FEDERAL  COMMUNICATIONS    COMMISSION
                                    WASHINGTON,   D.C. 20554


OFFICE OF THE
CHAIRWOMAN                              April 11, 2023


  Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH
  Director
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
   1600 Clifton Road
  Atlanta, GA 30329

         Re: Data Mapping to Save Moms’ Lives Act — FCC-CDC Consultation

  Dear Dr. Walensky:

         As you know, on December 20, 2022, President Biden signed into law the Data Mapping to Save
  Moms’  Lives Act. The Act directs the Federal Communications Commission to incorporate, in
  consultation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, publicly available data on maternal
  mortality and severe maternal morbidity into its Mapping Broadband Health in America platform within
   180 days from enactment (i.e., by June 18, 2023). I understand that our respective staffs have already
  been hard at work on this consultation. I am grateful to you for making these experts from the CDC’s
  National Center for Chronic Disease and Health Promotion’s Division of Reproductive Health and the
  National Center for Health Statistics available to assist the FCC’s Connect2Health Task Force, a senior-
  level multi-disciplinary team in our Office of General Counsel that I have assigned to lead the agency’s
  efforts to implement the requirements of this law. We greatly appreciate the CDC’s assistance and expert
  input and look forward to an ongoing strategic collaboration.

         As the first woman—and mother—confirmed to lead the FCC in its history, the issue of maternal
  health is personally important to me, and I know we need to improve the state of maternal care across the
  country. As a result, the FCC under my leadership is committed to doing what it can to help mitigate the
  devastating impact of the ongoing maternal health crisis and recognize that it disproportionately affects
  pregnant women of color and those in rural communities where obstetric care is disappearing.

         At present, the FCC is laser-focused on increasing access to critical broadband resources—
  resources that can support telehealth and related services that can make a tangible difference in maternal
  health, especially in underserved populations and areas. I believe the Data Mapping to Save Moms’ Lives
  Act can help identify how we can expand these efforts. With the support of the CDC, the updated
   mapping platform can provide actionable insights for policymakers, clinicians, researchers, and other
  stakeholders about the intersection of broadband and maternal health. The incorporation of maternal
   health data into the platform could identify priority areas where telehealth and broadband-enabled
   solutions are most needed, and where the broadband and health resources are lacking.

         We  are excited about this unique opportunity to work together. This country’s rising maternal
   mortality rate demands every possible solution, which is why I have asked my staff to engage in some
  broad and creative thinking, including ways to coordinate with the CDC to identify opportunities to
   leverage our authority, resources, and programs in the area of maternal health and how we can further
   highlight and elevate discussion about the importance of broadband and maternal health issues among key
   stakeholders. We are also mindful of the recent Executive Order on Securing Access to Reproductive and
   Other Healthcare Services, particularly ongoing efforts to improve research, data collection, data analysis,
   and interpretation in the context of reproductive health care and maternal health outcomes. The FCC is

Page 2 — Dr. Rochelle Walensky


eager to continue working with the CDC and other federal agencies that may find broadband connectivity
data useful in this effort.

       Thank you for your commitment to these issues. We look forward to continued collaboration to
explore what our agencies can accomplish together to further address the impacts of the maternal health
 crisis.

                                         Sincerely,


                                        Jessica Rosenworcel

cc: Dr. Deborah Houry, Deputy Director for Program and Science/Chief Medical Officer, CDC
    Dr. Karen Hacker, Director, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, CDC
    Sean Cucchi, Associate Director for Policy, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention
       and Health Promotion, CDC
    Dr. Brian Moyer, Director, National Center for Health Statistics, CDC
    John Halter, Director, Office of Planning, Budget and Legislation, National Center for Health
       Statistics, CDC
    P. Michele Ellison, General Counsel and Chair, Connect2Heath Task Force, FCC