Congress funds maternal health equity research and respectful care standards
H.R. 8807 — Maternal Health Pandemic Response Act · Filed by Lauren Underwood (D-IL) · 68 cosponsors · Introduced May 14, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill appropriates $190 million to the CDC and NIH to improve maternal health surveillance and research during public health emergencies, with particular focus on racial and ethnic disparities. It requires the CDC to publicly share de-identified data on maternal and infant health outcomes during infectious disease outbreaks, and establishes a federal task force to develop recommendations for respectful, equitable maternity care—including guidance on midwife licensing, doula coverage, telehealth access, and mental health screening. The bill aims to ensure pregnant and postpartum individuals receive culturally competent care and that health disparities are tracked and addressed.
Why we flagged it
This is a straightforward appropriations and policy bill focused on maternal health surveillance, data collection, and care standards during public health emergencies. It allocates $190M to CDC and NIH programs and establishes a task force to develop evidence-based recommendations for respectful maternity care.
What the text implies
- Mandatory demographic data collection and disaggregation may create privacy concerns if de-identification protocols are inadequate, despite stated HIPAA compliance measures.
- Task force recommendations on midwife licensure and scope of practice could reshape state-level healthcare regulation and insurance reimbursement, potentially affecting hospital-based maternity care models.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
CDC contractors and research institutions; State and local public health departments; Community health worker organizations