HRES-739-119
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Sponsored by Ashley Hinson (R-IA)
What it does
This resolution would express House support for designating September 19, 2025, as "National Stillbirth Prevention and Awareness Day." It requests that the President issue a proclamation calling on the public to observe the day with prevention and awareness activities, and references the 2024 Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act. It does not create new programs, funding, or legal requirements.
Who benefits
Families who have experienced stillbirth may gain public recognition of their loss, and advocacy organizations focused on stillbirth prevention and maternal health research may see increased public attention to their cause. Researchers and public health officials working on stillbirth data collection could benefit from heightened awareness that may support future funding efforts.
Who is hurt
No group is meaningfully harmed by this resolution. It creates no binding obligations, funding requirements, or regulatory changes.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that stillbirth affects more than 21,000 pregnancies annually in the United States, exceeding the combined deaths from the top five leading causes of death among children under 15, and that a national awareness day would help spotlight racial disparities in outcomes and encourage evidence-based prevention efforts and better data collection. They contend that formal recognition builds on momentum from the Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act of 2024 and can help educate expectant families on risk reduction.
Opponents argue
Opponents, to the extent any objection exists, argue that commemorative resolutions like this one carry no enforceable mechanism and cannot by themselves address the underlying access-to-care and racial disparity issues the resolution describes. They contend that congressional floor time and attention might be better directed toward substantive legislation with funding or regulatory changes rather than symbolic proclamations.
Constitutional context
This resolution raises no constitutional question beyond Congress's general authority to express its views through simple resolutions and to request presidential proclamations.
Checks and balances
Congress expresses a nonbinding request; the President retains sole discretion whether to issue the proclamation, and no new authority is created for any branch.
Historical precedent
Congress has previously passed similar commemorative resolutions designating awareness days for other health conditions, though this specific designation follows directly from the 2024 Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act.