Democratic U.S. Senate nominee James Talarico (Texas) unveiled a plan to address Black maternal mortality on Mother’s Day, Sunday (May 2).
Talarico released a comprehensive policy plan designed to support pregnant and postpartum women nationwide, according to TheGrio. The plan includes paid maternity leave, improved data collection, and investment in maternal health research.
“I’m proud to announce our comprehensive plan to tackle the maternal mortality crisis — an issue that has disproportionately impacted Black women in Texas and across the country for far too long,” Talarico told the outlet. “There’s so much more work to do. For far too long, Black communities have been overlooked, undervalued, and taken for granted by both parties in this broken, corrupt political system. That’s why we’re centering issues like maternal health in this campaign.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the maternal mortality rate — the number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births — in the United States is the highest among all wealthy nations, reaching an average of 18.6 deaths per 100,000 live births as of 2023.
Black women are disproportionately impacted, with a rate of 50.3, over three times that of white women. However, the maternal mortality rate decreased for white, Hispanic, and Asian women between 2022 and 2023 by an average of 4%.
Talarico’s plan aims to ensure doctors nationwide have the resources and skills necessary to treat all maternal patients, and calls for policymakers to make more informed decisions to properly represent and address the struggles of Black and brown communities.
“The maternal mortality crisis in Texas and across our nation is unacceptable, and Black women are bearing the heaviest burden,” Rep. Toni Rose (Texas), who supports Talarico’s plan, said.
Rose helped pass House Bill 12 in 2024, which extended Medicaid and CHIP coverage for postpartum women from two to 12 months.
“Representative Talarico understands what’s at stake, and his plan shows he’s ready to take this fight to Washington. We need a champion in the U.S. Senate, and I’m proud to stand with him,” she added.
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