Whereas according to the World Health Organization, complications of preterm birth now outrank all other causes as the world’s number one killer of children under 5 years of age; Whereas complications of preterm birth accounted for 35 percent of deaths among newborns globally in 2013; Whereas there are stark inequalities in the survival rates of preterm babies born around the world; Whereas up to 75 percent of deaths resulting from preterm birth worldwide can be prevented through proven low-cost interventions; Whereas preterm birth is a global problem, exacting a harsh toll on families from all parts of society in every nation; Whereas countries can improve maternal health and the survival rate of babies born prematurely by making strategic investments in health care systems to ensure access to high-quality adolescent and prepregnancy care; prenatal care, quality childbirth services, and emergency obstetric care; as well as comprehensive care for affected newborns; Whereas according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, preterm birth is the leading contributor to infant death in the United States; Whereas while the United States preterm birth rate decreased from a peak of 12.8 percent in 2006 to 9.8 percent in 2016, the rate is still too high; Whereas the March of Dimes 2017 Premature Birth Report Card awarded the United States a C due to persistently high rates of preterm birth; Whereas many United States communities experience significant racial and ethnic disparities in preterm birth rates; Whereas the Institute of Medicine estimated in 2006 that the annual societal economic cost associated with preterm birth in the United States was $26.2 billion; Whereas many preterm births can be prevented through evidence-based public health programs focused on reducing risk factors, such as tobacco use, inadequate birth spacing, and early elective deliveries; and Whereas in the United States and around the world November is recognized as Prematurity Awareness Month: Now, therefore, be it