The House Passed These Pro-Life, Pro-Women Bills Ahead of 51st March for Life
As thousands of pro-life advocates descended on the National Mall on Friday for the 51st annual March for Life, the U.S. House of Representatives passed two bills designed to help pregnant women and their families.
Both the Pregnant Students' Rights Act & the Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act were passed on Thursday and aim to support pregnancy centers and pregnant students attending college.
The Pregnant Students' Rights Act ensures that universities and colleges provide information, requiring them to communicate with pregnant students about their rights, accommodations, and resources available to them.
Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (R-IA), who authored the bill, said, "It's unacceptable that pregnant women on college campuses are often pressured to have an abortion. My bill ensures young women are empowered to choose life and create the best future for themselves and their child."
"Pregnant college students should never feel like abortion is their only option," said Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL). "The Republican-led House took a huge step in empowering women to choose life by passing this legislation. I encourage my Senate colleagues to follow suit and work to ensure young women are aware of all the resources available to them and their babies while pursuing their education."
The Parenting Women and Families Act prohibits the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing a proposed change in regulations that would essentially cut funding for pregnancy centers.
Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach (R-MN) authored the legislation. She said in a statement that the Biden Administration is "trying to push its anti-woman, anti-abortion agenda, this time taking aim at these vital centers."
"Conservatives are here for unborn babies and their mothers, and I am proud my colleagues voted to ensure those moms are supported throughout their pregnancy and empowered to raise their families," she added.
Hundreds are celebrating the passage of the two pregnancy supportive service bills.
"This vote should have been an easy one for every politician who claims to care about women's rights, and those in the Democratic Party who voted to keep women in the dark about their legal rights should be ashamed," said Students for Life Action (SFLAction) President Kristan Hawkins.
"Still, this is a great day for the Pro-Life Generation as years of campus advocacy has led to this historic moment – the first SFLAction-inspired federal bill passing the House," she added.
"We applaud House pro-life leaders for their work in ensuring resources and funding are made available for women, children, and families in need," stated Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life. "In a post-Roe America, it is vitally important that resources are made available to support mothers and their babies both before and after birth."
Tobias continued, "In longstanding narrow-mindedness, every Democrat present voted wrong and failed to support these reasonable measures because the bills do not promote abortion. Once again, leaders in the Democratic Party have shown their allegiance to the abortion industry and its extremism."
Meanwhile, the Pro-Choice Caucus criticized the bill's passage.
"We're back with more extreme legislation out of @HouseGOP. How are they starting the new year? With not one, but TWO bills that do nothing but signal to anti-abortion extremists that they share their agenda: a total, nationwide abortion ban," the group wrote on X.
We're back with more extreme legislation out of @HouseGOP. How are they starting the new year? With not one, but TWO bills that do nothing but signal to anti-abortion extremists that they share their agenda: a total, nationwide abortion ban.
— Pro-Choice Caucus (@ProChoiceCaucus) January 18, 2024
Here's what's on the floor today:
Jeanne Mancini, March for Life president, told CBN's Faith Nation there are misconceptions around pro-life legislation.
"We're still in the cultural earthquake of the overturn of Roe, which again, is such a victory, but also leads to a lot of confusion in people's minds and hearts that don't really know the truth about (abortion)."
"We'll be doing as much as possible to educate," she added.
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