A Democratic bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See all 13 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "NEWBORN Act," authorizes funding for infant mortality pilot programs. The Secretary will award grants to eligible entities to create and oversee these programs for up to five years. Preference for these grants is given to entities serving counties with the highest infant mortality rates or those addressing specific issues like preterm birth and sudden infant death. The programs can fund various activities, including community plans, outreach to at-risk mothers, and public education campaigns. Additionally, the bill authorizes $10,000,000 for each fiscal year from 2025 through 2029 to support these efforts.
Yes· 3 of 10
- Scored +8
Would children be better off under this?
The bill directly targets reducing infant mortality through various pilot programs.
- Scored +7
Does this make health care easier to get in general?
The bill improves healthcare access through pilot programs targeting infant mortality and maternal needs.
- Scored +6
Would women be better off under this?
The bill focuses on maternal health, pregnancy complications, and support for at-risk mothers.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Targeted Support for High-Risk Areas: The Secretary will give preference to entities serving any of the 50 counties or groups of counties with the highest infant mortality rates based on recent data, ensuring help goes where it is needed most (Section 2, subsection (e)(3)(A)).
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Addressing Critical Health Issues: Grants may support programs that specifically address birth defects, preterm birth, low birth weight, sudden infant death, maternal pregnancy complications, and injuries to infants (Section 2, subsection (e)(3)(B)).
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Comprehensive Care Services: Funds can be used to implement systems for improved access to clinical and social services, such as postpartum care, counseling on infant care and feeding, and prevention of premature delivery (Section 2, subsection (e)(4)(C)).
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Support for At-Risk Mothers: The bill allows for outreach and additional counseling for at-risk mothers, covering topics such as nutrition, physical activity, smoking cessation, drug and alcohol treatment, and postpartum depression (Section 2, subsection (e)(4)(C)(iv)).
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Rural and Public Outreach: The legislation allows for the establishment of rural outreach programs to reach mothers in rural areas and regional public education campaigns to educate the public and prevent preterm births (Section 2, subsection (e)(4)(D)-(E)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Funding Limits on Evaluation: An eligible entity is prohibited from using more than 10 percent of its received grant funds for program evaluation (Section 2, subsection (e)(5)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would children be better off under this? — The bill directly targets reducing infant mortality through various pilot programs. Would women be better off under this? — The bill focuses on maternal health, pregnancy complications, and support for at-risk mothers. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The bill specifically provides for rural outreach programs. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — The bill includes Tribal health departments as eligible entities for the grants.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill improves healthcare access through pilot programs targeting infant mortality and maternal needs. Does this make mental health care easier to get? — The bill includes funding for postpartum depression and psychological services. Does this put more money into medical research? — The bill authorizes funds for statistical research on infant mortality pilot programs. Does this do more about addiction and overdose deaths? — The bill includes funding for drug treatment programs as part of maternal outreach.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more money into scientific research? — The bill supports statistical research regarding infant mortality programs.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this invest in rural communities? — The bill specifically allows for rural outreach programs to assist at-risk mothers.
- 9/16/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/3/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/7/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/11/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- 10 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Nanette BarragánDemocrat · California
Nikki BudzinskiDemocrat · Illinois
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormickDemocrat · Florida
Raúl GrijalvaDemocrat · Arizona
Josh GottheimerDemocrat · New Jersey
Jesús GarcíaDemocrat · Illinois
Jahana HayesDemocrat · Connecticut
Marcy KapturDemocrat · Ohio
Eleanor NortonDemocrat · District of Columbia
Ilhan OmarDemocrat · Minnesota
John RutherfordRepublican · Florida
Bennie ThompsonDemocrat · Mississippi
Debbie Wasserman SchultzDemocrat · Florida