On January 10, the House passed, 405-0, H.R. 315, the Improving Access to Maternity Care Act, sponsored by Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX). This legislation emphasizes the importance of maternity care during pregnancy and seeks to identify areas across the country where there is a shortage of maternity care professionals.
Among other provisions, the legislation would authorize the Health Resources and Services Administration to send health care professionals to shortage communities identified as “professional target areas.”
The House passed a version of the bill during the 114th Congress (see The Source, 11/18/16).