Rep. Robin Kelly, a Democratic congresswoman from Illinois and longtime maternal health advocate, is pushing Congress to act after a disturbing video showed a Black woman in Indiana being turned away from a hospital while in active labor — forcing her to give birth in her truck minutes later.
Kelly introduced the Women Expansion for Learning and Labor Safety Act, or the WELLS Act, which would require hospitals to develop a “Safe Discharge Labor Plan” before sending home any patient showing signs of labor. According to NBC News, the plan would include clinical justification for discharge, assessment of travel distance and time, documentation of patient understanding, and mandatory racial bias training for healthcare workers.
The legislation responds directly to the case of Mercedes Wells, a mother of four whose experience has reignited urgent discussions about the treatment of Black women in healthcare. “Mercedes’s courage to speak out and push for change knows no bounds,” Kelly told NBC News. “Her bravery and advocacy will help other moms receive the care and treatment they deserve.”
The bill also mandates racial bias training for healthcare workers — a step Kelly says is critical. “My bill aims to address systematic issues around maternal care, racial disparities, and hospital accountability,” she said. “It’s clear that what happened to Mercedes isn’t an isolated incident, nor is it the first time a Black woman’s pain has been ignored.”
Mercedes shared that she arrived at Franciscan Health Crown Point hospital on Nov. 16 with contractions ten minutes apart, stayed for about six hours, and never saw a doctor. A nurse examined her and later told her she would be discharged. Mercedes said she told the nurse she felt close to giving birth but was still sent home.
Her husband, Leon Wells, told ABC News that as they left the hospital, Mercedes said she couldn’t wait to reach another facility. Just eight minutes after getting into their truck, he delivered their baby on the roadside — a moment he described as frightening and unexpected. “I was scared. I was terrified,” Leon said. “It was a very, very, very scary moment and by God’s grace, he gave me the abilities to do what I had to do at the time.”