Midwives for MOMS Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 6394
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Health
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-12-03: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- Last Updated
- 2026-03-31T15:33:37Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Midwives for Maximizing Optimal Maternity Services Act of 2025 (also known as the Midwives for MOMS Act of 2025) aims to tackle shortages in maternity care and improve health outcomes for mothers and babies. It does this by providing federal funding to expand education and training programs for midwives, including both general midwifery and nurse-midwifery tracks.
Key Provisions
- Grants for Midwifery Education (Section 2): Adds a new section (760A) to Title VII of the Public Health Service Act, allowing the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants to colleges and universities for:
- Direct financial support to students in accredited midwifery programs (e.g., tuition or stipends).
- Creating or growing accredited midwifery schools or programs.
- Recruiting and training more qualified preceptors (experienced mentors who supervise student training).
- Priorities: Grants favor programs that recruit students committed to working in health professional shortage areas (regions with limited healthcare access) and focus on students from rural or low-income backgrounds through strategies like targeted outreach, mentoring, academic support, or hands-on internships.
- Restrictions: Funding cannot support midwifery programs housed within nursing schools.
- Funding: Authorizes $15 million total for fiscal years 2026–2030, split as 50% for student support, 25% for program development, and 25% for preceptors.
- Grants for Nurse-Midwifery Education (Section 3): Adds a new section (812) to Title VIII of the Public Health Service Act, enabling grants to nursing schools for similar purposes:
- Student support in accredited nurse-midwifery programs.
- Establishing or expanding these programs.
- Increasing preceptors at clinical training sites for future certified nurse-midwives.
- Priorities: Same as above, emphasizing shortage areas and underserved communities.
- Funding: Authorizes $20 million total for fiscal years 2026–2030, with the same allocation splits.
- Definitions Update: Expands legal definitions in the Public Health Service Act to explicitly include "midwifery school or program" as eligible for federal health education support, covering degrees or certificates in midwifery.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Inserts entirely new grant programs into the Public Health Service Act, which previously focused more broadly on health professions education without specific provisions for midwifery.
- Updates definitions to recognize midwifery education as a distinct category, separate from nursing schools, allowing targeted funding outside nursing frameworks.
- Introduces mandatory funding allocations and priorities for underserved areas, which were not previously specified for midwifery training.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: HHS will administer the grants, potentially increasing administrative workload but also enhancing federal efforts to address maternal health disparities. No direct impact on international relations.
- Citizens: Could improve access to maternity care in rural, low-income, or shortage areas by training more midwives, leading to better prenatal, birth, and postpartum services. This may reduce maternal and infant health risks, especially for underserved populations.
- Educational Institutions: Provides new funding streams to expand programs, potentially increasing enrollment and graduation rates for midwifery students.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Educational Institutions: Colleges, universities, and nursing schools eligible for grants to build or enhance midwifery training.
- Students and Future Midwives: Particularly those from rural or economically disadvantaged backgrounds, who gain financial aid, mentorship, and priority placement in shortage areas.
- Healthcare Providers and Communities: Midwives, hospitals, and clinics in health professional shortage areas benefit from a larger workforce; pregnant women and families in underserved regions see improved care access.
- Federal Government: HHS as the grant administrator, with Congress overseeing the authorized appropriations.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens federal support for health workforce development under the Public Health Service Act without altering existing accreditation standards or state licensing for midwives. Ensures funding separation between general midwifery and nurse-midwifery to avoid overlap with nursing regulations.
- Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's spending power to promote public health; no apparent conflicts with federalism, as it incentivizes voluntary participation by states and institutions.
- Political: Addresses a bipartisan concern over maternal mortality rates (especially in rural areas), potentially advancing health equity goals. The bill's focus on shortages could influence future healthcare policy debates, though funding levels are modest and time-limited (through 2030).
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (2)
Rep. Gray, Adam [D-CA-13], Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7]
Recent Actions
- 2025-12-03: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- 2025-12-03: Introduced in House
- 2025-12-03: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Midwives for Maximizing Optimal Maternity Services Act of 2025 — issued 2025-12-03 — PDF (5 pages)