Task force to address the United States maternal health crisis

(a) In general The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall convene a task force (in this section referred to as the Task Force) to develop strategies and coordinate efforts between Federal agencies and other stakeholders to eliminate preventable maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, and maternal health disparities in the United States, including actions to address clinical and nonclinical causes of maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, and maternal health disparities. (b) Ex officio members The ex officio members of the Task Force shall consist of the following: (1) The Secretary of Health and Human Services (or a designee thereof). (2) The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (or a designee thereof). (3) The Secretary of Transportation (or a designee thereof). (4) The Secretary of Agriculture (or a designee thereof). (5) The Secretary of Labor (or a designee thereof). (6) The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (or a designee thereof). (7) The Assistant Secretary for the Administration for Children and Families (or a designee thereof). (8) The Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (or a designee thereof). (9) The Director of the Indian Health Service (or a designee thereof). (10) The Director of the National Institutes of Health (or a designee thereof). (11) The Director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (or a designee thereof). (12) The Director of the Tribal Health Research Office of the National Institutes of Health (or a designee thereof). (13) The Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (or a designee thereof). (14) The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health of the Department of Health and Human Services (or a designee thereof). (15) The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Women’s Health of the Department of Health and Human Services (or a designee thereof). (16) The Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (or a designee thereof). (17) The Director of the Office on Violence Against Women at the Department of Justice (or a designee thereof). (c) Appointed members In addition to the ex officio members of the Task Force, the Secretary of Health and Human Services may appoint the following members of the Task Force: (1) Representatives of patients, to include— (A) a representative of patients who have suffered from severe maternal morbidity; or (B) a representative of patients who is a family member of an individual who suffered a pregnancy-related death. (2) Leaders of community-based organizations that address maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, and maternal health with a specific focus on racial and ethnic disparities. In appointing such leaders under this paragraph, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall give priority to individuals who are leaders of organizations led by individuals from demographic groups with elevated rates of maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, maternal health disparities, or other adverse perinatal or childbirth outcomes. (3) Leaders from the Indian health care system, including leaders from Tribal Epidemiology Centers. (4) Perinatal health workers. (5) A professionally and geographically diverse panel of maternity care providers. (6) Other maternal health stakeholders outside of the Federal Government with expertise in maternal health, including social determinants of maternal health. (d) Chair The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall select the chair of the Task Force from among the members of the Task Force. (e) Topics In developing strategies coordinating efforts between Federal agencies and other stakeholders to eliminate preventable maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, and maternal health disparities in the United States under this section, the Task Force may address topics such as— (1) addressing barriers that prevent individuals from attending prenatal and postpartum appointments, accessing maternal health care services, or accessing services and resources related to social determinants of maternal health; (2) increasing access to safe, stable, affordable, and adequate housing for pregnant and postpartum individuals and their families; (3) delivering healthy food, infant formula, clean water, diapers, or other perinatal necessities to pregnant and postpartum individuals located in areas that are food deserts; (4) addressing the impacts of water and air quality, exposure to extreme temperatures, environmental chemicals, environmental risks in the workplace and the home, and pollution levels, on maternal and infant health outcomes; (5) offering free and accessible drop-in childcare services during prenatal and postpartum appointments; (6) addressing the clinical and nonclinical needs of postpartum individuals and their families for the duration of the postpartum period; (7) engaging with nongovernmental entities to address social determinants of maternal health, including through public-private partnerships; (8) addressing the impact of domestic or intimate partner violence on maternal health outcomes; and (9) other topics determined by the chair of the Task Force. (f) Report Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, and every year thereafter, the Task Force shall submit to Congress and make publicly available on the website of the Department of Health and Human Services a report— (1) describing the Task Force’s efforts to develop strategies and coordinate efforts between Federal agencies and other stakeholders to eliminate preventable maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, and maternal health disparities in the United States; (2) providing an overview of actions taken by each member of the Task Force listed under subsection (b) to eliminate preventable maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, and maternal health disparities in the United States; (3) providing recommendations on Federal funding amounts and authorities needed to implement strategies developed by the Task Force to eliminate preventable maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, and maternal health disparities in the United States; (4) providing recommendations on actions that stakeholders outside of the Federal Government can take to eliminate preventable maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, and maternal health disparities in the United States; and (5) addressing other topics as determined by the chair of the Task Force. (g) Termination Section 1013 of title 5, United States Code, shall not apply to the Task Force with respect to termination.