S.RES. 951: A resolution designating September 2026 as "National Infant Mortality Awareness Month", raising awareness of infant mortality, and increasing efforts to reduce infant mortality.

Whereas the term infant mortality refers to the death of a baby before the first birthday of the baby;

Whereas, each year, approximately 20,000 infants in the United States die in the first year of life;

Whereas the United States ranks 32nd out of the 38 countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (referred to in this preamble as "OECD") for infant mortality rate, with 5.5 deaths per 1,000 live births;

Whereas high rates of infant mortality are especially prevalent in minority and underserved communities, including communities experiencing high rates of poverty and unemployment and those with limited access to health care providers;

Whereas more than 35 percent of counties are considered maternity care deserts, where there is no access to birthing hospitals, birth centers offering obstetric care, or obstetric providers, affecting more than 2,300,000 women of reproductive age and impacting 150,000 births in 2022;

Whereas approximately half of rural communities lack a birthing facility or obstetrician;

Whereas the leading causes of infant mortality are—

Whereas infant mortality can be substantially reduced through—

Whereas support for community-based programs to reduce infant mortality may result in lower spending on medical interventions, special education, and other social services required by infants and children born with a low birth weight;

Whereas the Department of Health and Human Services has implemented the Newborn Supply Kit program;

Whereas newborn screening is important to detecting potentially fatal or disabling conditions as early as possible, often before the infant displays any signs or symptoms of a disease or condition, and early detection allows treatment to begin immediately, which may lead to eliminate or reduce the effects of the condition;

Whereas, if left untreated, these conditions can have serious effects, such as lifelong nervous system damage, intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities, and even death;

Whereas untreated maternal mental health conditions during pregnancy have been linked to adverse birth outcomes, including preterm birth and low birth weight babies, which can impact infant mortality;

Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Safe Motherhood Portfolio, maternal mortality review committees, and perinatal quality collaboratives provide information that is important to addressing preterm birth rates and conditions that put babies at risk;

Whereas the Maternal and Child Health Bureau Healthy Start program has supported communities facing high rates of infant mortality and maternal illness to improve health outcomes before, during, and after pregnancy;

Whereas Congress continues to support adequate staffing and resources to ensure infant mortality programs are administered in a timely and effective manner and that funds are distributed without unnecessary delay;

Whereas coordination programs related to preterm birth, infant mortality, and other adverse birth outcomes can contribute to improved maternal and infant health;

Whereas partnerships among educational institutions, States, and other stakeholders play a role in maternal and infant health initiatives; and

Whereas public awareness and education campaigns on infant mortality are held during the month of September each year: Now, therefore, be it