SEATTLE — The Reach Every Mother and Child Act of 2015 is gaining momentum with a surge of new cosponsors in 2016. Eleven Democrats and 12 Republicans have chosen to cosponsor this legislation since January 2016.
The Reach Every Mother and Child Act of 2015, also known as the REACH Act, seeks to end preventable maternal, newborn and child deaths globally within one generation, according to the legislation.
“The health and well-being of the world’s mothers and children is not — and never has been — a partisan issue,” RESULTS Executive Director Joanne Carter said in a Roll Call blog post last September. “Congress and both of the past two administrations have shown that they understand this.”
As of Feb. 19, 2016 there were 80 cosponsors in the House of Representatives – 44 Democrats and 36 Republicans – and 11 cosponsors in the Senate – 6 Democrats and 5 Republicans – according to GovTrack.
The newest cosponsors of the REACH Act come from all over the U.S.
U.S. House of Representatives
There are 19 new cosponsors of the REACH Act in the U.S. House–10 Republicans and nine Democrats. David Young, R-IA, Marc Veasey, D-TX, Bob Dold, R-IL, and Suzanne Bonamici, D-OR, added their support to this legislation in January 2016. Joe Barton, R-TX, and Scott Peters, D-CA, cosponsored the act on Feb. 3, 2016 according to GovTrack.
Thirteen of the new cosponsors came on board during the second week of February 2016. Ryan Costello, R-PA, Ben Luján, D-NM, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-FL, each cosponsored the REACH Act on Feb. 8, 2016 according to GovTrack.
Rodney Davis, R-IL and Frederica Wilson, D-FL, cosponsored this legislation on Feb. 9, 2016. The following day Christopher Gibson, R-NY, Jerrold Nadler, D-NY, and Ann Wagner, R-MO cosponsored the REACH Act on Feb. 10, 2016.
Mike Bishop, R-MI, and Kathy Castor, D-FL cosponsored this legislation on Feb. 11, 2016. The most recent cosponsors of this legislation were James “Jim” McGovern, D-MA, and Steve Stivers, R-OH on Feb. 12, 2016.
U.S. Senate
The newest cosponsors of the REACH Act in the Senate are Pat Roberts, R-KS, Richard Durbin, D-IL, Christopher Murphy, D-CT, and Jerry Moran, R-KS.
None of the senators have formally commented regarding why they decided to cosponsor the REACH Act at this time. Roberts and Durbin were mentioned for their support of this legislation in a Vox article from January 2016.
The Reach Every Mother and Child Act was referred to committee in both chambers of Congress. This recent surge of support may be a good sign of things to come for this legislation.
Sources: RollCall, Congress, Govtrack 1, Govtrack 2, VOX
Photo: Care