Bilirakis’s Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Maternal Health Care for Veterans Passes the Senate
WASHINGTON – Representatives Gus Bilirakis (FL-R) and Lauren Underwood(IL-D)'s bipartisan legislation to improve maternal health care for veterans passed the Senate on October 7th with bipartisan support. The Senate version of the legislation is led by Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME). The Protecting Moms Who Served Act seeks to eliminate maternal mortality, morbidity, and disparities among veterans. The newly amended Senate legislation now heads back to the House for consideration.
"These critical investments in the maternal healthcare all female Veterans receive will help save lives and lead to healthier outcomes for moms and babies," said Representative Bilirakis. "Our nation's heroes deserve the best possible care, and our legislation gets us one step closer to achieving that goal."
"The U.S. suffers unacceptable rates of preventable maternal mortality, and Veterans are uniquely at-risk. With the Protecting Moms Who Served Act, we can make sure that the Department of Veterans Affairs provides the highest quality maternal health care and support for moms who have served," said Rep. Lauren Underwood.
"It's a tragedy every time a mother dies from a preventable cause related to pregnancy or childbirth, and it's shameful that far too often those moms are women of color whose pain or symptoms have been overlooked or ignored," said Duckworth. "There has never been a comprehensive evaluation of how our nation's growing maternal mortality crisis is impacting our women Veterans, even though they may be at higher risk due to their service. I'm so proud that this bipartisan bill I introduced with Senator Collins and Representative Underwood—which would commission the first-ever comprehensive study on this issue in relation to the Veteran community while also making sure mothers who have served our nation can access the maternal care they need and have earned—passed the Senate."
"Providing support to our Veterans and those who serve today is among our greatest obligations. The U.S. has an unacceptably high maternal mortality rate, and the impact of this crisis on women Veterans is not well understood," said Senator Collins. "Our legislation would help examine ways to improve care coordination, identify gaps in coverage, and eliminate disparities. I'm pleased that the Senate has passed this critical bill to help ensure that the brave women who have served in our military receive the maternal care they have earned."
The Protecting Moms Who Served Act would codify and strengthen the Department of Veterans Affairs maternity care coordination programs to ensure veterans receive the high-quality maternal health care and support they have earned. Additionally, the bill would commission the first-ever comprehensive study of the scope of America's maternal health crisis among veterans, with a particular focus on racial and ethnic disparities in maternal health outcomes. The newly amended Senate version of the bill is expected to be taken up quickly and re-passed in the House prior to moving to the President's office as a final step to becoming law.