Sponsors (5)
The bill modestly expands midwifery education and training—reducing student costs and directing graduates to underserved areas—while relying on limited funding and eligibility/allocative restrictions that could exclude some providers and limit overall reach.
People giving birth in underserved areas (rural and low-income communities) gain better access to maternity care because the bill funds creation/expansion of midwifery and nurse‑midwifery programs, increasing the supply of trained midwives.
Students in accredited midwifery and nurse‑midwifery programs receive direct financial support, lowering education costs and student debt and making completion of training more attainable.
Clinical training capacity is strengthened because the bill supports more preceptors and clinical sites, accelerating time‑to‑practice and expanding the midwifery workforce pipeline.
Existing and alternative midwifery training pathways (including some programs housed in nursing schools and community/homebirth midwives) may be excluded by the bill's eligibility restrictions, reducing who can benefit and limiting the pool of programs.
Total funding is modest (roughly $35 million over five years across the two program streams), which may limit the scale and nationwide impact on the midwifery workforce given larger national needs.
Rigid funding allocation rules (prescribed percentage splits) and other programmatic restrictions reduce flexibility for states and schools to use funds where needs change or where local priorities differ.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Creates grant programs to expand midwifery and nurse‑midwifery education, student support, and preceptor development, authorizing $35M total for FY2025–FY2029 with set allocation rules.
Creates two new federal grant programs to expand midwifery and nurse‑midwifery education, increase clinical preceptors, and provide direct student support. One program (Title VII) funds accredited midwifery schools or programs at institutions of higher education with $15 million authorized for FY2025–FY2029; a separate program (Title VIII) funds schools of nursing to support nurse‑midwifery programs with $20 million authorized for FY2025–FY2029. Both programs must prioritize trainees who intend to work in Health Professional Shortage Areas and efforts to increase racial and ethnic minority representation; Title VII grants may not fund midwifery programs that are located inside a school of nursing.
Introduced May 5, 2025 by Ben Ray Luján · Last progress May 5, 2025