“I want the House to pass this bill. It funds research to improve health care for pregnant women and new mothers.”

“Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6238) to establish the IMPROVE Initiative within the National Institutes of Health, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows:”

“I support this bill. Most deaths related to pregnancy can be prevented. This bill funds research to find out why mothers die and how to stop it.”

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6238, led by my colleagues Representatives Underwood and Fitzpatrick, which authorizes the Implementing a Maternal health and PRegnancy Outcomes Vision for Everyone Initiative within the National Institutes of Health. According to CDC estimates, more than 80 percent of the pregnancy- related deaths and roughly half of the severe maternal morbidity events could be prevented. That is why it is so essential for us to advance the IMPROVE Initiative, which supports research into identifying and reducing preventable causes of maternal death and ways to improve maternal health outcomes. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.”

“We must fix this problem. I am giving the representative from Pennsylvania five minutes to speak.”

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick), my good friend. He is a member of the Ways and Means and Intel Committees and is really passionate about these issues. My friend from Colorado has touched on this. It is something that we absolutely have to get to the bottom of. I am very thankful for the leadership of the gentlewoman from Illinois and the gentleman from Pennsylvania.”

“I want the House to pass this bill. It funds research to stop pregnancy-related deaths and improve health care for mothers.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of our legislation, H.R. 6238, the NIH IMPROVE Act. Mr. Speaker, this critical legislation will ensure consistent funding for research on maternal care and mortality. So many maternal deaths in America are preventable. Addressing that reality demands research that is stable, long term, and grounded in measurable outcomes. The NIH IMPROVE Act locks in the dedicated funding that NIH’s maternal health portfolio so desperately needs to track outcomes over time, evaluate what works in high-risk settings, and direct resources to the communities facing the greatest challenges. This bipartisan legislation strengthens a proven NIH initiative and ensures that mothers across our Nation will benefit from research that saves lives and improves care through the entire pregnancy journey. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague Representative Underwood for her leadership on this critical piece of legislation to ensure that improvements to maternal health across our Nation continue and are strengthened. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation, H.R. 6238.”