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Congress·In Committee·3 months ago

House Bill Would Dedicate $400M Yearly to Cut Global Maternal and Child Deaths Through 2030

Also known as: Safe Passages Act of 2025

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
House
Senate
President

Impacts

Mixed Impacts(1)
Federal Employee
Neutral

Key Points

  • Creates a State Department-run global program to lower mother and baby deaths in poorer countries by training local health workers and improving basic emergency care.
  • Sets aside at least $400 million each year (through 2030) from existing global health funding to support these efforts, with regular reports to Congress.
  • Targets major, treatable pregnancy and newborn dangers like heavy bleeding after birth, high blood pressure in pregnancy, infections, blocked labor, and newborn breathing problems.
  • Directs funding toward local faith-based providers and community partnerships, aiming for practical upgrades like transport/referral systems, labs, antibiotics, and blood transfusion support.
  • Bars the money from being used for abortion or abortion-related services and promotes “natural” fertility awareness methods and father involvement.
Foreign PolicyHealthcare

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Dec 16, 2025House

Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Dec 16, 2025

Introduced in House

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

After the bill becomes law

State Department starts running the Safe Passages Maternal and Child Health Program

U.S. global health funding decisions for maternal/child health are likely to shift toward the bill’s priority list (training, emergency obstetric care tools, newborn resuscitation, nutrition in the first 1,000 days, and father engagement), with a preference for local faith-based partners.

Each fiscal year after enactment, through FY2030

At least $400,000,000 per year is made available for the program (as long as Congress appropriates Global Health Programs funds)

Organizations that fit the program rules can compete for larger/more stable multi-year funding, while projects that include abortion-related services cannot use these funds and may be shut out of this funding stream.

No later than 2 years after the bill becomes law

First required report to Congress is delivered

The public and Congress get detailed results: how many trainings happened, which provider types were trained, what facility upgrades were done, what health outcomes changed, and whether the program followed U.S. restrictions (including the abortion-related funding ban in this program).

Every 2 years after the first report

Ongoing reports to Congress every two years

Continued oversight can increase pressure to show measurable results (skills gains, facility upgrades, and mortality changes). Programs that cannot document outcomes may be less likely to keep getting funded.

By the end of FY2030

Program authority runs through fiscal year 2030

If you work in or fund global maternal/child health projects, planning can be done on a multi-year horizon, but future funding after FY2030 would depend on new action by Congress.

Related News

3 articles
FrontPageAfrica·4 months ago

Liberia: U.S. Congressman Warns Against Abortion Pill Amid Push to Amend Public Health Law

U.S. Congressman Chris Smith announced plans to introduce the Safe Passages Act to expand maternal healthcare by increasing access to trained birth attendants and emergency obstetric care, while warning that global promotion of abortion pills poses health risks to women in developing nations.

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The New Dawn Liberia·4 months ago

Defend Liberian women from “dangerous” abortion pill

Congressman Chris Smith urged lawmakers to protect women from abortion drugs, announcing the Safe Passages Act. The bill aims to address maternal mortality by improving access to trained health workers and rural healthcare infrastructure rather than distributing 'baby poison pills.'

C~
allAfrica·4 months ago

Liberia's Children, Mothers Deserve Better, Not Abortion Pills

Rep. Chris Smith announced the Safe Passages Act during a Washington D.C. address, stating the legislation will expand access to emergency obstetric care and safe blood. He framed the bill as a 'life-affirming' alternative to the expansion of abortion services in African nations.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Safe Passages Act of 2025

Bill NumberHR 6765
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReferred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(1)
R: 1

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.