H.R. 8869

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8869 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8869

To amend the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 201 et seq.) to 
authorize research on the impacts of traumatic birth experiences and 
post-traumatic stress disorder on mothers, infants, and families, and 
for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 15, 2026

Mrs. Watson Coleman (for herself, Ms. Ross, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. 
Tonko, Mrs. McIver, Ms. Velazquez, and Mr. Carson) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 201 et seq.) to 
authorize research on the impacts of traumatic birth experiences and 
post-traumatic stress disorder on mothers, infants, and families, 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 ``Traumatic Births Research Act of 
2026''.

SEC. 2. RESEARCH ON THE IMPACTS OF TRAUMATIC BIRTH EXPERIENCES AND 
POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER ON MOTHERS, INFANTS, AND 
FAMILIES.

(a) Authorization.--
(1) Clarification of eligible award recipients.--Section 
330P of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c-22) is 
amended by striking ``may award grants'' and inserting ``may 
award grants to States, Indian Tribes, and Tribal 
organizations''.
(2) Research.--Section 330P of the Public Health Service 
Act (42 U.S.C. 254c-22) is amended--
(A) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as 
subsections (c) and (e), respectively; and
(B) by inserting after subsection (a) the 
following:
``(b) Research.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct research, or 
award grants or other support to States, Indian Tribes, and 
Tribal organizations for research, on--
``(A) how traumatic birth experiences and post-
traumatic stress disorder impact short- and long-term 
maternal mental health;
``(B) the impacts of traumatic birth experiences 
and post-traumatic stress disorder on mothers, infants, 
and families; and
``(C) the relationship between severe maternal 
morbidity and traumatic birth experiences.
``(2) Disaggregation of data.--The Secretary shall 
disaggregate the findings of the research conducted or 
supported pursuant to paragraph (1) by race and ethnicity.''.
(b) Conforming Changes.--Subsection (c) of section 330P of the 
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c-22), as redesignated by 
subsection (a), is further amended--
(1) in the subsection heading, by striking ``Integrated 
Services for Pregnant and Postpartum Women'' and inserting 
``Eligibility and Terms'';
(2) in paragraph (1)--
(A) by striking ``a grant under subsection (a)'' 
and inserting ``an award under subsection (a) or (b)''; 
and
(B) by striking ``(as such terms are defined in 
section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and 
Education Assistance Act)'';
(3) in paragraph (2)(A)--
(A) by striking ``A grant awarded under subsection 
(a)'' and inserting ``An award under subsection (a) or 
(b)''; and
(B) by striking ``a grantee under subsection (a)'' 
and inserting ``an awardee under subsection (a) or 
(b)'';
(4) in paragraph (2)(B), by striking ``awarding grants 
under subsection (a)'' and inserting ``making awards under 
subsection (a) or (b)''; and
(5) in paragraph (2)(C), by striking ``grantees'' and 
inserting ``awardees''.
(c) Definition.--Section 330P of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 254c-22) is further amended by inserting after subsection (c) 
(as so redesignated) the following new subsection:
``(d) Definition.--In this section, the terms `State', `Indian 
Tribe', and `Tribal organization' have the meanings given to those 
terms in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education 
Assistance Act.''.
(d) Funding.--Subsection (e) of section 330P of the Public Health 
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c-22), as redesignated by subsection (a), is 
further amended--
(1) by striking ``There are authorized to be appropriated 
to carry out this section'' and inserting the following:
``(1) Integrated services.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out subsection (a)''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) Research.--There is authorized to be appropriated to 
carry out subsection (b) $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2027 through 2031.''.

SEC. 3. PILOT PROJECT FOR RESEARCH ON THE IMPACTS OF MIDWIFE-DRIVEN 
CARE MODELS ON TRAUMATIC BIRTH EXPERIENCES AND MATERNAL 
MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES.

(a) Grants.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall carry 
out a pilot program consisting of awarding grants for research on the 
extent and mechanisms through which midwife-driven care models, 
relative to medical care models, impact--
(1) traumatic birth experiences; and
(2) maternal mental health outcomes.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary 
for fiscal years 2026 through 2030.

SEC. 4. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.

The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to the 
Congress an interim report not later than the end of fiscal year 2028, 
and a final report not later than the end of fiscal year 2030, on each 
of--
(1) the research conducted or supported pursuant to section 
330P(b) of the Public Health Service Act, as added by section 
2; and
(2) the pilot project conducted pursuant to section 3.
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