S. 4147 — Introduced in Senate

II 118th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4147 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 17, 2024Ms. Butler (for herself and Mrs. Britt) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To continue to fund the IMPROVE initiative through the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the NIH Implementing a Maternal health and PRegnancy Outcomes Vision for Everyone or the NIH IMPROVE Act. 2. IMPROVE Initiative Subpart 7 of part C of title IV of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 281 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 452H. IMPROVE initiative (a) In general The Director of the Institute shall continue to carry out the IMPROVE initiative (referred to in this section as the Initiative) through the Institute for the following: (1) Advancing research to— (A) reduce preventable causes of maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity; (B) reduce racial, ethnic, geographic, and socioeconomic disparities in maternal health outcomes; and (C) improve health for pregnant and postpartum individuals before, during, and after pregnancy. (2) Using an integrated approach to understand the biological, behavioral, sociocultural, and structural factors that affect maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity by building an evidence base for improved care and outcomes in specific regions of the United States. (3) Targeting health disparities associated with maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity by— (A) implementing and evaluating community-based interventions for disproportionately affected individuals; and (B) identifying risk factors and the underlying biological mechanisms associated with leading causes of maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity in the United States, including cardiovascular disease, infection and immunity, vitamin and nutrient deficiencies, and mental and behavioral health. (b) Implementation The Director of the Institute may award grants or enter into contracts, cooperative agreements, or other transactions to carry out subsection (a), including with researchers from racial and ethnic minority groups (as defined in section 1707(g)(1)). (c) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $53,400,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2031. .