Protecting expectant mothers in rural Nebraska through data mapping

For pregnant women in rural areas, local resources supporting maternal health may be strained, and the nearest hospital is often far away, putting mothers and their babies at serious risk. That’s why I was proud to join my colleagues, Sens Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Todd Young (R-IN), and Brian Schatz (D-HI) to introduce the bipartisan Data Mapping to Save Moms’ Lives Act. This legislation would require the Federal Communications Commission to use data mapping to identify areas in the US that have both internet access gaps as well as high rates of poor maternal outcomes. The FCC has already mapped similar information related to internet service gaps and diabetes rates. This data would illustrate where access to telehealth services can be most effective. Maternal telehealth services involve using internet-connected technologies—such as video consultations with specialists and devices that remotely monitor vital signs—to provide long-distance health care.

By mapping broadband network information alongside rates of maternal morbidity, this bill would leverage data to boost positive maternal health outcomes and save the lives of expectant mothers and their babies—particularly in rural and underserved communities in the Heartland. As a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, I will continue to work to build support among my colleagues for this legislation.