Data Mapping to Save Moms' Lives Act

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 198, Data Mapping to Save Moms' Lives Act, to require the Federal Communications Commission to incorporate data on maternal health outcomes into its broadband health maps.

Worldwide pregnant mothers experience health outcomes such as hypertension, preeclampsia, extreme nausea, and even maternal mortality. These health conditions impact the experiences of pregnant women, but for many women poor health outcomes don't end after pregnancy.

In Texas, there are 14 deaths per 100,000 live births, but where are these deaths occurring? Is there a common theme in maternal mortality in the state that could be mapped in order to study the issue further?

In the United States much of this data is tracked, but it is not mapped, which would assist in understanding which health outcomes are common in certain counties, states, and as a country.

The Mapping Broadband Health in America platform, which is operated by the FCC, allows users to visualize, overlay and analyze broadband and health data at the national, state and county levels.

The maps are an interactive experience, enabling detailed study of the intersection between connectivity and health for every county in the United States.

The resulting maps can be used by both public and private sectors, and local communities, to identify opportunities and gaps in connectivity and care.

It can help inform policy decisions, facilitate interagency coordination, encourage public/private partnerships and investment, and drive innovation, directing resources to areas with overlapping broadband and health needs.

In an effort to improve maternal health in the United States, we must be able to study the issue across the country on a county, state, and country wide level.

In 2020, 861 women died of maternal causes in the United States.

That's 861 women who planned on living full, healthy lives and planned on being parents to the children they carried for 9 long months.

That's 861 children who must grow up without their parent.

That's 861 families that are forever altered.

That's a medical system and society that has failed 861 women.

These numbers are heart breaking. With all the advances in technology and improvements in our healthcare system, health outcomes continuously get worse for women.

With the help of data mapping, researchers would have the opportunity to visualize the areas where maternal mortality is most prevalent in an effort to lower maternal mortality rates.

Data mapping would show the health outcomes that are common among expecting mothers on local, state, and country wide levels.

This would allow legislators to make policy decisions based on health outcomes. Also, medical professionals could seek treatments that improve the health outcomes of expecting mothers, and women could see where health outcomes are best for expecting mothers.

Women's health is an issue that is very near to my heart. With reproductive rights being stripped from us, maternal mortality at an all-time high, and violence against women that has surged since the pandemic started, there is growing concern that women's health will continue to suffer on a massive scale.

We must take action to protect not only ourselves, but also future generations of women who deserve the right to high quality medical care.

S. 198, Data Mapping to Save Moms' Lives Act, is important because it would accelerate improvements in the health of moms in the United States. This bill directly impacts the health of women and their families.

I know that this bill is important to my constituents in Houston. Improving the birthing experience for these women is a top priority to me.

I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting this critical bill that will direct the FCC to incorporate data on maternal health outcomes into its broadband health maps.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 198) to require the Federal Communications Commission to incorporate data on maternal health outcomes into its broadband health maps, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 198.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise in strong support of S. 198, the Data Mapping to Save Moms' Lives Act.

The United States has the highest rate of maternal mortality across developed nations. And while maternal mortality and morbidity are problems that affect women throughout the country, these concerns are especially pronounced in Black and Native American communities.

Maternal mortality rates for Black women are three times higher than those of White women, and the rate of death for American Indians and Alaska Native women is two times higher. This is simply unacceptable, and we should be taking action to reverse these disturbing numbers.

Technology, Mr. Speaker, has a role to play but requires modern connectivity like high-speed broadband to provide the most potential. For instance, access to telehealth services like routine checkups, health monitoring, and updated prescriptions can go a long way in ensuring the health and safety of both the mother and child.

This legislation before us today seeks to help lawmakers, public health officials, and the public at large to consider issues of connectivity and maternal health outcomes in tandem. Once implemented, it will provide a better idea for how connectivity and health data intersect. This will help us better target telehealth services to vulnerable populations in communities at risk of maternal mortality and morbidity.

Specifically, Mr. Speaker, it will require the FCC to integrate publicly available data related to maternal health, including mortality and severe morbidity, into its Mapping Broadband Health in America platform. The FCC will be required to consult with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to determine the right data to include for this effort.

We have worked closely with our Senate colleagues to get this legislation enacted, and I want to acknowledge and thank Senators Rosen and Fischer for their leadership on the bill. This bipartisan Senate bill incorporates the text of the House-passed version championed by Representatives Butterfield, Bilirakis, and Lisa Blunt Rochester.

This initiative, Mr. Speaker, combined with other good work that we in the executive branch have done, will help us better understand the communications barriers that some pregnant women face so that we can explore connectivity policies that help keep these women safe and healthy.

Mr. Speaker, for these reasons, I urge my colleagues to support S. 198, the Data Mapping to Save Moms' Lives Act in a bipartisan manner, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I, once again, urge that we support this bill on a bipartisan basis, and I urge all my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise today in support of S. 198, the Data Mapping to Save Moms' Lives Act, that mirrors legislation from Representatives Bilirakis and Butterfield. Their legislation passed the House by over 400 votes in April of this year.

Maternal mortality continues to affect moms and children across the United States. The Energy and Commerce Committee has worked in a bipartisan way to address this preventable issue, but unfortunately, challenges remain.

This legislation will build on existing tools of the Federal Communications Commission by incorporating publicly available data on maternal health outcomes into its Mapping Broadband Health in America tool. The FCC would be required to work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to determine what maternal health outcomes to include.

I encourage all of my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter).

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 504, I mistakenly voted ``yes'' when I intended to vote ``no.''

Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress

Baird (Bucshon)

Bass (Cicilline)

Beatty (Neguse)

Brooks (Fleischmann)

Cole (Lucas)

DeFazio (Pallone)

Demings (Blunt Rochester)

Doyle, Michael F. (Pallone)

Duncan (Norman)

Dunn (Cammack)

Frankel, Lois (Meng)

Gallego (Cicilline)

Gosar (Weber (TX))

Gottheimer (Pappas)

Grijalva (Neguse)

Herrera Beutler (Moore (UT))

Johnson (TX) (Pallone)

Kildee (Pappas)

Kirkpatrick (Pallone)

Lieu (Beyer)

Lowenthal (Beyer)

Moore (WI) (Beyer)

Newman (Correa)

O'Halleran (Pappas)

Palazzo (Fleischmann)

Pascrell (Pallone)

Pressley (Neguse)

Rice (NY) (Morelle)

Roybal-Allard (Correa)

Ruppersberger (Sarbanes)

Ryan (OH) (Correa)

Simpson (Fulcher)

Sires (Pallone)

Stanton (Huffman)

Steube (Franklin, C. Scott)

Titus (Pallone)

Welch (Pallone)

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the bill, S. 198, the Data Mapping to Save Moms' Lives Act.

Earlier this year, the House passed H.R. 1218, which was introduced by Representatives Butterfield and Bilirakis. This legislation was the result of bipartisan work through hearings and markups in the Energy and Commerce Committee. I am pleased to see that Republican efforts at changes to improve the legislation are included in the bill before us.

Today's legislation amends the Senate bill to include the House- passed language, which I was pleased to support earlier this year. The Data Mapping to Save Moms' Lives Act follows other bipartisan work the Energy and Commerce Committee has done to address maternal mortality in America.

I am pleased to support this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to do so, as well.