A Democratic bill with 2 Democratic cosponsors · See all 2 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
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 Perinatal Workforce Act aims to grow and diversify the workforce dedicated to maternal and perinatal health. It directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance to states regarding respectful, culturally, and linguistically congruent care. The bill establishes grant programs to create or expand educational programs for various providers, including midwives, physician assistants, and nurses. It also mandates a study on best practices for maternal care and requires reports on the effectiveness of these workforce initiatives. Additionally, the Government Accountability Office is tasked with assessing barriers to maternal health education and access.
Yes· 3 of 11
- Scored +8
Would women be better off under this?
The bill focuses on improving the quality and accessibility of maternity and perinatal healthcare.
- Scored +8
Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated?
The bill prioritizes recruiting diverse providers and training them to address implicit bias and racism in maternal care.
- Scored +7
Would Black Americans be better off under this?
The bill addresses racial disparities in maternal health outcomes through diverse recruitment and bias training.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Diversity in Care Providers: The bill encourages recruiting and retaining healthcare providers from racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse backgrounds (Section 2(a)(2)(A)).
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Improved Care Quality through Specialized Teams: By encouraging the incorporation of midwives, perinatal health workers, physician assistants, advanced practice registered nurses, and lactation consultants into maternity care teams, the bill seeks to provide more comprehensive care (Section 2(a)(2)(B)).
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Enhanced Training on Bias: The bill promotes training on implicit bias and racism for healthcare providers and students (Section 2(a)(2)(A)(iii) and Section 3(c)(5)).
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Educational Support and Scholarships: Grant programs are designed to establish or expand accredited schools and provide scholarships to increase student enrollment, particularly for those from diverse backgrounds (Section 3(b)).
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Focus on Underserved Areas: The bill prioritizes recruitment and retention of students who intend to practice in health professional shortage areas or areas with significant racial and ethnic disparities in maternal health outcomes (Section 3(c)(3-4) and Section 4(c)(3)).
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Improved Access to Specialized Nursing: Grants are provided to schools of nursing to provide scholarships for students becoming nurse practitioners, certified nurse-midwives, or clinical nurse specialists focused on maternal and perinatal health (Section 4(b)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts or burdens are explicitly detailed 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 focuses on improving the quality and accessibility of maternity and perinatal healthcare. Would Black Americans be better off under this? — The bill addresses racial disparities in maternal health outcomes through diverse recruitment and bias training. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — The bill promotes culturally and linguistically congruent care for diverse populations. Would children be better off under this? — Improving perinatal care outcomes directly benefits the health of infants and children. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill targets the removal of barriers for low-income women to access and complete healthcare education.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — The bill prioritizes recruiting diverse providers and training them to address implicit bias and racism in maternal care. Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — The bill provides scholarships for students from underserved and low-income backgrounds to enter healthcare fields.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill aims to improve access to maternal and perinatal care through workforce expansion and scholarship programs.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to create jobs? — The bill funds the establishment and expansion of educational programs to grow the perinatal workforce.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more money into public schools? — The bill authorizes specific grant programs for accredited schools to expand maternal health education.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires the Secretary of HHS to submit reports to Congress and make them available to the public.
- 3/25/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
3 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Cory BookerDemocrat · New Jersey
Jeff MerkleyDemocrat · Oregon