During a recent interview, State Rep. James Talarico outlined two major priorities affecting Black Texans, calling for expanded maternal health care and stronger voting rights protections. He said Black maternal mortality and redistricting should receive greater national attention.
What did Talarico say during the interview?
During the interview, Rep. Talarico discussed policy priorities he believes should be addressed at the federal level, focusing on Black maternal health and voting rights.
Talarico said improving outcomes for mothers, particularly Black mothers, would require expanding access to prenatal care and paid family leave.
Rep. James Talarico: "I think about the maternal mortality crisis, where you see Black women dying at three times the rate of other mothers."
Rep. Talarico continued: "There's so much that we could do at the federal level to save the lives of Black mothers all across the state."
What is his maternal health proposal?
According to Talarico, he has developed a plan in consultation with community leaders that would seek to:
- Expand access to prenatal care for every new mother.
- Provide paid family leave following childbirth.
- Improve maternal health outcomes for Black mothers.
- Support mothers' health and the health of their newborn children.
Talarico argued these policies could help reduce maternal deaths and improve care for families across Texas.
What did he say about voting rights?
Talarico also pointed to voting rights and congressional redistricting as major issues impacting Black Texans.
He argued that current district maps dilute the political influence of Black and Hispanic voters and described the issue as one of the state's most significant civil rights challenges.
Rep. Talarico: "Another issue that I think impacts black Texans particularly is voting rights and gerrymandering-probably the biggest attack on Black political power since Jim Crow."
He added that he believes Black and brown Texans' voting power is being systematically weakened through redistricting.
The Bottom Line
James Talarico called for expanded prenatal care and paid family leave while also advocating for stronger protections against what he described as discriminatory gerrymandering.
