May 21

May 21 Episode 502: Rep. Gwen Moore

In conversation with Rep Gwen Moore from the 4th Congressional District of Wisconsin about the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, the Mamas First Act, the Universal School Meals Program, and about knitting in public!

Musical credits:

"Are You Listening" from Elephant Shaped Trees by IMUNURI.
Released February 3, 2018.
Composed by André Pilette, with the help of Adam Garcia, Stephanie Leary, and Dan Wilson.
Lyrics written by Stephanie Leary.
Produced by André Pilette and Stephanie Leary.
Mixed by Brett Ryan Stewart of The Sound Shelter in Nashville, TN.
Mastered by Michael Fossenkemper of Turtle Tone Studio in NYC.
Song used with permission by the band.

Episode Transcript

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This transcript is AI-produced and may contain errors. Please check back a few days after the episode airs for a cleaned-up version of the transcript.

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Teddy 0:00

Hi, this is Teddy and you're listening to Representative Gwen Moore of the Wisconsin 4th district on Two Broads Talking Politics. Get your vaccine.

Kelly 0:32

Hi everyone. I am Kelly. This is Two Broads Talking Politics. I'm on with my co host Sophy. Hi, Sophy.

Sophy 0:40

Hey, Kelly.

Kelly 0:41

And we are joined today by Congresswoman Gwen Moore, who represents the Wisconsin fourth district. Hello, Congresswoman Moore.

Rep. Gwen Moore 0:49

Well, hey, too broad. So are you? We are great. We are delighted to talk to another Midwestern mom. So welcome. Oh, yeah, it's uh, you know, the Hand That Rocks the Cradle rules the world.

Kelly 1:05

Indeed, and we have lots of important legislative stuff to talk to you about, but I noticed that you're a knitter. So I just wanted to ask if you've had any time to knit lately.

Rep. Gwen Moore 1:15

you know what I was just thinking that the international knitting in public Day is coming up the second Saturday in June, and I need to prepare something, a gathering and a theme or something. So you have just reminded me because I'm really behind in planning, oh, you know, a little something, something. I can remember one, international knitting and public day, where I sat on the steps of the United States Capitol knitting in public and john lewis just walked right up the stairs past me as I was knitting in public. You know, so, uh, you know, to the extent I memorialize that on social media, you know, people from maybe two different worlds got a chance to be knitted together.

Kelly 2:08

I love that. I'm a huge knitter. So I will join you know, wanting in public to learn,

Rep. Gwen Moore 2:14

you know, I heard that michelle obama knitted a sweater for Barack that she says he's definitely gonna wear. And I've heard too if her two teenage daughters are willing to wear the tank tops she made for them. I'd say she was a good knitter, to teenagers to wear some unit. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Our young women. Yeah.

Kelly 2:38

So speaking of being a mom, and speaking of being a good mom, who's a knitter, we wanted to talk to you some today about the legislation that you're proposing around maternal health and the omnibus bills. So can you talk us through just a little bit what, what you're looking to do with this legislation? And what prompted it?

Rep. Gwen Moore 3:02

Right? Well, you know, once the mom always a mom, as a matter of fact, I am not only a mom, but I'm a mom, a grandmother and a great grandmother. And so a whole lot of what is informed me is based on my own lived experience. And you know, so one of the pieces of legislation that I have in the mom debus which of course is the coordination of about 12 bills put together by Congresswoman Alma Adams and Congresswoman Underwood, Lauren Underwood from Illinois, who's the nurse. They've put together this package, the mom the bus and my piece in it is called the perinatal workforce Act, which would really expand opportunities for education and training of people. You know, you know, doulas, midwives, maybe lactating specialists that really give people a career path. This is because we, we are really responding to the fact that that black women lead in maternal deaths, and three to four times and there's so there's so many interventions that are just not being made and we think that having doulas would help people navigate the healthcare system so that when they're so that there is compliance within pointment sit there are people can advocate for you when there are symptoms that are not right people would some experience people help you with dietary concerns, and we want these people to have a career track and to be able to be intentional about raising this perinatal workforce, you know, you know, I don't know if you broads know this. But, um you know, we we are like at the Bottom of the so call, well, you know, civilize or first world countries in maternal health well being. I mean, we are, you know, we're at the bottom of some indicators from what we call third world countries in terms of maternal outcomes when you look at communities like Native Americans, black women, I mean, this is just a disgrace in in the United States of America. And there are just things that are so obvious. And doulas are one of the things we are. We have a pilot program in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that is doing very well. It's in zip code 53206. There's a movie about about 53206. It's one of the poorest communities in our nation. And another thing that I'm doing outside of the the mom The bus is the Mama's first app. So I can talk about that at some point.

Teddy 5:59

Can you tell us a little bit more about doulas in general, and sort of how you see them contributing to helping to bring down the maternal death rate?

Rep. Gwen Moore 6:11

Well, doulas are not a medical people, but they are advocates. I mean, you know, I remember being pregnant at age 18 and knowing nothing about how to have a successful pregnancy. And we're it not for all the Auntie's that I had around me to explain to me when I woke up in the middle of the night, you know, four and a half, you know, months pregnant, and there was quickening, that there was something going wrong, explained to me that it was quickening. I mean, I'm panicked. I'm in I'm in a, like, what is happening to my body. Um, and, you know, people to make sure, especially some at risk pregnancies, their pregnancies are at risk. People have pre existing health conditions. People are young people are poor. You know, I think being poor is a really at risk problem in terms of nutrition, diet, transportation, back and forth to healthcare systems. We can save a lot of money in the long term in a preventive care situation by making sure that people get proper nutrition. And doulas ought to be compensated for what they do. And have a career track in in specializing and helping people through difficult pregnancies negotiate and advocate with other healthcare systems.

Kelly 7:49

So you mentioned to the mamas first bill, what would that be doing

Rep. Gwen Moore 7:53

The Mamas First bill would be a component that would actually provide the Medicaid funding to fund things like doulas, and like I said, we're prepared to bring, you know, studies and to bring the sort of proof and, you know, billable kinds of services that they provide. But when you think about the cost of maternal deaths and infant mortalities, and there's such a huge disparity, and, and, you know, you can't anticipate everything that might go wrong. You know, people love to give the example of Serena Williams, and how her pregnancy went so wrong, as a woman of color, you know, that might slip through the cracks. But there there's so much there's so knowable when you are you when there are mamas that are in at rich situations, when they have low wealth, when they're isolated, when getting back and forth to the doctor for a checkup means, you know, a round trip Uber ride of, you know, $22 You know, it matters and it matters a lot. And so we want and we want to lift up all of the work that women do is very valuable. And it has contributed a so much to our not only economy, but to our civilization, what we do is worth being compensated with, there's so much that's like $500 billion worth of uncompensated care just in in women who take care of elders and seniors and people in their lives who have fallen prey to illness and stuff. Our work has some pecuniary value. And, you know, recognizing that work is the only way to build any kind of equity.

Kelly 9:58

So we had been Talking a couple of weeks ago with someone about the pregnant workers act and said that this seems like the kind of thing we should be able to get bipartisan support on. And this omnibus bill similarly seems like everyone should support moms and healthy babies and that there should be bipartisan support for this. Do you anticipate that there will be you know, what, what does the the likelihood of this bill passing with bipartisan support or even just passing in general look like right now?

Rep. Gwen Moore 10:32

Well, from your lips to God's ears, that bipartisan basis, you know, I, you know, I don't want to be pessimistic the republicans have been so ornery lately. I mean, who the fuck it that every single republican would vote against providing funding for police, for the Capitol Police is that I mean, you couldn't have put a 357 Magnum to my head, and made me believe that every single republican would vote against funding for the pole lease. I can't predict. But you would think that for people who claim the mantra of right to life and caring about babies and children that this would be just spot on for them, because it really does intervene in a really critical part of people's lives. I mean, you know, I just was on a call earlier today, where we talked about, you know, maternal deaths, and infant mortality, this occurs within 48 hours on either side of childbirth. So, we know these are critical periods, you know, to, to, to make interventions, but what I, what I what they also admitted, if there's a whole lot of other inequity, that happens before people get to the delivery room, like not having good nutrition, not like having had good a health care through your pregnancy, not like those visitations, we take that for granted. I was pregnant my first time, I knew nothing about being pregnant. Nothing at all, and I gave birth. And it was actually a visiting nurse that showed me how to put a diaper on I mean, you know, you people take for granted. You know, what people have and and the care that they're getting is free. You know, they get pregnant, their mamas are flying across country to be with them. The first two weeks they're home from having their baby or before they have their baby or they live in the community. There are people like doulas who are prepared to deliver a professional services to ameliorate maternal in deaths. And we need to compensate them through Medicaid. Those the interaction of my two bills.

Teddy 13:16

So I also live in Wisconsin, and one problem is that Wisconsin has not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. How do we help low and middle income women who aren't on Medicaid, but also don't qualify for the subsidies and can't afford health insurance?

Rep. Gwen Moore 13:35

Well, Sophy, it would be you to kind of bring up, you know, the ugly side of politics in Wisconsin, it's just, we're gonna kill you except to stupid. I mean, we'd get 1.6 billion extra dollars in federal aid. If we were to expand Medicaid, we'd be able to cover 90,000 more people, 10,000 of them, people who are like $1 above the quote unquote, poverty level. And the Republican, it's all political. It's just silly. It's like I, you know, you know, we need to let people know what the connection between policymaking and politics is. This is that Nexus right here. You got to throw the bums out. When they just don't get it when they just, you know, they're, I mean, somebody's making $18,000 a year some single man or woman with no kids, making $18,000 a year working minimum wage. 40 hours is ineligible for Medicaid. I mean, these are the people that were characterized as lazy bums ne'er do wells that we can provide basic health care for. I mean, it just every go pay $1.6 billion not to get it. You know what, this arithmetic is just to complicate For me that the republicans got going on, it's like the Voodoo economics as they call it. No, you know, lose money to take care of fewer people. It'll make no sense. It's all Republican. hogwash is neither being partisan.

Kelly 15:20

So, before you were in Congress, you were in the Wisconsin State Assembly in the Wisconsin State Senate, if we have women, moms listening, who would like to make a difference and would like to make sure that their states expand Medicaid and stuff like that, you know, what, what, what would what's your advice for those people who might be interested in running in state legislature or things like that, about how to how to get involved in politics? And how to really make a difference?

Rep. Gwen Moore 15:48

Well, thank you for that question. Because people are always coming to me saying they're interested in politics, and I'm saying, first be interested in your dog on community. You know, when you exercise leadership, it you know, if for me, if I did not aspire to be an elected official, I aspire to make a difference in my community. You know, I served on the board of the neighborhood association, you know, I was a VISTA volunteer to put together a community development credit union, because we didn't have credit that was being extended into our community, you know, I would protest because the banks wouldn't land and invest in our community. I mean, by the time I ran for office, if people know me from my work, I could point to the house across the street, that I advocated for, to get tax credits to get rehab to get back on the tax. I mean, people need to work. nobody really wants those people who want to be elected just to be elected. This is a stewardship. And I mean, I am interested in those people who just want to be elected myself, you know, and so if you're that person, who cares about your community, and you want to make a difference, at that level, go for it. There are a lot of sacrifices that you make, but it's worth it. To have the privilege to serve people.

Kelly 17:24

So I have another piece of legislation I want to ask you about. And that is the universal school meals program that was really expanded during COVID. And you're advocating to make that change permanent? Can you talk about what that would mean, to be able to end child hunger by making the school meals program a more permanent change?

Rep. Gwen Moore 17:49

Well, you know, this, this, this, this legislation, I'm really happy to be joining Ilhan Omar of Minnesota on this initiative. And really, it comes out of my own lived experience of being at Hungary Chow, that, you know, you know, we were on welfare. And so therefore, they regarded given me free lunch as a duplication of service. And so I couldn't get free. And so I went often without breakfast and without lunch, to school. So it's my own lived experience, and realizing out of all of the complicated things that we do, feeding kids is really low hanging fruit. And it also comes out of my lived experience that is just as a child, but as a parent. You know, my child went to school one time, and these people did not, I don't know what happened to her lunch money, whether I had the money or she lost it or spent it on the way to school on chocolates. I don't know what happened. But she went to school and they did not give her lunch. And I mean, I just went off on me, legally, she is in your custody. Don't you ever, ever deny my child Sue? You if you'd have to sue me for the 25 cents, go for? Send me off to small claims court to get the 50 cents do what you need to do, but don't abuse my child. It really is the best interest of the child. So, so so so so I say all that to say about the universal benefit, instead of people putting people in the position, food shaming, you know, you get the red ticket, if you are free lunch, you get the green ticket if you paid, you know, basically, if you got a school where 80% 70% of the kids are eligible for school lunch, why would you deny that kid whose parents didn't get the paperwork back in or Why? Just give everybody free lunch, and not only that The sciences and people who know that just feeding people helps their brains helps them constantly. I mean, breaking nose. I mean, you heard it here first, on the broad show. feed people, it really actually works, helps you learn, helps you retain. Oh, my God breaking nose broad, Sophy. Did you know this? Pretty, pretty exciting news.

Sophy 20:29

You heard it here, folks.

Rep. Gwen Moore 20:33

You know, I'm very excited about being in the majority. But again, this this as the fiscal impact. Mama's first and so we'll see. There are, you know, it'll take some work, you know, individual leaning into some people, there are people that might appreciate this, I have a couple of women in my, you know, people who are not part of the insurrection as group over there, among the Republicans, you might be interested, and maybe even a couple of guys, I mean, people who are sincere, about about the thing, you know, the thing is that, you know, we everybody tells the story of, you know, the people jumping into the river, saving all the drowning babies that are in there, and then somebody finally says, go up there and stop them from throwing the babies in the river and the first one for that point of entry. And I mean, that's what we really can do here. I mean, we can, if we are interested, if we say, and this fits in with the so called right to life group, along with progressives to say, look, you know, our best at fiscal conservatives, we save a whole lot of money when we make preventive care and urgent infant, you know, you know, it's a lot cheaper to get a doula to make sure somebody take takes their pre Natal capsules, they get to appointments that they, you know, let's make sure that we get them some, some WIC, and that we change the WIC formulary. So we get more fresh vegetables and stuff than cheese, just, you know, just saying that we you know, that's a different program. broads will have to have me back on that one. But I mean, that we get people healthy food, and we give babies of the very best start that they could get. And then we give them what women need. And those are things like doulas to help them navigate pregnancies, especially when they're young, when they're at risk. And when they need that extra support, you know, even a situation where you got a good mom. But she's got three other kids, you know, and just to have a support system and and and someone that you can call up and check in with because your person who delivers your baby, they're not going to have contact you with you that often the checkups and the new delivery room.

Kelly 23:19

So what should we all be doing to help you get this passed?

Rep. Gwen Moore 23:23

Well, thank you for asking. I think it's really important to let people know that they should call in and say that they support the mom debus and that they support the mamas first act, that the mamas first act is what provides the money for the perinatal workforce, which is a part of the mom the bus. The mom, the bus is an awesome bill. And there are you know, so we don't have time to go through all of the bills. But you know, it checks off a lot of boxes up to an including being concerned about incarcerated women who are pregnant. And so I just want to give hats off to my sisters, Dr. Alma Adams, representative in North Carolina, and of course nurse Lauren Underwood from Illinois, in terms of their leadership on the mom to business so proud to be a part of it. Excellent. Well, we have an army of moms listening, so we will tell them all that they need to call their representatives and senators and tell them to support them Omnibus done Mama's first, Representative more, is there anything else that you wanted to make sure we talked about today? I just want to say once a mom always the mom, I'm a septuagenarian but it's my lived experience. That lets me know that I have been just a beneficiary of doggone serendipity, just luck and good fortune, you know, and, you know having connections with healthcare systems. insurance. And these these are privileges that I don't take for granted and we are so at risk, and you are so deserving of the kind of care and you are entitled to it. You know, so when you show up in the health care system pregnant Tony, I know that there's some kind of program because Gwen Moore told me that That oughta be able to help me Have a safe pregnancy.

Kelly 25:27

I love that. Excellent. Well, thank you so much for speaking with us today. And thank you for everything that you are doing in Congress to help support moms and women and Midwesterners.

Rep. Gwen Moore 25:44

Thank you Two Broads, take care and keep broadening the conversation.

Kelly 25:50

We will thank you.

Be sure to check out our last episode with Nicole Lynn Lewis, founder and CEO generation hope and author of the book pregnant girl a story of teen motherhood college and creating a better future for young families. And next Wednesday we'll be doing a vote her in video cast with my representative representative Robin Kelly of the Illinois second district.

Sonya 26:15

Thank you for listening to Two Broads Talking Politics part of the DemCast Podcast Network. Our theme song is called Are You Listening off of the album Elephant Shaped Trees by the band IMUNURI and we're using it with permission of the band. Our logo and other original artwork is by Matthew Weflen, and was created for use by this podcast. You can contact us at TwoBroadsTalkingPolitics@gmail.com or on Twitter or Facebook @TwoBroadsTalk. You can find all of our episodes at TwoBroadsTalkingPolitics.com or anywhere podcasts are found.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai

May 21 Episode 502: Rep. Gwen Moore

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Episode Transcript

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