One of the leading advocates of maternal health in the U.S. House of Representatives today joined Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Wyckoff) in support of legislation to combat the nation’s maternal mortality crisis and strengthen maternal health.
Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Illinois) joined Gottheimer on a tour of Hackensack University Medical Center’s Maternal Health Ward to tout the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, a 13-bill package that tackles social detriments to health, enhances the support system for maternal health, and provides tools to collect data better.
“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 the Black Maternal Health Caucus co-chair. “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.”
Underwood said her bill was crafted to solve the maternal health crisis in the United States.
“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,” she said.
Gottheimer is a member of the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act.
“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,” Gottheimer said. “That’s why I’m taking steps with Congresswoman Underwood to put a stop to our country’s maternal health crisis.”
Underwood served in the Obama administration at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services before ousting a four-term Republican congressman in 2018 in Dennis Hastert’s old district’ at age 32, she is the youngest Black woman to serve in Congress. Underwood is part of Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ leadership team.