Protecting Mothers Is Part of Protecting Families: James Talarico’s Plan to Tackle Maternal Mortality
Every mother deserves the chance to bring a child into the world safely and return home to her family. But in Texas and across the country, pregnancy-related deaths remain a serious problem, and Black mothers face a disproportionately high risk.
James Talarico announced a plan in May 2026 to address the maternal health crisis. His plan focuses on expanding access to healthcare, supporting working mothers, and making sure families have the resources they need before, during, and after pregnancy.
As Christians, caring for mothers and children means more than celebrating families. It means making sure they have the support they need to thrive.
A Crisis We Cannot Ignore
According to the (CDC), more than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable. Black women continue to face especially high risks. In 2024, the maternal mortality rate for Black women was three times the rate for white women nationwide.
These deaths are not just statistics. They represent mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends whose families have lost someone they love. And the danger does not end when a baby is born. Mothers need access to medical care and support throughout the postpartum period, too.
Talarico’s plan aims to address these challenges by strengthening the support available to mothers and their families.
What Is in Talarico’s Plan?
His proposed plan includes six key priorities:
Paid maternity leave: Guaranteeing new mothers time away from work to recover from childbirth and care for their babies.
Better research and medical training: Improving maternal health data collection, investing in research, and helping healthcare providers better understand and respond to the needs of mothers.
Affordable healthcare: Expanding access to health insurance, restoring enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits, and requiring states to provide 12 months of Medicaid coverage for pregnant and postpartum women.
Access to maternal care: Expanding access to doulas, midwives, and telemedicine while investing in the healthcare workforce, particularly in underserved communities.
Better nutrition: Expanding eligibility for the federal Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) nutrition program so more mothers and young children can access nutritional support.
Stronger family support: Expanding the federal Healthy Start Program, which connects families with services such as care coordination, education, and support during pregnancy and early childhood.
These proposed policy changes reflect a practical approach to helping families get the care and resources they need.
Putting Families First
For too many families, the cost of healthcare, time away from work, and distance to a maternity care provider can make an already challenging season even harder. Rural communities may face particular barriers when local hospitals no longer provide labor and delivery services.
Talarico’s plan seeks to address these barriers so mothers are not left to navigate pregnancy and recovery without adequate support.
As a state representative, Talarico also supported House Bill 12, authored by Texas State Representative Toni Rose. The 2023 legislation expanded postpartum Medicaid and CHIP coverage from two months to 12 months, helping mothers maintain access to care after childbirth. The federal government subsequently approved Texas’s 12-month postpartum coverage expansion, which took effect in March 2024.
Building on that work, Talarico’s new proposal would pursue broader federal changes to maternal healthcare and family support.
A Christian Call to Care for Mothers
Our faith calls us to love our neighbors, care for the vulnerable, and put our beliefs into action. Supporting mothers through pregnancy and after childbirth is one way to live out that calling.
Families should not have to choose between a paycheck and time to recover from childbirth. Mothers should not have to go without medical care because they cannot afford it or live too far from a provider. And no family should have to endure the preventable loss of a mother.
Talarico’s maternal health plan puts these concerns at the center of its approach to family policy. By working to improve access to healthcare, paid leave, nutrition, and community support, it seeks to give mothers and children a healthier start.
Strong families need more than words. They need policies that help people care for one another.
