Whereas Congress recognizes Black Maternal Health Week to bring national attention to the maternal health crisis in the Black community and the importance of reducing maternal mortality and morbidity among Black women; Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black mothers in the United States are three to four times as likely to die from pregnancy-related causes as White mothers; Whereas Black women in the United States suffer from life-threatening pregnancy complications, known as maternal morbidities , twice as often as White women; Whereas maternal mortality rates in the United States are— (1) among the highest in the developed world; and (2) increasing rapidly; Whereas the United States has the highest maternal mortality rate among affluent countries, in part because of the disproportionate mortality rate of Black mothers; Whereas Black women are 49 percent more likely than White women to deliver prematurely; Whereas the high rates of maternal mortality among Black women span across— (1) income levels; (2) education levels; and (3) socioeconomic status; Whereas structural racism, gender oppression, and the social determinants of health inequities experienced by Black women in the United States significantly contribute to the disproportionately high rates of maternal mortality and morbidity among Black women; Whereas racism and discrimination play a consequential role in maternal health care, experiences, and outcomes; Whereas a fair distribution of resources, especially with regard to reproductive health care services and maternal health programming, is critical to closing the maternal health racial disparity gap; Whereas, even as there is growing concern about improving access to mental health services, Black women are least likely to have access to mental health screenings, treatment, and support before, during, and after pregnancy; Whereas justice-informed, culturally congruent models of care are beneficial to Black women