Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act of 2019 (H.R. 4995). This important bill includes my legislation, the Excellence in Maternal Health Act of 2019 (H.R. 4215), that I introduced last year with my fellow Hoosier, Rep. Bucshon. l want to thank Rep. Engel for including my legislation in this package. I urge my House colleagues to pass H.R. 4995 without delay. Maternal mortality--which occurs when a woman dies during pregnancy or within one year of delivery--is a nationwide, public health emergency. The United States has the highest maternal death rate in the developed world; 26 women die for every 100,000 live birth in our country. This unacceptably high level of maternal mortality robs our country of between 700 and 900 women from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. However, this crisis does not affect all states equally. Maternal mortality is especially devastating in states like Indiana. Our state has the third highest maternal mortality rate in the country where, often due to preventable complications, a staggering 43 out of 100,000 women die during or shortly after giving birth. The maternal mortality crisis also does not affect all mothers equally; in fact, the racial and ethnic disparities in maternal mortality are extremely stark. Nationwide, Black women are three to four times more likely to die from maternal health complications than white women.…”