Texas US Senate nominee James Talarico unveils plan to tackle Black maternal mortality crisis

EXCLUSIVE: On Mother’s Day, Talarico released a comprehensive policy strategy to support pregnant and postpartum women, as Black women are three times more likely to die from childbirth-related causes.

James Talarico, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Texas, unveiled on Sunday a plan to tackle maternal mortality, theGrio reports exclusively, emphasizing the outsized crisis it is having on Black women.

On Mother’s Day, Talarico released a comprehensive policy strategy to support pregnant and postpartum women, including nationwide paid maternity leave legislation, 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,” said Talarico, a Texas State Representative, who is hoping to flip the U.S. Senate seat in Texas for Democrats for the first time in more than 30 years.

The maternal mortality rate in the United States is the highest among wealthy nations, with Black women being three times more likely to die from childbirth or postpartum complications. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), while the maternal mortality rate has decreased for white, Hispanic, and Asian women in recent years, it has increased for Black women.

The Black maternal health crisis has gained increased attention in recent years as a result of high-profile cases of Black women who have died during or after childbirth in states where reproductive access is limited as a result of anti-abortion laws following the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court case, Dobbs v. Jackson, which reversed 50 years of reproductive health access under Roe v. Wade.

To address the maternal health crisis and the clear disparities impacting Black women, Talarico proposes guaranteeing all new mothers time off through nationwide paid maternity legislation. His plan would also improve data collection, provider training, and investment in maternal health research, ensuring that maternal mortality review committees (MMRCs) in every state can better understand the maternal mortality crisis. The Democrat says he also wants doctors to have the necessary skills to treat the most affected patients, and for policymakers to make decisions that properly represent Black and brown communities.

Talarico’s plan is supported by Texas State Rep. Toni Rose, who successfully passed bipartisan legislation, HB12, that extended Medicaid and CHIP postpartum coverage.

“The maternal mortality crisis in Texas and across our nation is unacceptable, and Black women are bearing the heaviest burden,” said Rose. “I fought to pass House Bill 12 to expand care for new mothers because no woman should die bringing life into the world.”

She said of Talarico: “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.”

Talarico, who said he was “honored” to follow in Rose’s footsteps, said he plans to “build on her trailblazing work in the U.S. Senate,” if elected on Nov. 3.

The Democratic Senate nominee’s plan also includes extending Medicare to Americans of all ages and restoring tax credits under the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. The plan would mandate that states extend Medicaid coverage for pregnant and postpartum women up to 12 months, and expand federal grant programs to educate pregnant and postpartum women about healthcare options and connect them to resources.

The comprehensive maternal mortality proposal also seeks to end maternal care deserts by requiring insurance coverage for doula and midwife services, expanding access to telemedicine, and funding workforce development programs that recruit and retain maternal care providers, including those from underserved communities.

Talarico wants to also extend eligibility for the WIC program and expand the Healthy Start Program to support families with home visits, care coordination, parenting education, and other services before, during, and after pregnancy.

Talarico’s emphasis on addressing the Black maternal health crisis comes as he is working to gain the support of more Black voters in Texas, which has the highest number of Black Americans of any state in the country. High turnout among Black voters is critical for a Democrat to win in Texas, a state that has long been Republican-dominated.

In the March primary election, Talarico defeated U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, a popular Democrat who had strong support from Black voters. Now, Talarico is hoping to bring those voters into his coalition of supporters.

In a statement to theGrio, Talarico said, “In the Texas Legislature, I led the fight against racist redistricting maps and private school voucher scams rooted in school segregation. I secured major criminal justice reforms, banned reality TV policing, and passed legislation to lower the cost of childcare, housing, and prescription drugs.”

However, the Texas lawmaker said, “There’s so much more work to do,” adding, “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.”