Rashida Tlaib: “On behalf of the Congressional Mamas' Caucus, I am asking our Chamber to please take a moment to recognize that we are…”

“On behalf of the Congressional Mamas' Caucus, I am asking our Chamber to please take a moment to recognize that we are experiencing a Black maternal health crisis in our country. In Michigan's 12th Congressional District, we are experiencing not only the Black maternal health crisis but also an infant mortality crisis. We don't want another study. We want action. Michigan has had one of the highest death rates among Black women in our country because our systems and institutions have failed to provide our Black neighbors with the comprehensive, high-quality care they deserve, a system free of systemic racism. To address the Black maternal mortality crisis, we must understand and acknowledge our country's racist history and the ways in which it has manifested in our healthcare system. Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women. This is unacceptable. Black women have consistently been neglected and mistreated in our healthcare system. They should feel safe and supported by their healthcare professionals, and they should be believed. Black women in frontline communities like ours also live with the devastating effects of preexisting conditions from air and water pollution. I founded the Congressional Mamas' Caucus with Mothering Justice because we were tired. We were tired of policies created about mothers but not with mothers.…”