H.R. 8869

119 HR 8869 IH: Traumatic Births Research Act of 2026
 U.S. House of Representatives
 2026-05-15
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 I  119th CONGRESS  2d Session  H. R. 8869  IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES   May 15, 2026   Mrs. Watson Coleman  (for herself,  Ms. Ross ,  Mr. Johnson of Georgia ,  Mr. Tonko ,  Mrs. McIver ,  Ms. Velázquez , and  Mr. Carson ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the  Committee on Energy and Commerce    A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 201 et seq. ) to authorize research on the impacts of traumatic birth experiences and post-traumatic stress disorder on mothers, infants, and families, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Traumatic Births Research Act of 2026  .
2.
Research on the impacts of traumatic birth experiences and post-traumatic stress disorder on mothers, infants, and families
(a)
Authorization
(1)
Clarification of eligible award recipients
Section 330P of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 254c–22 ) is amended by striking  may award grants  and inserting  may award grants to States, Indian Tribes, and Tribal organizations .
(2)
Research
Section 330P of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 254c–22 ) is amended—
(A)
by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as subsections (c) and (e), respectively; and
(B)
by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
(b)
Research
(1)
In general
The Secretary shall conduct research, or award grants or other support to States, Indian Tribes, and Tribal organizations for research, on—
(A)
how traumatic birth experiences and post-traumatic stress disorder impact short- and long-term maternal mental health;
(B)
the impacts of traumatic birth experiences and post-traumatic stress disorder on mothers, infants, and families; and
(C)
the relationship between severe maternal morbidity and traumatic birth experiences.
(2)
Disaggregation of data
The Secretary shall disaggregate the findings of the research conducted or supported pursuant to paragraph (1) by race and ethnicity.
 .
(b)
Conforming changes
Subsection (c) of section 330P of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 254c–22 ), as redesignated by subsection (a), is further amended—
(1)
in the subsection heading, by striking
Integrated Services for Pregnant and Postpartum Women   and inserting
Eligibility and terms  ;
(2)
in paragraph (1)—
(A)
by striking  a grant under subsection (a)  and inserting  an award under subsection (a) or (b) ; and
(B)
by striking  (as such terms are defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act) ;
(3)
in paragraph (2)(A)—
(A)
by striking  A grant awarded under subsection (a)  and inserting  An award under subsection (a) or (b) ; and
(B)
by striking  a grantee under subsection (a)  and inserting  an awardee under subsection (a) or (b) ;
(4)
in paragraph (2)(B), by striking  awarding grants under subsection (a)  and inserting  making awards under subsection (a) or (b) ; and
(5)
in paragraph (2)(C), by striking  grantees  and inserting  awardees .
(c)
Definition
Section 330P of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 254c–22 ) is further amended by inserting after subsection (c) (as so redesignated) the following new subsection:
(d)
Definition
In this section, the terms  State ,  Indian Tribe , and  Tribal organization  have the meanings given to those terms in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act.
 .
(d)
Funding
Subsection (e) of section 330P of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 254c–22 ), as redesignated by subsection (a), is further amended—
(1)
by striking  There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section  and inserting the following:
(1)
Integrated services
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out subsection (a)
 ; and
(2)
by adding at the end the following:
(2)
Research
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out subsection (b) $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
 .
3.
Pilot project for research on the impacts of midwife-driven care models on traumatic birth experiences and maternal mental health outcomes
(a)
Grants
The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall carry out a pilot program consisting of awarding grants for research on the extent and mechanisms through which midwife-driven care models, relative to medical care models, impact—
(1)
traumatic birth experiences; and
(2)
maternal mental health outcomes.
(b)
Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
4.
Reports to Congress
The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to the Congress an interim report not later than the end of fiscal year 2028, and a final report not later than the end of fiscal year 2030, on each of—
(1)
the research conducted or supported pursuant to section 330P(b) of the Public Health Service Act, as added by section 2; and
(2)
the pilot project conducted pursuant to section 3.