Rep. Underwood Introduces Bill to Mitigate Climate Impacts on Mothers and Babies

“EDF applauds Representative Lauren Underwood for her efforts to protect mothers and babies, particularly in communities of color, from the harmful health impacts of climate change. Extreme heat, stronger storms and other increasingly present climate impacts hurt public health and put pregnant individuals and infants at high levels of risk. Families of color are more likely to breathe in toxic air pollution due to living and working near power plants, highways, factories and related facilities, leading to negative pregnancy outcomes including heart and lung defects, low-birth weight and preterm birth, all complications that can be exacerbated by climate change.

“By providing education and resources to on-the-ground healthcare professionals to identify climate change-related risks and support pregnant people and babies in relation to those risks, the Protecting Moms and Babies Against Climate Change Act focuses on local solutions to help communities. Among other important provisions, the bill develops an initiative to designate climate change risk zones for maternal and infant health. We commend Representative Underwood for working to reduce disparities in frontline communities and provide tangible information and resources to improve health outcomes.”