1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

I am writing to express my profound concern regarding the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) selective approach to the national maternal mortality crisis. While I support federal investment in rural healthcare, it is a failure of institutional competency to ignore the far more lethal disparities facing Black constituents simply because they do not align with the administration’s current political priorities. CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz and the current administration have been vocal about the 30% higher mortality rate in rural areas, using it to justify the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Fund. However, they remain silent on a far more catastrophic data point: Black women in the United States die from pregnancy-related causes at a rate 300% higher than white women.  The administration’s "cherry-picking" of healthcare priorities is evidenced by the following facts: - Selective Remediation: The administration is targeting resources toward one demographic while simultaneously supporting the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which cuts $1 trillion from Medicaid. Because Medicaid covers nearly 50% of all births for Black women nationwide, these cuts will have a disparate and lethal impact on the very population at the highest risk of death.  - Negligence of Peak Risk: CDC data confirms that 80% of maternal deaths are preventable and occur primarily in the 12 months following birth. By cutting general Medicaid funding rather than expanding postpartum coverage, the administration is choosing to ignore the primary driver of mortality for its most vulnerable citizens.  - Violation of Equal Protection: A government that recognizes a 30% mortality gap as a crisis while ignoring a 300% mortality gap is not practicing evidence-based governance; it is practicing political favoritism. This selective application of public safety violates the constitutional principle of Equal Protection. The Rule of Law requires that federal resources be allocated based on objective need and verified mortality risk, not geographic or partisan benefit. I urge you to use your Article I authority to: 1. Demand a Public Audit of HHS and CMS funding to ensure maternal health initiatives are prioritized by death-rate severity, as documented by the CDC. 2. Oppose any Budget Reconciliation that reduces Medicaid funding, which acts as the primary safety net for the populations facing the highest mortality risks. 3. Support the reintroduction of the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act to address the systemic failures that lead to the preventable deaths of thousands of constituents each year. Note that I'm not suggesting that we ignore rural healthcare disparities, and I will be happy to see my tax dollars help with resolving these issues, as well. I will be monitoring your record on these issues as a measure of your commitment to the lives of all your constituents, regardless of their zip code or political affiliation.