Mamas and Babies in Underserved Communities Act of 2025

Bill Number

H.R. 1966

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Health

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-03-06: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Last Updated

2026-04-29T08:07:10Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The Mamas and Babies in Underserved Communities Act of 2025 aims to improve access to and quality of maternal health care services for women and infants in minority, low-income, or medically underserved communities (areas with limited health care resources). It authorizes federal grants to support expansion of prenatal care (before birth), postnatal care for infants (after birth), and postpartum care for mothers, with a focus on reducing health disparities.

Key Provisions

• Grant Awards: The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), will award grants to eligible public or nonprofit private health care providers.
• Grant Uses: Funds can expand services, enhance quality, improve health outcomes for mothers and infants, and address disparities in access, service quality, and results.
• Eligibility and Priority: Providers must serve underserved communities. Priority goes to those primarily serving such communities, led by individuals from those areas (e.g., who live, were educated, or reside there), and located within them.
• Requirements for Grantees:
• Deliver services in a culturally and linguistically appropriate way (tailored to the community's language and cultural needs).
• Limit administrative costs (overhead like management) to no more than 10% of grant funds.
• Coordinate with other federal maternal health programs to avoid overlap and maximize efficiency.
• Application Process: Providers submit applications as specified by HHS, including required information and commitments.
• Definitions:
• Medically underserved community: Areas with shortages of health professionals or facilities, as defined in existing law (section 799B of the Public Health Service Act).
• Postnatal and postpartum: The 12 months following an infant's birth.
• Funding: Authorizes "such sums as necessary" (open-ended amount) for fiscal years 2026 through 2030.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This bill amends Title III of the Public Health Service Act (a key federal law on public health programs) by adding a new section (317K-1). It introduces a dedicated grant program specifically targeting maternal health in underserved communities, building on but separate from existing HRSA programs for health resources. No existing programs are altered or repealed; this expands federal support without changing prior authorizations.

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: HHS and HRSA will gain new responsibilities to administer grants, review applications, ensure coordination, and monitor outcomes, potentially increasing administrative workload but also enhancing their role in health equity.
• Citizens: Women and infants in minority, low-income, or underserved areas may see better access to maternal care, leading to improved health outcomes and reduced disparities (e.g., lower maternal mortality rates, which are higher in such communities). Broader U.S. population benefits indirectly through reduced overall health care costs from preventive care.
• International Relations: Minimal direct impact, as this is a domestic health program focused on U.S. communities.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Health Care Providers: Public and nonprofit organizations serving underserved areas, who can apply for and receive grants to expand services.
• Women and Infants: Particularly in minority, low-income, or medically underserved communities, who gain improved care access and quality.
• Communities: Minority and low-income groups, including those led by local leaders, benefiting from culturally tailored services.
• Federal Government: HHS and HRSA, responsible for program implementation and funding oversight.
• Taxpayers: Indirectly affected through federal appropriations for the grants.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Strengthens federal authority under the Public Health Service Act to address health disparities without creating new mandates on states or individuals. Ensures accountability through spending limits and coordination requirements, aligning with anti-fraud measures in federal grants.
• Constitutional: No apparent conflicts; it promotes the general welfare (a constitutional goal of Congress) by funding voluntary health programs, respecting state roles in health care delivery.
• Political: Highlights focus on health equity for vulnerable populations, potentially advancing bipartisan goals on maternal health (e.g., reducing U.S. maternal mortality, a noted public health issue). As an authorization bill, it sets funding ceilings but requires future appropriations, allowing flexibility in budget debates.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43]

Cosponsors (39)

Rep. Underwood, Lauren [D-IL-14], Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12], Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3], Rep. Brown, Shontel M. [D-OH-11], Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7], Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila [D-FL-20], Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9], Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9], Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11], Rep. Crockett, Jasmine [D-TX-30], Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4], Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37], Rep. Fields, Cleo [D-LA-6], Rep. Figures, Shomari [D-AL-2], Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5], Rep. Grijalva, Raúl M. [D-AZ-7], Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5], Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12], Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14], Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3], Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7], Rep. Swalwell, Eric [D-CA-14], Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13], Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Vargas, Juan [D-CA-52], Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7], Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12], Rep. McDonald Rivet, Kristen [D-MI-8], Rep. Jacobs, Sara [D-CA-51], Rep. Budzinski, Nikki [D-IL-13], Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1], Rep. Escobar, Veronica [D-TX-16], Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20], Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14]

Recent Actions

• 2025-03-06: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
• 2025-03-06: Introduced in House
• 2025-03-06: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Mamas and Babies in Underserved Communities Act of 2025 — issued 2025-03-06 — PDF (4 pages)