Whereas certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) and certified midwives (CMs) are essential to America’s maternal health care system, providing a wide range of sexual and reproductive health care services for people, including the independent provision of primary care, gynecologic and contraceptive services, preconception care, care during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period, and care of the normal newborn during the first 28 days of life; Whereas CNMs and CMs care for people throughout their lifespan, from adolescence to beyond menopause, and attend approximately 10 percent of our Nation’s births annually and serve as frontline essential health care providers during the COVID–19 pandemic; Whereas midwives and midwifery-led care is evidence‐based and has been shown to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality, rates of stillbirth, perineal trauma, instrumental births, intrapartum analgesia use, rates of severe blood loss, preterm birth, low birth weight, and neonatal hypothermia, and has furthermore been associated with more efficient use of resources and improved outcomes including increased rates of spontaneous labor, vaginal birth, and breastfeeding; Whereas women and pregnant people who receive midwifery care have higher rates of satisfaction with their midwifery-led health care, pain relief in labor, and maternal-newborn interaction; Whereas CNMs and CMs play an integral role in improving health outcomes for all women, pregnant people, and newborns in their communities; Whereas midwifery care is associated with decreased pregnancy-related racial and ethnic health disparities and the profession of midwifery in the African-American community has a rich history dating back centuries; Whereas Black, indigenous, and people of color CNMs and CMs play an integral role in improving health outcomes for women, pregnant people, and newborns in their communities