Update to the Mom Congress Convention Moms’ Agenda Bills
Mom Congress
By The Mom Congress Policy Team
We highlighted five bills during the Mom Congress’ 2022 Convention. Read below for an update on the status of each bill:
Three of this year’s Bills Passed, Signed into Law
The following three bills from our Mom Congress Convention Moms’ Agenda were signed into law in December 2022:
TRIUMPH for New Mom’s Act (H.R. 4217, S. 2779) calls for the formation of a Federal interagency Taskforce to coordinate efforts to address maternal mental health, and to create a national strategic plan including recommendations to state governors, House and Senate Committees, and relevant federal agencies to support and improve maternal mental health in the U.S.
Into the Light for Maternal Mental Health (H.R. 7073, S. 3824) provides permanent mental health resources to moms across the country, from a 24/7 voice and text hotline to grants to states to support improved screening and treatment programs.
The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (H.R. 1065, S. 1486) requires employers to make reasonable accommodations to support the health of pregnant workers.
Two Bills Not Passed, Future Plans
The SHINE for Autumn Act (H.R. 5487, S. 3972) would authorize grants and establish other programs to improve data collection on stillbirths. Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) may award grants for surveillance and data collection on stillbirths and issue guidelines concerning the collection of stillbirth data.
Mom Congress remains dedicated to seeing the SHINE for Autumn Act passed up on its bipartisan reintroduction in 2023.
The Midwives for Maximizing Optimal Maternity Services (Midwives for MOMS) Act (H.R. 3352, S. 1697) would address maternity care provider shortages in rural and underserved areas throughout the country with the goal of improving maternal and child health outcomes, especially among underrepresented Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Asian women, and scale up and diversify the midwifery workforce
Mom Congress remains dedicated to seeing the Midwives for Moms Act passed. Both of this bills’ original authors, Lucille Roybal Allard and Jamie Herrera-Beutler, are not returning to their roles as legislators in 2023. Mom Congress thanks them both for being champions for mothers and families and early supporters of Mom Congress. We look forward to supporting the bill upon its bipartisan reintroduction with new authors.
Jamie Herrera Beutler (L), and Lucille Royball Allard at Mom Congress 2019.