On January 21, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 6945, the Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act.
Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach called the House’s action “a victory for mothers, babies, and families.” The bill represented a huge win for pregnancy centers across the nation.
The legislation ensures that states can provide vital resources to pregnant women and families by protecting their authority to use Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds for pregnancy resource centers. TANF provides $17.34 billion in federal funding to states for needy families. Previously, the Biden administration attempted to implement rules that would prohibit states from utilizing these funds for life-affirming resources. This new legislation affirms states’ authority to direct TANF resources toward pregnancy support services without federal interference.
Fischbach (R-Minn.) introduced the bill along with Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.) and Chris Smith (R-N.J.) serving as co-leads. Throughout committee consideration and debate prior to the vote, all three representatives praised the work of pregnancy resource centers.
“Pregnancy resource centers were created to support expectant mothers, fathers, and families,” said Fischbach. “Every woman deserves a safe environment where she is empowered and educated on available resources rather than being pressured into a life-ending decision. This bill is necessary to protect resources that meet the genuine needs of mothers, families, and children.”
“Women facing unplanned or difficult pregnancies deserve support, not government roadblocks or political agendas,” said Tenney. “Pregnancy resource centers provide medical care, parenting support, counseling, and essential supplies that help women choose life and care for their children with dignity.”
Smith, co-chair of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, shared stories from a New Jersey pregnancy center dinner where women described feeling desperate and pressured to abort until they received compassionate, nonjudgmental support from a pregnancy resource center that helped them choose life. He also highlighted remarks from two teenage girls who spoke about their lives and thanked the center’s director for supporting their mothers, saying they would not be alive without that help. Smith said the moments underscored how these centers support both mothers and babies before and after birth.
“In a pro-abortion culture of denial that dismisses unborn babies and trivializes the harm suffered by women, pregnancy centers affirm the breathtaking miracle of unborn life and the truth that women deserve better than abortion,” he said. “I am grateful for this opportunity to support their work in defending the weakest and most vulnerable.”
Smith, along with his colleagues who supported the bill, noted the need for protecting pregnancy centers from future administrations that may be hostile to pro-life causes.
“Tragically, President Biden weaponized the entire federal bureaucracy to aggressively promote abortion on demand, including misrepresenting the noble work of pregnancy resource centers,” Smith said. “His administration proposed a rule to block pregnancy centers from receiving TANF funds. We can’t allow that to happen.”
Fischbach said, “For too long, Democratic administrations have attempted to strip funding from organizations that provide essential care to women and children. By passing this bill, we are sending a clear message: we will not allow future administrations to prioritize a political agenda over the well-being of families.”
Fischbach, a wife, mom, grandma, attorney, and the U.S. Representative for Minnesota’s Seventh Congressional District, also celebrated the fact that H.R. 6945 was passed during March for Life week in Washington, D.C.
“It is no coincidence that this victory comes during March for Life week. As thousands gather in Washington to stand for the unborn, I’m proud to lead my colleagues in a concrete step to ensure that no woman feels she is alone in her pregnancy,” Fischbach said. “We are securing the resources necessary to support a culture of life and provide real, tangible help to those who choose it.”
“This is a great day for women, a great day for families, and an amazing win for the pro-life movement.”