NIH IMPROVE Act
Sponsored By: Representative Underwood, Lauren [D-IL-14]
Introduced
Summary
NIH IMPROVE Initiative: a new federal research program would fund and coordinate research and community projects to reduce maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity and to shrink racial and regional disparities in maternal health outcomes.
Show full summary
- Families: Pregnant and postpartum women would see research focused on preventing deaths and severe complications and on improving health before, during, and after pregnancy.
- Researchers and health systems: The Director of the National Institutes of Health would be able to award grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements to build an evidence base and run region-specific studies and interventions.
- Disproportionately affected communities: The program would fund and evaluate community-based interventions and study biological and other risk factors that drive higher rates of maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity in some groups.
*Would authorize $73.4 million per year from 2026 through 2031 to carry out the initiative, increasing federal spending over that period.*
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
New NIH maternal health research program
If enacted, this bill would create the IMPROVE Initiative at the National Institutes of Health to improve maternal health. The NIH Director would be able to award grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, or other transactions to fund research and community programs. The program would focus on reducing preventable maternal deaths and severe maternal morbidity, shrinking health disparities, and improving care before, during, and after pregnancy. It would fund research on biological, behavioral, and community-based approaches and test interventions in specific U.S. regions. The bill would authorize $73.4 million each year for fiscal years 2026 through 2031. The provision would take effect upon enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Underwood, Lauren [D-IL-14]
IL • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]
PA • R
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 4/15/2026
Rep. McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6]
MD • D
Sponsored 4/29/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov