H.R. 8008

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8008 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8008

To address social determinants of maternal health to eliminate maternal 
mortality, severe maternal morbidity, and maternal health disparities, 
and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 19, 2026

Mrs. Hayes (for herself, Mr. Amo, Mrs. Beatty, Mr. Bell, Mr. Carson, 
Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Cohen, Mr. 
Conaway, Ms. Craig, Ms. DelBene, Mrs. Dingell, Mr. Figures, Mr. 
Garamendi, Mr. Garcia of Illinois, Mrs. Grijalva, Mr. Horsford, Mr. 
Ivey, Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Ms. Jacobs, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. 
Johnson of Texas, Ms. Kamlager-Dove, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Mr. Latimer, 
Mrs. McBath, Mr. McGarvey, Mrs. McIver, Mr. Menefee, Ms. Moore of 
Wisconsin, Mr. Moulton, Ms. Norton, Ms. Pressley, Mr. Scott of 
Virginia, Ms. Sewell, Mr. Smith of Washington, Ms. Stansbury, Ms. 
Tlaib, Mr. Soto, Ms. Underwood, Mr. Veasey, Mrs. Watson Coleman, and 
Ms. Wilson of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To address social determinants of maternal health to eliminate maternal 
mortality, severe maternal morbidity, and maternal health disparities, 
and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Social Determinants for Moms Act''.

SEC. 2. TASK FORCE TO ADDRESS THE UNITED STATES MATERNAL HEALTH CRISIS.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
convene a task force (in this section referred to as the ``Task 
Force'') to develop strategies and coordinate efforts between Federal 
agencies and other stakeholders to eliminate preventable maternal 
mortality, severe maternal morbidity, and maternal health disparities 
in the United States, including actions to address clinical and 
nonclinical causes of maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, 
and maternal health disparities.
(b) Ex Officio Members.--The ex officio members of the Task Force 
shall consist of the following:
(1) The Secretary of Health and Human Services (or a 
designee thereof).
(2) The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (or a 
designee thereof).
(3) The Secretary of Transportation (or a designee 
thereof).
(4) The Secretary of Agriculture (or a designee thereof).
(5) The Secretary of Labor (or a designee thereof).
(6) The Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
Agency (or a designee thereof).
(7) The Assistant Secretary for the Administration for 
Children and Families (or a designee thereof).
(8) The Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & 
Medicaid Services (or a designee thereof).
(9) The Director of the Indian Health Service (or a 
designee thereof).
(10) The Director of the National Institutes of Health (or 
a designee thereof).
(11) The Director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National 
Institute of Child Health and Human Development (or a designee 
thereof).
(12) The Director of the Tribal Health Research Office of 
the National Institutes of Health (or a designee thereof).
(13) The Administrator of the Health Resources and Services 
Administration (or a designee thereof).
(14) The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health of 
the Department of Health and Human Services (or a designee 
thereof).
(15) The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Women's Health of 
the Department of Health and Human Services (or a designee 
thereof).
(16) The Director of the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (or a designee thereof).
(17) The Director of the Office on Violence Against Women 
at the Department of Justice (or a designee thereof).
(c) Appointed Members.--In addition to the ex officio members of 
the Task Force, the Secretary of Health and Human Services may appoint 
the following members of the Task Force:
(1) Representatives of patients, to include--
(A) a representative of patients who have suffered 
from severe maternal morbidity; or
(B) a representative of patients who is a family 
member of an individual who suffered a pregnancy-
related death.
(2) Leaders of community-based organizations that address 
maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, and maternal 
health with a specific focus on racial and ethnic disparities. 
In appointing such leaders under this paragraph, the Secretary 
of Health and Human Services shall give priority to individuals 
who are leaders of organizations led by individuals from 
demographic groups with elevated rates of maternal mortality, 
severe maternal morbidity, maternal health disparities, or 
other adverse perinatal or childbirth outcomes.
(3) Leaders from the Indian health care system, including 
leaders from Tribal Epidemiology Centers.
(4) Perinatal health workers.
(5) A professionally and geographically diverse panel of 
maternity care providers.
(6) Other maternal health stakeholders outside of the 
Federal Government with expertise in maternal health, including 
social determinants of maternal health.
(d) Chair.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall select 
the chair of the Task Force from among the members of the Task Force.
(e) Topics.--In developing strategies coordinating efforts between 
Federal agencies and other stakeholders to eliminate preventable 
maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, and maternal health 
disparities in the United States under this section, the Task Force may 
address topics such as--
(1) addressing barriers that prevent individuals from 
attending prenatal and postpartum appointments, accessing 
maternal health care services, or accessing services and 
resources related to social determinants of maternal health;
(2) increasing access to safe, stable, affordable, and 
adequate housing for pregnant and postpartum individuals and 
their families;
(3) delivering healthy food, infant formula, clean water, 
diapers, or other perinatal necessities to pregnant and 
postpartum individuals located in areas that are food deserts;
(4) addressing the impacts of water and air quality, 
exposure to extreme temperatures, environmental chemicals, 
environmental risks in the workplace and the home, and 
pollution levels, on maternal and infant health outcomes;
(5) offering free and accessible drop-in childcare services 
during prenatal and postpartum appointments;
(6) addressing the clinical and nonclinical needs of 
postpartum individuals and their families for the duration of 
the postpartum period;
(7) engaging with nongovernmental entities to address 
social determinants of maternal health, including through 
public-private partnerships;
(8) addressing the impact of domestic or intimate partner 
violence on maternal health outcomes; and
(9) other topics determined by the chair of the Task Force.
(f) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act, and every year thereafter, the Task Force shall submit to 
Congress and make publicly available on the website of the Department 
of Health and Human Services a report--
(1) describing the Task Force's efforts to develop 
strategies and coordinate efforts between Federal agencies and 
other stakeholders to eliminate preventable maternal mortality, 
severe maternal morbidity, and maternal health disparities in 
the United States;
(2) providing an overview of actions taken by each member 
of the Task Force listed under subsection (b) to eliminate 
preventable maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, and 
maternal health disparities in the United States;
(3) providing recommendations on Federal funding amounts 
and authorities needed to implement strategies developed by the 
Task Force to eliminate preventable maternal mortality, severe 
maternal morbidity, and maternal health disparities in the 
United States;
(4) providing recommendations on actions that stakeholders 
outside of the Federal Government can take to eliminate 
preventable maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, and 
maternal health disparities in the United States; and
(5) addressing other topics as determined by the chair of 
the Task Force.
(g) Termination.--Section 1013 of title 5, United States Code, 
shall not apply to the Task Force with respect to termination.

SEC. 3. SUSTAINED FUNDING TO ADDRESS SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF MATERNAL 
HEALTH.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services (in 
this section referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall award grants to 
eligible entities to address social determinants of maternal health to 
eliminate maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, and maternal 
health disparities.
(b) Eligible Entities.--In this section, the term ``eligible 
entity'' means--
(1) a community-based organization, Indian Tribe or Tribal 
organization, or Urban Indian organization;
(2) a public health department or nonprofit organization 
working with an entity listed in paragraph (1); or
(3) a consortium of entities listed in paragraph (1) or (2) 
that includes at minimum one entity listed in paragraph (1).
(c) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this 
section, an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an 
application at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Secretary may provide.
(d) Prioritization.--In awarding grants under subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall give priority to an eligible entity that is operating 
in an area with--
(1) high rates of maternal mortality, severe maternal 
morbidity, maternal health disparities, or other adverse 
perinatal or childbirth outcomes; and
(2) a high poverty rate.
(e) Activities.--An eligible entity that receives a grant under 
this section may use the grant to address social determinants of 
maternal health such as--
(1) housing;
(2) transportation;
(3) nutrition;
(4) employment, workplace conditions, and other economic 
factors;
(5) environmental conditions;
(6) intimate partner violence; and
(7) other nonclinical factors that impact maternal health 
outcomes.
(f) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary shall provide to grant 
recipients under this section technical assistance to plan for 
sustaining programs to address social determinants of maternal health 
after the period of the grant.
(g) Reporting.--
(1) Grantees.--Not later than 1 year after an eligible 
entity first receives a grant under this section, and annually 
thereafter, an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary, 
and make publicly available, a report on the status of 
activities conducted using the grant. Each such report shall 
include data on the effects of such activities, disaggregated 
by race, ethnicity, gender, primary language, geography, 
socioeconomic status, and other relevant factors.
(2) Secretary.--Not later than the end of fiscal year 2031, 
the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that includes--
(A) a summary of the reports under paragraph (1); 
and
(B) recommendations for future Federal grant 
allocations to address social determinants of maternal 
health.
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $100,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2027 through 2031.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Maternal mortality.--The term ``maternal mortality'' 
means a death occurring during or within a 1-year period after 
pregnancy, caused by pregnancy-related or childbirth 
complications, including a suicide, overdose, or other death 
resulting from a mental health or substance use disorder 
attributed to or aggravated by pregnancy-related or childbirth 
complications.
(2) Maternity care provider.--The term ``maternity care 
provider'' means a health care provider who--
(A) is a physician, a physician assistant, a 
midwife who meets, at a minimum, the international 
definition of a midwife and global standards for 
midwifery education as established by the International 
Confederation of Midwives, an advanced practice 
registered nurse, a doula accredited by a State to 
receive reimbursement for doula services under a State 
plan (or a waiver of such plan) under title XIX of the 
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.), or a 
lactation consultant certified by the International 
Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners; and
(B) has a focus on maternal or perinatal health.
(3) Perinatal health worker.--The term ``perinatal health 
worker'' means a nonclinical health worker focused on maternal 
or perinatal health, such as a doula, community health worker, 
peer supporter, lactation educator or counselor, nutritionist 
or dietitian, childbirth educator, social worker, home visitor, 
patient navigator or coordinator, or language interpreter.
(4) Postpartum and postpartum period.--The terms 
``postpartum'' and ``postpartum period'' refer to the 1-year 
period beginning on the last day of the pregnancy of an 
individual.
(5) Pregnancy-related death.--The term ``pregnancy-related 
death'' means a death of a pregnant or postpartum individual 
that occurs during, or within 1 year following, the 
individual's pregnancy, from a pregnancy complication, a chain 
of events initiated by pregnancy, or the aggravation of an 
unrelated condition by the physiologic effects of pregnancy.
(6) Severe maternal morbidity.--The term ``severe maternal 
morbidity'' means a health condition, including mental health 
conditions and substance use disorders, attributed to or 
aggravated by pregnancy or childbirth that results in 
significant short-term or long-term consequences to the health 
of the individual who was pregnant.
(7) Social determinants of maternal health defined.--The 
term ``social determinants of maternal health'' means 
nonclinical factors that impact maternal health outcomes.
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