Ahead of Black Maternal Health Week, Menendez Joins Underwood, Adams, and Booker to Reintroduce Momnibus Bills to End America’s Maternal Health Crisis

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Rob Menendez joined Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Congresswoman Alma Adams (NC-12) and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) in reintroducing the Momnibus, 14 bills that address drivers of maternal mortality, morbidity, and disparities in maternal health in the United States.

"I am proud to help reintroduce this life-saving legislation that makes sure doctors listen to moms, provides support for new parents, and ensures every mother and baby makes it home from the hospital safe and healthy," said Congressman Menendez. "We need to stop talking about preventable tragedies and instead start doing what it takes to save lives."

"80% of maternal deaths in America are preventable, and the Momnibus is designed to stop them. I'm proud to introduce this historic package with Representative Alma Adams and Senator Cory Booker to build on the progress we have made and secure the investments we need to end this crisis,"?said Congresswoman Lauren Underwood.?"This bill has the tools we need to make America a safer place to give birth, especially for the Black moms who are at the highest risk. The Momnibus will save moms' lives, and Congress must act urgently to pass it."

"The Momnibus Act is the most comprehensive piece of legislation ever drafted to address the maternal health crisis,"?said Congresswoman Alma Adams.?"The maternal mortality rate in the United States is worse today than it was 20 years ago. With all the advances of modern science, that speaks to a serious lack of investment in our research and health care systems that care for our moms. Not only that, the rate of mortality for Black women is disproportionately higher and that gap has not shrunk in decades. This is an unacceptable reality, and we must act urgently and?boldly?to address this crisis. The Momnibus is the solution. Congress must make the safety and health of our moms a priority and get this bill passed into law."

"Access to high quality health care has always been a top priority for me, and it is unacceptable that the United States has the worst maternal health mortality rates among its peer countries, especially when so many of these deaths are preventable,"?said Senator Cory Booker.?"I am proud to reintroduce this historic legislation, which will take meaningful steps to address the maternal health crisis and ultimately save lives. Through the Momnibus we are investing in better care, strengthening support for families, and confronting the racial disparities facing Black mothers, who are disproportionately more likely to experience serious health complications or die from pregnancy-related causes. Congress must pass this legislation immediately to protect our nation's mothers and end this crisis."

The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate of any high-income country, a trend that continues to get worse, and Black women are three times more likely to die. But there is hope: More than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable.

The Momnibus is designed to end preventable maternal death in America by ending maternal health disparities, growing and diversifying the perinatal health workforce, expanding access to maternal mental health and substance use care, lowering healthcare costs, investing in technological solutions, closing research gaps, improving data collection, and providing direct federal funding for local community-based organizations that improve maternal health outcomes.

The Momnibus is made up of 14 bills. The legislation will:

1. Make critical investments in social determinants of health that influence maternal health outcomes, like housing, transportation, and nutrition.
2. Extend WIC eligibility in the postpartum and breastfeeding periods.
3. Provide funding to community-based organizations that are working to improve maternal health outcomes and promote equity.
4. Increase funding for programs to improve maternal healthcare for veterans.
5. Grow and diversify the perinatal workforce to ensure that every mom in America receives maternal health care and support from people they trust.
6. 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.
7. Support moms with maternal mental health conditions and substance use disorders.
8. Improve maternal healthcare and support for incarcerated moms.
9. Invest in digital tools to improve maternal health outcomes in underserved areas.
10. Promote innovative payment models to incentivize high-quality maternity care and non-clinical support during and after pregnancy.
11. Invest in federal programs to address maternal and infant health risks during public health emergencies.
12. Invest in community-based initiatives to reduce levels of and exposure to climate change-related risks for moms and babies.
13. Invest in research to reduce preventable causes of maternal deaths, end disparities, and improve health for women before, during, and after pregnancy.
14. Promote maternal vaccinations to protect the health of moms and babies.

Congressman Menendez joined nearly 200 House Democrats in co-sponsoring the legislation. The father of two young kids, Menendez has proudly represented New Jersey's Eighth Congressional District since 2023. He is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and is a co-founder of the Congressional Dads Caucus. To learn more about his work, click here.

To read a one-page summary of the Momnibus, please click here.

To read the full text of the bill, please click here.

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