Home House votes to back Protecting Moms Who Served Act
Local News

House votes to back Protecting Moms Who Served Act

Contributors
us politics
(© Andrea Izzotti – stock.adobe.com)

Bipartisan legislation to address the unique maternal health risks facing pregnant and postpartum veterans passed the U.S. House this week.

The Protecting Moms Who Served Act (H.R. 958) would direct research towards improving VA maternity care programs.

“Mothers who serve in our military face challenges that have been made more difficult during the pandemic,” said Second District Congresswoman Elaine Luria, who voted in favor of the bill. “This first of its kind study will help an entire generation of women veterans who want to serve their country and start a family. We must do more to address our nation’s maternal mortality rates.”

The Protecting Moms Who Served Act will ensure effective coordination between VA facilities in the delivery of maternity care and other health care services, facilitate access to community resources, and identify mental and behavioral health risk factors in the prenatal and postpartum periods.

The legislation offers childbirth preparation classes, parenting classes, nutrition counseling, breastfeeding support, lactation classes, and breast pumps.

The Protecting Moms Who Served Act is a part of the Black Maternal Health Momnibus, introduced by Reps. Lauren Underwood (IL-14) and Alma Adams (NC-12) and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ). The Momnibus builds on existing maternal health legislation and the Black Maternal Health Momnibus of 2020 with 12 bills to comprehensively address the drivers of the maternal health crisis.

The Momnibus makes critical investments in addressing social determinants of health, funding community-based organizations, growing and diversifying the perinatal workforce, and improving in data collection processes.

Contributors

Contributors

Have a guest column, letter to the editor, story idea or a news tip? Email editor Chris Graham at [email protected]. Subscribe to AFP podcasts on Apple PodcastsSpotifyPandora and YouTube.

Latest News

lgbtq+ court
Politics, Sports News

Trump signs executive order banning trans athletes from high school, college sports

Venezuelan Venezuela flag protest unrest immigrant migrant TPS
Politics, U.S. & World News

Venezuelan family legally in the U.S.: ‘For most people, we are criminals’

A number of Venezuelans living legally in the United States are afraid after the Trump Administration has revoked their protective status.

mark warner
Politics, U.S. & World News

Mark Warner throws down: ‘People need to stand up and speak out’

Mark Warner is starting to get it, that go along to get along isn’t going to work with Trump 2.0, that his predilection for being thought of as a radical centrist is outdated when the other side thinks everybody else is the enemy, and isn’t willing to triangulate.

lab with researcher and test tubes
Politics, U.S. & World News

‘NIH is mission critical’: Lawmakers call out Trump for endangering medical research

fire truck jacket helmet
Local News

Albemarle County: Cooking fire causes blaze in residential structure

crime scene tape
Local News

One injured in Harrisonburg shooting: Police searching for leads in case

student at computer
Politics, U.S. & World News

Trump pledges to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education; He doesn’t say why