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NRLC letter supporting H.R. 6918, the Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act

Jan 10, 2024 | AHC

RE: H.R. 6918, the Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act

 

National Right to Life writes to express its strong support for H.R. 6918, the Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act. This legislation would ensure that pregnancy centers are eligible for state-directed federal funds through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. Pregnancy centers serve millions of clients annually and offer hope and support for women and their unborn children. In a post-Roe America, it is more important now than ever that pregnancy centers are able to effectively support mothers and their babies.

The Biden Administration is currently proposing a rule to restrict federal funds from going to pregnancy centers in a number of states that direct funds to them through the TANF program. H.R. 6918 would prohibit Health and Human Services from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing this or any similar rulemaking that would restrict use of TANF for pregnancy centers.

National Right to Life and several affected states submitted official comments in opposition to the proposed Biden rule, “Strengthening Temporary Assistance for Needy Families as a Safety Net and Work Program,” published on October 2, 2023 (the “Proposed Rule”). The Proposed Rule, among other things, targets pregnancy resource centers by threatening to strip them of millions of dollars of funding claiming, without evidence, that pregnancy centers do not meet TANF criteria. This is funding that is currently being used to compassionately help women and their unborn babies.  

Nearly 3,000 pregnancy centers serve about 2 million clients annually, saving local communities millions of dollars by providing services at little to no cost. Many pregnancy centers provide limited obstetrical ultrasounds under a local doctor’s oversight as well as parenting classes. In addition, nearly all centers provide material assistance such as diapers, cribs, and car seats as well as practical help such as connecting a mother in need to local resources that can help her with housing or transportation.

National Right to Life urges you to support this legislation. 

Should you have any questions, please contact us at (202) 378-8863, or via e-mail at jpopik@nrlc.org. Thank you for your consideration of NRLC’s position on this important legislation.

 

Sincerely,

Jennifer Popik, J.D. 

Categories: AHC