Gottheimer, Underwood advocate for federal action to improve maternal health with Momnibus
Gottheimer urges House leadership to bring the Momnibus up for a vote
HACKENSACK, NJ (Bergen County) — U.S. Representatives Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) and Lauren Underwood (IL-14) Tuesday advocated for greater federal action to improve maternal health and address the United States’s maternal mortality crisis.
Before making the announcement, Gottheimer and Underwood toured Hackensack University Medical Center’s Maternal Health Ward.
According to research released just last month from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, more than 600 women died of pregnancy-related causes each year between 2018 and 2022. 103 mothers passed away in New Jersey between 2018 and 2021 due to pregnancy-related causes.
New Jersey has one of the worst racial disparities in the country when it comes to maternal mortality. Black mothers in New Jersey are seven times more likely to die of pregnancy-related causes than White mothers. Hispanic mothers are three-and-a-half times more likely to die. But, research also shows that this is a solvable crisis. The CDC has reported that four in every five pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. are preventable.
Congressman Gottheimer is a cosponsor of the the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act or Momnibus, a collection of thirteen bills which Congresswoman Underwood introduced, focused on addressing the social determinants of health, strengthening the maternal health support system, and collecting better data surrounding the maternal health crisis.
“We are blessed to live in the greatest country in the world, but our health outcomes should reflect that fact. We cannot stand by as thousands of women pass away from preventable conditions and thousands of babies grow up, robbed of their moms,” said Gottheimer, a member of the Black Maternal Health Caucus. “That’s why I’m taking steps with Congresswoman Underwood to put a stop to our country’s maternal health crisis.”
“I’m so grateful for Congressman Gottheimer’s strong voice as a leader on this issue and for partnering with us to advance the Momnibus” said Underwood, co-founder and co-chair of the Black Maternal Health Caucus. “Moms across our country have been demanding a comprehensive solution to this crisis. And so, we looked at the data, we talked to the experts, and we talked to community leaders, and we wrote that comprehensive solution. The Momnibus is designed to solve America’s maternal health crisis, and I’m so grateful that we have great partners in Congress like Representative Gottheimer and Senator Booker alongside us as we get this legislation signed into law.”
Gottheimer’s New Action to Support Maternal Health Includes:
- A letter to Speaker Johnson and Leader Jeffries, urging them to bring the Momnibus to the floor for a vote. 225 Members of Congress – across the House and Senate – have already gotten behind the Momnibus, along with more than 200 of the country’s leading health and community organizations. His letter asks the leaders to get this commonsense, consensus bill to the President’s desk as soon as possible.
- A letter to Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, calling on him to produce a follow-up report to the “Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Improve Maternal Health.” This follow-up report will reexamine the maternal health crisis and recommit our public officials to action.
- A new portal focused on maternal health grants. Gottheimer will roll out a new portal on his website, Gottheimer.House.Gov, filled with grant opportunities focused on maternal health, targeted towards counties, localities, hospitals, and community health organizations.
Gottheimer has been focused on women’s health since he first entered office. Earlier this year, he launched the new Project Women’s Health Initiative, a multi-front legislative agenda, which includes the SEARCH Act on research into rare diseases and the Freedom to Decide Act on reproductive healthcare.
Gottheimer was joined by Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Senator Gordon Johnson (LD-37), Assemblywoman Shama Haider (LD-37), Assemblywoman Ellen Park (LD-37), Bergen County Commissioner Mary Amoroso, Hackensack University Medical Center (HUMC) Northern Region President Mark Sparta, and HUMC Chief Medical Officer Lisa Tank.