Crockett Leads Oversight Committee Democrats Urging Texas Maternal Mortality Committee to Comply with Request for Briefing

WASHINGTON — Today, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, Vice Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Rep. Summer Lee, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Federal Law Enforcement, and Rep. Ayanna Pressley sent a letter to Commissioner Jennifer Shuford of the Texas Department of State Health Services, expressing their continued concern regarding the Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee’s (MMMRC) decision to forgo reviewing pregnancy-related deaths in the years following the state’s strict abortion ban.

On December 19, 2024, then-Ranking Member Raskin, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, Rep. Summer Lee, and Rep. Ayanna Pressley sent a letter to MMMRC, requesting a staff-level briefing by January 2, 2025. 

“In December, we requested a staff level briefing to better understand MMMRC’s decision to break with past precedent and not review all maternal deaths.  Texas Department of State Health Services’ failure to provide a staff briefing or acknowledge receipt of our letter is unacceptable,” wrote the Members. “As women continue to die from preventable pregnancy-related conditions in Texas and across the entire country, the decision not to reply or engage with Committee Members and staff raises further concerns about the information the Department might be suppressing.”

In their letter, the Members emphasized the increasing rates of maternal deaths in states with abortion restrictions. In Texas, maternal deaths increased by 56% after the state enacted its abortion ban.  

“Maternal deaths remain a top issue for Committee Democrats, and we once again request that the Texas MMMRC provide a staff-level briefing to the Committee no later than February 12, 2025,” concluded the Members. 

Click here to read the letter to Commissioner Jennifer Shuford.