H.R. 1254: Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act

What it does

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Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act

This bill creates and expands federal grant programs within the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to increase capacity to provide emergency obstetric health services in rural areas or areas without practitioners or facilities specializing in obstetric services.

Specifically, HRSA must establish a program for providing grants to certain hospitals or consortiums that include hospitals in rural areas or areas with maternal health care professional shortages for training, developing a workforce, and purchasing equipment relating to obstetric emergencies. In addition, the bill requires HRSA’s Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health Capacity program to provide grants for training on emergency obstetric services for practitioners in rural health care facilities without dedicated obstetric units. HRSA must also establish a pilot program to provide grants to government entities for developing or improving telehealth access programs to support urgent maternal health care in rural facilities without a dedicated obstetric unit.

Official summary by the Congressional Research Service (Introduced in House, Feb 12, 2025).

Our plain-language breakdown, with what it means for you and the case for and against, is written once a bill starts to move.

What has happened

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2025-02-12Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.House floor actions
2025-02-12Introduced in HouseLibrary of Congress
2025-02-12Introduced in HouseLibrary of Congress

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Cosponsors

Rep. Alma S. Adams D-NC-12
Rep. Cliff Bentz R-OR-2
Rep. Jack Bergman R-MI-1
Rep. Sanford D. Bishop D-GA-2
Rep. Robert P. Bresnahan R-PA-8
Rep. Nikki Budzinski D-IL-13
Rep. Salud O. Carbajal D-CA-24
Rep. Sharice Davids D-KS-3
Rep. Maxine Dexter D-OR-3
Rep. Shomari Figures D-AL-2
Rep. Brian K. Fitzpatrick R-PA-1
Rep. Laura Gillen D-NY-4
Rep. Jared F. Golden D-ME-2
Rep. Adelita S. Grijalva D-AZ-7
Rep. Chrissy Houlahan D-PA-6
Rep. Ro Khanna D-CA-17
Rep. Young Kim R-CA-40
Rep. George Latimer D-NY-16
Rep. Michael Lawler R-NY-17
Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez D-NM-3
Rep. Zoe Lofgren D-CA-18
Rep. Sarah McBride D-DE-At Large
Rep. Jennifer L. McClellan D-VA-4
Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet D-MI-8
Rep. Analilia Mejia D-NJ-11
Rep. Daniel Meuser R-PA-9
Rep. Carol D. Miller R-WV-1
Rep. Seth Moulton D-MA-6
Del. James C. Moylan R-GU-At Large
Rep. Frank J. Mrvan D-IN-1
Rep. Zachary Nunn R-IA-3
Rep. Jay Obernolte R-CA-23
Rep. Chris Pappas D-NH-1
Rep. Brittany Pettersen D-CO-7
Rep. Chellie Pingree D-ME-1
Rep. Mark Pocan D-WI-2
Rep. Emily Randall D-WA-6
Rep. Deborah K. Ross D-NC-2
Rep. Patrick Ryan D-NY-18
Rep. Kim Schrier D-WA-8
Rep. Adam Smith D-WA-9
Rep. Emilia Strong Sykes D-OH-13
Rep. Mike Thompson D-CA-4
Rep. Glenn Thompson R-PA-15
Rep. Rashida Tlaib D-MI-12
Rep. Lori Trahan D-MA-3
Rep. James R. Walkinshaw D-VA-11
Rep. Tony Wied R-WI-8
Rep. Joe Wilson R-SC-2
Rep. Rudy Yakym R-IN-2