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This blog post was updated on January 14, 2025, to correct errors. Congress approved two continuing resolutions; the final approved CR cut additional funding. The second and final CR did not include funding for state Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRCs) or continuing funding for the Advisory Committee on Infant Mortality.
In late December, Congress passed two continuing resolutions (CRs) to avoid a government shutdown (through March 14) and give Congress more time to negotiate the full-year 2025 budget including programs set to reauthorize including those noted below. However, passing two CRs was not the plan, as President-elect Trump shared with Congress that the first CR did not do enough to cut costs.
The second and final CR, which was enacted, removed funding for two programs for maternal health:
- Funding for the Advisory Committee on Infant Mortality (which had recently been expanded to include maternal mortality) -developed through the PREEMIE Act of 2006.
- Notably, funding for state maternal mortality review committees (MMRCs) was also missing from the CR. Support for MMRCs was first addressed through the Preventing Maternal Deaths Act of 2018, in which the Policy Center was actively engaged.
The second and final CR did include funding for:
- Maternal substance use and neonatal abstinence syndrome/fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, including directing Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop crisis standards of care for public health emergencies and offer technical assistance.
- Women Infants and Children (WIC) to continue to serve all eligible participants.
The Policy Center will continue to monitor developments related to Federal spending and maternal health and maternal mental health.
