{"id":"d0103895-88c5-4c2d-81c3-1d60e07a0b9d","feedVisibility":"normal","congress":119,"billType":"hr","billNumber":8074,"title":"Kira Johnson Act","displayTitle":"Kira Johnson Act","abstract":"Kira Johnson Act This bill establishes various grants for establishing or expanding programs to advance maternal health equity. Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must award grants for community-based programs to improve maternal health outcomes for demographic groups with elevated rates of maternal mortality and morbidity, maternal health disparities, and other adverse outcomes; training for health care providers and others who work in maternity care settings on reducing and preventing racism, bias, and discrimination; and programs in hospitals, health systems, and other maternity care settings to establish processes to identify and address instances of racism or evidence of bias in maternity care (i.e., respectful maternity care compliance programs). Also, HHS must contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study issues related to the training programs, and the Government Accountability Office must study issues related to the respectful maternity care compliance programs.","displaySummary":"<p><strong>YVN Summary</strong></p>\n\n<p>If you are pregnant or just had a baby, this bill would fund more local support and anti-bias programs in hospitals. Congress could spend up to $100 million a year, 2027 through 2031, on local groups that help mothers. These groups work where more mothers die or get very sick from pregnancy. Health officials would spend the first year helping groups apply. Groups led by people from those communities would get special consideration.\n\nPriority would go to groups that offer doulas, mental health care, or addiction support. Parenting classes and help after a pregnancy loss would also count. Midwife practices could get help with training costs and student debt. Groups could also run milk sharing during baby formula shortages.\n\nA second program would allow $5 million a year for training to reduce bias and racism in maternity care. The training could reach every worker who sees patients, from front desk staff to doctors. A third grant would help hospitals set up ways for patients and families to report racism or bias. Those hospitals would follow up with patients and post data on how patients rate their care. Government auditors would report each year on which hospitals join. A national science panel would also study which training works, within two years.</p>","status":"COMMITTEE_CONSIDERATION","topics":["HEALTHCARE"],"introducedAt":"2026-03-25T00:00:00+00:00","latestActionAt":"2026-03-25T00:00:00+00:00","congressGovUrl":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/8074","accountabilityFlags":{"transparency_accountability":["↑ Maternity racism complaints — funded hospitals must track and answer them","↑ Hospital patient ratings — made public by grant-funded hospitals"]},"tldr":"Funds local groups that help new and expecting moms ($100 million a year) plus anti-bias training in hospitals.","summaryStandard":"v2","flagExplainers":{"transparency_accountability":["Hospitals that take this grant must give patients, families, and doulas a way to report racism or bias. Staff must follow up with the patient, and each case goes in a yearly report to health officials.","Hospitals in the program must collect and post data on how patients rate their care. They must also post a plan to reduce bias in maternity care."]},"flagValence":{"transparency_accountability":["good","good"]},"needsResummary":false,"displaySummaryHtml":null,"rawStatusText":"Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.","chamber":"HOUSE","policyArea":"Health","legislativeSubjects":[],"lawStatus":null,"lawNumber":null,"latestActionText":"Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.","latestTextVersion":"Introduced in House","textVersionUsed":null,"dateAdded":"2026-10-22T00:00:00+00:00","summarizedAt":"2026-10-23T18:17:56+00:00","recordId":"d0103895-88c5-4c2d-81c3-1d60e07a0b9d","feedIdentityKey":"119/hr/8074","websiteBillId":"HR-8074","yourvoiceSummary":"If you are pregnant or just had a baby, this bill would fund more local support and anti-bias programs in hospitals. Congress could spend up to $100 million a year, 2027 through 2031, on local groups that help mothers. These groups work where more mothers die or get very sick from pregnancy. Health officials would spend the first year helping groups apply. Groups led by people from those communities would get special consideration.\n\nPriority would go to groups that offer doulas, mental health care, or addiction support. Parenting classes and help after a pregnancy loss would also count. Midwife practices could get help with training costs and student debt. Groups could also run milk sharing during baby formula shortages.\n\nA second program would allow $5 million a year for training to reduce bias and racism in maternity care. The training could reach every worker who sees patients, from front desk staff to doctors. A third grant would help hospitals set up ways for patients and families to report racism or bias. Those hospitals would follow up with patients and post data on how patients rate their care. Government auditors would report each year on which hospitals join. A national science panel would also study which training works, within two years.","updatedAt":"2026-10-24T12:12:15.600369+00:00"}