The first ‘Momnibus’ bill was signed into law. Other strides for Black maternal health could follow. [thelily.com]

By Anne Branigin, Photo: Teresa Crawford/AP;iStock;Washington Post illustration, The Lily, December 6, 2021

The day she introduced the “Momnibus” in March 2020, Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.) warned of a public health crisis that would not abate unless lawmakers took action: Black birthing parents were dying at unacceptable rates, she said.

“While maternal mortality rates continue to drop around the world, they are rising in the U.S., leaving behind devastated families and children who will never grow up knowing their moms,” Underwood said in a statement introducing the Black Maternal Health Momnibus, a legislative package with anunprecedented focus on Black moms.

“This crisis demands urgent attention and serious action to save the lives of Black mothers and all women across the country,” Underwood added.

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