Pro-life group lauds Iowa congresswoman’s bill to increase child tax credit, provide paid parental leave
A pro-life advocacy organization is praising new legislation that acknowledges the humanity of preborn children while expanding the resources available to help families raise their children.
On Monday, Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, introduced the Providing for Life Act, which a statement issued by her office describes as a “comprehensive pro-family package that shows value for life at all stages and supports families of all backgrounds.” Specifically, the bill would amend the definition of a “qualifying child” for the Child Tax Credit to include “an unborn child of an eligible taxpayer” beginning in “the taxable year immediately preceding the year in which the child is born alive.”
Additionally, the measure expands the child tax credit up to $3,500 per child for children between the ages of 6 and 17 and up to $4,500 for children younger than 6. It also amends the Social Security Act to provide up to three months of paid parental leave to new parents, requires biological fathers to “pay child support for medical expenses incurred during pregnancy and delivery,” and requires colleges to inform pregnant students about the rights and options available to them other than abortion.
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Other provisions of the legislative package establish “grants for community-based maternal mentoring programs” and ensure that religious organizations have the same eligibility to receive federal financial assistance to “provide services for a social services program” that non-religious groups do while enabling the faith-based groups to continue to abide by their deeply held beliefs as they receive federal funds.
The bill would also authorize the creation of a website, life.gov, to “provide a comprehensive list of Federal, State, local governmental and private resources available to pregnant women” and ensure that pregnancy resource centers can obtain Title X funding.
“The Providing for Life Act charts the policy course for a culture of life in America,” Hinson asserted in a statement. She maintained that if her bill passes, “we can protect the most vulnerable, make a meaningful difference for those in need, and strengthen all families.”
Marilyn Musgrave, the vice president of government affairs for the pro-life group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, who formerly served as a member of the United States House from Colorado, issued a statement supporting Hinson’s legislation: “From the moment a woman learns she is pregnant, throughout her pregnancy, and after her child is born, every mother deserves the support and critical resources she needs to take care [of] herself and her baby,” she said.
“The Providing for Life Act both recognizes the humanity of unborn children and helps address the challenges moms and families face so they can make life-affirming decisions and thrive,” Musgrave added. “We thank Congresswoman Hinson for introducing this comprehensive pro-life package and we hope to see it garner bipartisan support.”
The introduction of the Providing for Life Act in the House comes slightly more than a year after the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling that determined that the U.S. Constitution does not contain a right to abortion.
A year after the Dobbs decision overturned the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide, data compiled by Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America documents how 20 states now have laws on the books that ban all or most abortions after 15 weeks into a pregnancy or earlier. An additional five states have their pro-life laws tied up in litigation.
In an interview with The Christian Post shortly after the Dobbs ruling, pro-life activist Lila Rose called on lawmakers at both the state and federal levels to make the U.S. a “friendlier place for families” by embracing “private and public financial support for families to help them raise their children.” Rose cited a Georgia law allowing parents to claim a $3,000 tax credit for their preborn children as an example of the type of legislation she wants to see passed.
The pro-life advocate also praised the idea of enabling parents using Social Security benefits to take paid family leave as a “no-brainer.”
The House version of the Providing for Life Act comes nearly six months after Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., unveiled his version of the legislation in the Senate. The bill has yet to gain any traction or cosponsors in the Democrat-controlled Senate.
“Supporting pregnant mothers and their unborn children is essential, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because America’s continued strength depends on the next generation,” Rubio stated. “This comprehensive legislation will provide real assistance for American parents and children in need. We need policies like these to show America that conservatives are pro-life across the board.”
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
