Thousands of needy mothers and pregnant women could lose access to baby food, diapers and prenatal care under a new Biden administration scheme to promote abortion rights by cutting off assistance funds to pregnancy care centers.
In response, U.S. Representatives Michelle Fischbach (R-MN,) Claudia Tenney (R-NY), and Chris Smith (R-NJ) introduced the “Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act..”
The bill would “block a proposed Biden Administration rule that could prohibit states from giving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds to pregnancy centers which support the life of both the mother and unborn child. 2,700 such centers across the country provide vital services to expectant mothers like diapers, food, prenatal care, and parenting classes. If the rule were to take effect, pregnant women would lose access to maternal services critical to both the health of the mother and unborn child,” the U.S. House Ways & Means Committee reports.
“The bipartisan law that established TANF set out state flexibility as one of its primary goals. To that end, the law explicitly prohibits any Administration from creating restrictions on the use of TANF funds so long as they fulfill one of the program's four goals. By setting specific prohibitions for where states can send TANF funds, this rule is openly violating the letter of the law and ignoring the intent of Congress. The responsibility to change and improve TANF lies with Congress, not unelected federal bureaucrats,” the Committee notes.
“Congress must stand up for expectant mothers and preserve their access to maternal care. The Biden Administration's proposed rule could deny women resources like diapers and prenatal care needed for a safe and healthy pregnancy. Not only will it harm pregnant women today and in the future, the proposed rule violates the law,” said Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO.)
“In establishing the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, Congress explicitly created flexibility for states to address the unique needs of their populations by prohibiting bureaucrats from dictating how and where to spend program funds so long as they fulfill one of the core goals of the program. I hope that my colleagues will join me in making sure this anti-mother rule never leaves the drawing board,” Smith said.
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