,,iv  #aah? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,h4 ,,res4 #hgd  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(     
,,repres5tatives  ,novemb] #ag1         
#bjbc,ms4 ,mc,clellan 7= h]self1 ,mrs4  
,kiggans ( ,virg9ia1 ,ms4 ,e%oo1 ,ms4   
,kelly ( ,ill9ois1 ,ms4 ,blunt ,ro*e/]1 
& ,ms4 ,jayapal7 submitt$ ! foll[+      
resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee
 on ,en]gy & ,comm]ce  ,,resolution     
,express+ support = ! designation (     
,prematurity ,aw>5ess ,mon?4  ,:]eas !  
,unit$ ,/ates is 9 ! mid/ ( a mat]nal & 
infant heal? crisis1 ) ne>ly e measure (
 ! heal? ( pregnant wom51 new mo!rs1 &  
infants liv+ 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates go+ 9 !  
wrong direction2 ,:]eas ! ,unit$ ,/ates 
rema9s "o ( ! mo/ dang]\s places to give
 bir? among high income c\ntries1 & !re 
are unacceptable disp>ities 9 bir?      
outcomes = wom5 & infants ( color2      
,:]eas ea* ye> 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates1       
approximately #cej1jjj babies are born  
to moms liv+ 9 mat]nity c>e des]ts or   
communities )\t a hospital (f]+ ob/etric
 c>e & )\t any ob/etric provid]s2 ,:]eas

 o!r c\ntries h r$uc$ _! mat]nal        
mortality rates s9ce ! #aiijs1 ! ,unit$ 
,/ates mat]nal mortality rate cont9ues  
to rise2 ,:]eas mat]nal heal? outcomes  
are gett+ worse & are driv5 by          
disp>ities1 ) ,black wom5 dy+ at ne>ly  
#c times ! rate ( ,:ite wom52 ,:]eas #hj
 p]c5t ( pregnancy-relat$ dea?s are     
prev5table2 ,:]eas ! numb] ( wom5 :o    
exp]i5ce pregnancy-relat$ complications 
9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates is /eadily increas+1  
affect+ at lea/ #ej1jjj wom5 p] ye>2    
,:]eas approximately #chc1jjj babies 7  
born pret]m 9 #bjba & pret]m bir? rates 
are at ! highe/ level s9ce #bjjg2 ,:]eas
 prematurity is ! lead+ cause ( newborn 
dea? & disability among infants1 includ+
 intellectual & developm5tal delays1    
behavioral problems1 neurological       
disord]s1 *ronic respiratory problems1 &
 vision & he>+ impairm5t2 ,:]eas pret]m 
bir? acc\nts = #ce4h p]c5t ( infant     
dea?s 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas mat]nal 
heal? outcomes are gett+ worse1 ,black &
 ,native ,am]ican wom5 are #fb p]c5t m  

likely to h a pret]m bir? & _! babies   
are twice z likely to die z comp>$ to   
,:ite wom52 ,:]eas ! annual societal    
economic co/ ( pret]m bir? is an e/imat$
 #be1bjj1jjj1jjj2 ,:]eas pret]m bir?s c 
be prev5t$ ?r\gh rese>* & evid5ce-bas$  
public heal? programs focus$ on r$uc+   
risk factors1 improv+ social det]m9ants 
( heal?1 & elim9at+ social & /ructural  
disp>ities2 ,:]eas families face s]i\s  
heal? risks & adv]se outcomes :ile !    
heal? advocacy community fights = !     
heal? ( all families by support+ rese>*1
 lead+ programs1 highlight+ & address+  
disp>ities1 & provid+ education &       
advocacy2 & ,:]eas ,novemb] #bjbc m>ks !
 #bj? anniv]s>y ( ,prematurity ,aw>5ess 
,mon?3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x ,t ! ,h\se (    
,repres5tatives--  7#a7 expresses       
support = ! designation ( ,prematurity  
,aw>5ess ,mon?2 &  7#b7 calls on ! p ( !
 ,unit$ ,/ates1 int]e/ gr\ps1 & affect$ 
p to--  7,a7 obs]ve ,prematurity        
,aw>5ess ,mon? ) appropriate ev5ts &    
activities2  7,b7 take an active role 9 

promot+ aw>5ess2 &  7,c7 enc\rage p>5ts 
& communities to support pret]m bir?    
prev5tion programs4