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S.Res. 128 is a symbolic resolution recognizing March 14, 2025, as "Black Midwives Day" and acknowledging the critical role Black midwives play in maternal and infant health care. The resolution highlights a severe maternal health crisis in the United States, particularly affecting Black women, who experience maternal mortality rates of 50.3 deaths per 100,000 live births—nearly four times higher than white women and significantly higher than Hispanic and Asian women. It addresses systemic barriers including maternity care deserts, where millions of women lack access to obstetric providers, and calls for federal and state action to increase funding for midwifery education and training, remove legal restrictions on midwife practice, expand insurance coverage for midwife-led care through Medicaid and TRICARE, and decriminalize midwifery across all practice settings. The resolution does not allocate specific funding or establish a timeline but urges Congress and government agencies to collaborate with stakeholders on policy solutions that promote health equity and diversify the perinatal health workforce to reduce maternal mortality disparities among Black families.

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