Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for c…
This resolution expresses the House of Representatives support for recognizing March 14, 2026, as Black Midwives Day and highlights the longstanding contributions of Black midwives to maternal and infant health. It encourages federal, state, and local governments to promote workforce diversity, remove practice barriers, expand funding and coverage, and support training and mentorship for Black midwives. This is a nonbinding statement by the House and does not create new federal law or require the President's approval.
This House resolution supports recognizing March 14, 2026, as "Black Midwives Day" and highlights the historical and current contributions of Black midwives to maternal and infant health.
It urges federal, state, and local governments to address racial disparities in maternal health by expanding and diversifying the perinatal workforce, removing barriers to midwifery education and accreditation across training pathways, and encouraging Medicaid and TRICARE coverage for midwife-provided maternity care.
The resolution also calls for authorization of autonomous midwifery practice to the full extent of training and for destigmatizing and decriminalizing midwifery in settings chosen by the pregnant person.
As a nonbinding House resolution, adoption in the House is likely; adoption beyond that or producing substantive policy change is less certain.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this resolution is an effective commemorative statement with a comprehensive factual preamble and clear expression of the House’s views. It also functions as an agenda-setting vehicle by urging specific policy changes, but those recommendations lack the implementation detail, fiscal treatment, and accountability mechanisms that would be expected if the resolution were intended to effectuate substantive change.
Left emphasizes equity and workforce diversification benefits
These are examples from the analysis, not a ranked list of the most-affected groups.
Left emphasizes equity and workforce diversification benefits
This persona is likely to view the resolution positively as an equity-driven recognition and practical step toward reducing Black maternal mortality and improving culturally congruent care.
They will welcome calls to diversify the perinatal workforce, remove accreditation barriers, and support Medicaid/TRICARE coverage for midwife care.
They will emphasize the resolution’s framing of structural racism and maternity care deserts as drivers of poor outcomes.
This persona will generally support the resolution’s goals of reducing maternal disparities and increasing access to midwifery, while seeking pragmatic safeguards.
They appreciate the symbolic recognition but want specifics on safety, accreditation, oversight, and fiscal impacts before endorsing major policy changes.
They will favor measured implementation that preserves clinical standards and coordinates midwife integration with obstetric care.
This persona will be skeptical of provisions that encourage autonomous practice, decriminalization, and recognition of all training pathways without clear regulatory safeguards.
They may support honoring historical contributions symbolically, but will worry about patient safety, state licensing authority, and potential costs to Medicaid/TRICARE.
They will emphasize preserving state regulatory control and professional standards for maternity care.
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Still ahead
Still ahead
Still ahead
As a nonbinding House resolution, adoption in the House is likely; adoption beyond that or producing substantive policy change is less certain.
The bill has not accumulated any surfaced votes yet.
Left emphasizes equity and workforce diversification benefits
As a nonbinding House resolution, adoption in the House is likely; adoption beyond that or producing substantive policy change is less cert…
Relative to its intended legislative type, this resolution is an effective commemorative statement with a comprehensive factual preamble and clear expression of the House’s views. It also functions as an agenda-setting…
Go beyond the headline summary with full stakeholder mapping, legislative design analysis, passage barriers, and lens-by-lens tradeoff breakdowns.