A Democratic bill with 7 Democratic cosponsors · See all 7 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
The Traumatic Births Research Act of 2026 seeks to amend the Public Health Service Act. It authorizes research into how traumatic birth experiences and post-traumatic stress disorder affect mothers, infants, and families. The bill directs the Secretary to conduct this research or award grants to States, Indian Tribes, and Tribal organizations. Additionally, it establishes a pilot program to research how midwife-driven care models impact traumatic birth experiences and maternal mental health compared to medical care models. The Secretary is also required to submit interim and final reports to Congress regarding this research and the pilot project.
Yes· 3 of 10
- Scored +7
Would women be better off under this?
The bill specifically targets research into maternal mental health, traumatic births, and the impacts on mothers and their families.
- Scored +7
Does this put more money into medical research?
The bill authorizes $1,000,000 annually for research on traumatic births and PTSD, plus additional sums for a midwife-driven care pilot program.
- Scored +5
Would Native Americans be better off under this?
The bill explicitly allows for research awards to be made to Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Research on maternal and family health: The bill authorizes research on how traumatic birth experiences and post-traumatic stress disorder impact short- and long-term maternal mental health, as well as the impacts on mothers, infants, and families (Section 2(a)(2)(A)).
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Improved understanding of health risks: The research will look into the relationship between severe maternal morbidity and traumatic birth experiences (Section 2(a)(2)(A)).
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Data accuracy for specific groups: The Secretary is required to disaggregate research findings by race and ethnicity (Section 2(a)(2)(B)).
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Comparison of care models: A pilot program will research the extent and mechanisms through which midwife-driven care models impact traumatic birth experiences and maternal mental health outcomes relative to medical care models (Section 3(a)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts or burdens are explicitly stated in the provided text.
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 women be better off under this? — The bill specifically targets research into maternal mental health, traumatic births, and the impacts on mothers and their families. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — The bill explicitly allows for research awards to be made to Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations. Would Black Americans be better off under this? — The bill's requirement to disaggregate data by race and ethnicity helps identify specific health disparities faced by minority groups. Would Asian Americans be better off under this? — The bill's requirement to disaggregate data by race and ethnicity helps identify specific health disparities faced by minority groups. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — The bill's requirement to disaggregate data by race and ethnicity helps identify specific health disparities faced by minority groups. Would children be better off under this? — The bill funds research on the impacts of traumatic births on infants.
- Healthcare
- Does this put more money into medical research? — The bill authorizes $1,000,000 annually for research on traumatic births and PTSD, plus additional sums for a midwife-driven care pilot program. Does this make mental health care easier to get? — The bill authorizes research into the impacts of traumatic birth on maternal mental health and establishes a pilot program for midwife-driven care models to address mental health outcomes. Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill funds research into midwife-driven care models which may inform more accessible care options.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — The bill requires the Secretary to disaggregate research findings by race and ethnicity to address disparities.
- 5/19/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/15/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- 6 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
André CarsonDemocrat · Indiana
Henry JohnsonDemocrat · Georgia
Timothy KennedyDemocrat · New York
LaMonica McIverDemocrat · New Jersey
Deborah RossDemocrat · North Carolina
Paul TonkoDemocrat · New York
Nydia VelázquezDemocrat · New York