,,iii  #aae? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 ,,res4 #dei  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!
 ,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,april #aa1 #bjah ,ms4
 ,h>ris 7= h]self1 ,ms4 ,/ab5[1 ,mrs4   
,fe9/e91 ,mrs4 ,murray1 ,mrs4 ,gillibr&1
 ,ms4 ,hirono1 ,ms4 ,w>r51 ,ms4 ,baldw91
 ,mr4 ,book]1 ,mr4 ,m]kley1 ,mr4 ,wyd51 
& ,mr4 ,blum5?al7 submitt$ ! foll[+     
resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee
 on ,heal?1 ,education1 ,labor1 &       
,p5sions  ,,resolution  ,recogniz+      
,black ,mat]nal ,heal? ,week to br+     
national att5tion to ! mat]nal heal? c>e
 crisis 9 ! ,black community & !        
importance ( r$uc+ ! rate ( mat]nal     
mortality & morbidity among ,black wom54
  ,:]eas accord+ to ! ,c5t]s = ,disease 
,control & ,prev5tion1 ,black mo!rs 9 ! 
,unit$ ,/ates die at #c to #d times !   
rate ( ,:ite mo!rs2 ,:]eas ,black wom5 9
 ! ,unit$ ,/ates suff] f life-?reat5+   
pregnancy complications twice z (t5 z   
,:ite wom52 ,:]eas ,unit$ ,/ates mat]nal
 mortality rates are ! highe/ 9 !       
develop$ _w & are increas+ rapidly2     

,:]eas ! ,unit$ ,/ates has ! highe/     
mat]nal mortality rate among afflu5t    
c\ntries because ( ! disproportionate   
dea? rate ( ,black mo!rs2 ,:]eas !      
premature deliv]y rate among ,black wom5
 is #di p]c5t high] ?an ! rate among all
 o!r wom52 ,:]eas ,black wom5 are twice 
z likely to suff] f sev]e mat]nal       
morbidity ?an ,:ite wom52 ,:]eas high   
rates ( mat]nal mortality among ,black  
wom5 span across income & education     
levels1 z well z socioeconomic /atus2   
,:]eas racial disp>ities exi/ across    
income & education levels2 ,:]eas       
/ructural racism1 g5d] oppression1 &    
social det]m9ants ( heal? inequities    
exp]i5c$ by ,black wom5 9 ! ,unit$      
,/ates significantly contribute to !    
disproportionately high rates ( mat]nal 
mortality & morbidity among ,black wom52
 ,:]eas race & racism play an integral  
role 9 mat]nal heal? outcomes1 c>e1 &   
policy2 ,:]eas fair di/ribution (       
res\rces1 especially ) reg>d to         
reproductive heal? c>e s]vices & mat]nal

 heal? programm+1 is critical to clos+ !
 mat]nal heal? racial disp>ity gap2 &   
,:]eas an inve/m5t mu/ be made 9 ,black 
wom5's mat]nity c>e & 9 policies t      
support & promote af=dable1             
compreh5sive1 & holi/ic mat]nal heal?   
c>e t is free f g5d] & racial           
discrim9ation3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x  ,t !   
,s5ate recognizes-- 7#a7 t ,black wom5  
are exp]i5c+ high1 disproportionate     
rates ( mat]nal mortality & morbidity 9 
! ,unit$ ,/ates2  7#b7 t ! al>m+ly high 
rates ( mat]nal mortality among ,black  
wom5 is unacceptable2  7#c7 t ,congress 
mu/ "w t[>d ensur+ t ! ,black community 
has adequate h\s+1 transportation       
equity1 nutriti\s food1 clean wat]1     
environm5ts free f tox9s1 fair treatm5t 
)9 ! crim9al ju/ice sy/em1 safety &     
fre$om f viol5ce1 a liv+ wage1 & equal  
economic opportunity2  7#d7 t 9 ord] to 
improve mat]nal heal? outcomes1         
,congress mu/ fully support & enc\rage  
policies gr\nd$ 9 ! human rights        
framework t addresses ,black mat]nal    

heal? inequity2  7#e7 t ,black wom5 mu/ 
be active p>ticipants 9 ! policy        
decisions t impact _! lives2  7#f7 t    
,black ,mat]nal ,heal? ,week is an      
opportunity to increase att5tion ( !    
/ate ( ,black mat]nal heal? 9 ! ,unit$  
,/ates1 amplify ! voices ( ,black wom5 &
 families1 s]ve z a national plat=m =   
,black-wom5-l$ entities & ef=ts on      
mat]nal heal?1 & enhance community      
organiz+ on ,black mat]nal heal?2 &     
7#g7 ! significance ( ,april #aa ?r\gh  
#ag1 #bjah1 z ,black ,mat]nal ,heal?    
,week4