H. Res. 231 (119th)Bill Overview

Recognizing the longstanding and invaluable contributions of Black midwives to maternal and infant health in the United States.

Health|Health
Cosponsors
Support
Democratic
Introduced
Mar 18, 2025
Discussions
Bill Text
Current stageCommittee

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…

Introduced
Committee
Floor
President
Law
Congressional Activities
01 · The brief

This House resolution recognizes March 14, 2025 as Black Midwives Day and honors the historical and ongoing contributions of Black midwives to maternal and infant health.

It highlights racial disparities in maternal mortality, maternity care deserts, and benefits of midwife-led care.

The resolution encourages federal, state, and local governments to diversify the perinatal workforce, increase funding for midwifery education and preceptors, recognize midwives from all training pathways, authorize autonomous midwifery practice to the extent of training, and promote TRICARE and Medicaid coverage for midwife-provided maternity care.

Passage5/100

House simple resolutions are nonbinding and do not create law; policy changes urged would require separate legislation and appropriations.

CredibilityPartially aligned

Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill functions primarily as a commemorative resolution that strongly and clearly frames the problem, honors Black midwives, and urges a range of policy and programmatic actions. It uses appropriate hortatory language for a nonbinding resolution but mixes symbolic recognition with substantial policy asks without providing the legislative detail those asks would require to be actionable.

Contention58/100

Extent of federal role versus state licensure and oversight

02 · What it does

Who stands to gain, and who may push back.

Who this appears to help vs burden50% / 50%
Targeted stakeholdersFederal agencies
Likely helped
  • Targeted stakeholdersMay improve maternal and infant outcomes by expanding midwife-led, culturally congruent care in underserved areas.
  • Targeted stakeholdersCould increase access to care in maternity care deserts where hospitals or obstetric providers are scarce.
  • Targeted stakeholdersSupporters argue midwife-led care reduces interventions, cesareans, and preterm births, lowering overall care costs.
Likely burdened
  • Targeted stakeholdersCritics may contend expanded autonomous practice could raise patient safety concerns without clear standardized regulat…
  • Federal agenciesFederal encouragement of scope changes could conflict with state authority over licensure and professional regulation.
  • Federal agenciesExtending Medicaid and TRICARE coverage may increase federal and state healthcare expenditures.
03 · Why people split

Why the argument around this bill splits.

Extent of federal role versus state licensure and oversight
Progressive95%

Likely strongly supportive; views the resolution as an important recognition and a policy direction toward health equity.

Sees workforce diversification, funding, and removal of barriers to midwifery as concrete ways to reduce Black maternal mortality.

Leans supportive
Centrist75%

Generally supportive of recognizing disparities and improving access, but cautious about operational details.

Wants assurances on safety, licensure standards, and fiscal impacts before endorsing major regulatory changes.

Leans supportive
Conservative35%

Somewhat skeptical: supports honoring midwives but wary of federal encouragement to expand autonomous practice and insurance coverage.

Prefers state control, strict licensing, and attention to clinical safety and fiscal responsibility.

Likely resistant
04 · Can it pass?

The path through Congress.

Introduced

Reached or meaningfully advanced

Committee

Reached or meaningfully advanced

Floor

Still ahead

President

Still ahead

Law

Still ahead

Passage likelihood5/100

House simple resolutions are nonbinding and do not create law; policy changes urged would require separate legislation and appropriations.

Scope and complexity
24%
Scopenarrow
24%
Complexitylow
Why this could stall
  • Nonbinding status creates ambiguity about follow‑up legislative action
  • How 'midwives across all training pathways' is to be interpreted or implemented
05 · Recent votes

Recent votes on the bill.

No vote history yet

The bill has not accumulated any surfaced votes yet.

06 · Go deeper

Go deeper than the headline read.

Included on this page

Extent of federal role versus state licensure and oversight

House simple resolutions are nonbinding and do not create law; policy changes urged would require separate legislation and appropriations.

Unlocked analysis

Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill functions primarily as a commemorative resolution that strongly and clearly frames the problem, honors Black midwives, and urges a range of policy and programmatic ac…

Go beyond the headline summary with full stakeholder mapping, legislative design analysis, passage barriers, and lens-by-lens tradeoff breakdowns.

Perspective breakdownsPassage barriersLegislative design reviewStakeholder impact map
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