Underwood, Adams Host 2023 Black Maternal Health Caucus Stakeholder Summit

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representatives Lauren Underwood (IL-14) and Alma Adams (NC-12) called on Congress to immediately pass the Momnibus Act at the Black Maternal Health Caucus 2023 Stakeholder Summit, held at the U.S. Capitol on August 1. The event highlighted progress in improving maternal health outcomes, spotlighted opportunities to advance the Momnibus and key maternal health legislative priorities, and helped build partnerships and strategies to end the maternal health crisis in the United States. 

Photos from the event can be found here.

“We must pass the full Momnibus to save moms’ lives and finally end the maternal health crisis in our country,” said Underwood. “I was thrilled to convene this Summit and work with our partners in Congress, the White House, public and private-sector leaders, and community-based groups to develop strategies to pass the full Momnibus. We can make sure that pregnancy and childbirth is not a time of fear or danger, but an experience filled with joy and anticipation. Every family deserves a healthy mom and quality maternal care during and after their birthing experience; it should not be the privilege of a few. America must demonstrate that caring for our moms is integral to improving our country.”

“Our nation must address the Black maternal health crisis, and the Momnibus is the comprehensive solution,” said Adams. “The Momnibus was built with the support of a historic coalition of nearly 200 health care providers, Black mothers, policymakers, researchers, and maternal health advocates. This summit reconvened this powerful coalition to celebrate and uplift these voices, provide space for new collaboration, and concentrate our efforts to addressing this crisis. As we push for its final passage, the Momnibus rides the momentum of the work advocates have done for decades. The Momnibus must pass this Congress. Our mamas can’t wait.”

The Summit was headlined by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure; Health Resources and Services Administrator Carole Johnson; Representative Lucy McBath (GA-07); and Representative Rosa DeLauro (CT-03). Other speakers included community advocates and experts, government officials, and industry leaders. 

The Momnibus, comprised of 13 pieces of maternal focused legislation, is the only comprehensive legislation in Congress to address America’s maternal health crisis. It makes critical investments addressing social determinants that impact maternal health, provides funding for community-based organizations, advances initiatives to grow and diversify the perinatal health workforce, expands access to mental health care for moms, and combats the negative effects of climate change on maternal and infant health.

A one-page summary of the Momnibus, including a list of the 181 original House cosponsors, can be found here, and additional information about the individual bills in the Momnibus can be found on the Black Maternal Health Caucus website.

The full list of speakers in the 2023 Summit is below: 

• Secretary Xavier Becerra, Department of Health and Human Services 
• Deputy Secretary Andrea Palm, Department of Health and Human Services  
• Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 
• Administrator Carole Johnson, Health Resources and Services Administration  
• Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) [Virtual]
• Representative Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Ranking Member, House Committee on Appropriations [Virtual]
• Representative Lucy McBath (GA-07) [Virtual]
• Special Assistant to the President for Health Care Jessica Schubel, Domestic Policy Council (Executive Office of the President) 
• Alison Cernich, Ph.D., National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Deputy Director 
• Dr. Jamila K. Taylor, President and CEO, National WIC Association  
• Aza Nedhari, CPM, LGPC, Executive Director & Co-Founder, Mamatoto Village  
• Charles Johnson, Founder, 4Kira4Moms  
• Kiley Mayfield, MPH, Director of Community Power Building, RH Impact: The Collaborative for Equity & Justice 
• Jesse Matton, Director of Corporate Social Impact Policies, National Partnership for Women & Families  
• Melissa Martin, Managing Director of Patient Care Solutions, GE HealthCare  
• Caitlin Donovan, Global Head, Uber Health  
• Naomi Senkeeto, Managing Director of Health Equity Policy, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association  
• Dr. Dawn Godbolt, Director of Health Equity, Maven Clinic 
• Michelle L. Munroe, DNP, CNM, FACNM, FAAN, Interim CEO, American College of Nurse-Midwives 
• Rebecca Lauer, Manager of Federal Affairs, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists  
• Samuel J. Hewitt, Principal for Federal Affairs, American Nurses Association  
• Terrance E. Moore, Chief Executive Officer, Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs
• Breana N. Lipscomb, MPH, Senior Advisor for Maternal Health and Rights, Center for Reproductive Rights  
• Kavelle Christie, Director of the Gender Equity & Health Justice Program at Community Catalyst
• Christy Turlington Burns, Founder, Every Mother Counts  
• Mackenzie Marshall, Manager of Federal Relations, Families USA  
• Yuliya Labko, Policy and Advocacy Director, March for Moms  
• Stacey Y. Brayboy, Senior Vice President for Public Policy and Government Affairs, March of Dimes  
• Tina Sherman, Senior Campaign Director, MomsRising  
• Venicia Gray, Senior Manager for Maternal and Infant Health, National Partnership for Women and Families  
• Adrienne Ramcharan, MPH, Assistant Director for State Policy, Physicians for Reproductive Health  
• Sharne Haywood, Senior Policy Specialist at Planned Parenthood Federation of America  
• Alise Powell, Senior Policy Analyst, RH Impact: The Collaborative for Equity and Justice  
• Vina Smith-Ramakrishnan, Senior Policy Associate, The Century Foundation  
• Denys Symonette Mitchell, Founder and Principal, Symonette Strategies and Solutions 
• Laurie Mignone, Professional Staff, House Committee on Appropriations  
• Rachel Gandell Tetlow, Director of Federal Affairs, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists 
• Amanda Innes, Chief of Staff/Senior Advisor, Maternal and Child Health Bureau at the Health Resources and Services Administration  
• James Willie, Deputy Division Director of Independent Review, Office of Federal Assistance Management at the Health Resources and Services Administration 

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