advance Birth Equity in American History

November 19, 2021

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) celebrated the inclusion of every eligible provision of the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act (H.R. 959) in the Build Back Better Act, which passed the House. As a co-founder and co-chair of the bipartisan Black Maternal Health Caucus with Representative Alma Adams (NC-12), Underwood introduced the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act (H.R. 959) in February 2021, a sweeping package of 12 bills to end the U.S. maternal health crisis. Every eligible provision of Underwood's Momnibus legislation was included in the Build Back Better Act, along with a permanent expansion of yearlong postpartum Medicaid coverage in every state—the largest investment in American history to eliminate preventable maternal mortality, end racial and ethnic disparities in outcomes, and advance birth equity across the country. 

The Momnibus provisions of the Build Back Better Act, led by Underwood, will grow and diversify the perinatal workforce, including midwives and doulas; invest in community-based organizations working to promote maternal health equity; address social determinants of health like housing, nutrition, and environmental conditions; and expand access to maternal mental health care to ensure that every family in America can thrive. 

"I'm proud to see my Momnibus legislation pass the House through the Build Back Better Act. Combined with critical expansion of yearlong postpartum Medicaid coverage, this will be the largest investment in American history to save moms' lives and advance birth equity and justice across the country,"said Rep. Underwood. "I am grateful to President Biden and Vice President Harris, Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer, Senator Booker, and Committee Chairs for their support of my Momnibus legislation and their leadership to address our nation's maternal health crisis. We need to pass the Build Back Better Act in the Senate immediately and get it to the President's desk to be signed into law: moms can't wait."

The United States has the highest rate of pregnancy-related mortality among high-income countries, and the only rate that is rising. Maternal mortality rates for Black and Native Americans are 2-4 times higher than rates for white Americans, and Hispanic and AAPI people also experience disproportionately high rates of maternal mortality and morbidity.

The Build Back Better Act makes the largest investments in American history to save moms' lives, end racial and ethnic maternal health disparities, and advance birth equity across the United States, including every eligible provision of the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act and permanent yearlong postpartum Medicaid coverage.

The Build Back Better Act:

  • Provides $175 million in funding for local entities to address social determinants of maternal health like housing, nutrition, and environmental conditions – including a minimum of $75 million exclusively for community-based organizations working to promote maternal health equity.
  • Provides $295 million to grow and diversify the perinatal health workforce, including nurses, midwives, physicians, doulas, and maternal mental and behavioral health professionals – including $50 million specifically for doulas.
  • Provides $100 million for maternal mental health equity grant programs.
  • Provides $85 million to address the impacts of climate change-related maternal and infant health risks through health professional schools.
  • Provides $50 million to advancematernal health researchat Minority-Serving Institutions like Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and AAPISIs.
  • Provides $50 million to promote representative community engagement in Maternal Mortality Review Committees.
  • Provides $210 million to strengthenfederal maternal health programs like the CDC's Surveillance for Emerging Threats to Mothers and Babies program, Enhancing Reviews and Surveillance to Eliminate Maternal Mortality (ERASE MM), Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), Perinatal Quality Collaboratives, and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).
  • Provides $60 million to expand access to maternal health equitydigital tools.
  • Provides $50 million for bias trainings among health care professionals.

The Build Back Better Act also includes a mandatory, permanent expansion of yearlong postpartum Medicaid & CHIP coverage in every state with full state plan benefits throughout pregnancy and the yearlong postpartum period, as well as an investment in maternal health homes under Medicaid to provide coordinated maternity care.

###