Chairman Smith Floor Remarks: Republicans Give Pregnant Women and Moms a Choice in Where to Receive Maternal Care

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08) delivered the following remarks during debate in the U.S. House of Representatives on the Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act (H.R. 6945).

As prepared for delivery.

"Mr. Speaker -

"I rise in favor of the Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act led by Representative Fischbach.

"What this bill does is really pretty simple. It ensures states will be able to continue to use TANF funds for pregnancy resource centers and the maternal care they provide to pregnant women and moms.

"That's it.

"Pregnancy resource centers offered material support and care to over 2 million women at 2,700 locations in 2024 alone - including diapers, prenatal vitamins, parenting classes, transportation, just to name a few of the many services provided.

"These services meet the core purposes of TANF. Yet, the Biden Administration proposed a regulation to discriminate against the pro-life mission of pregnancy resource centers by forbidding states from using TANF funds for these centers. It was a deliberate attempt to sidestep the law to achieve a partisan, political agenda. Nothing in the TANF statute gave the Biden Administration or any other future administration the ability to target pregnancy resource centers.

"Following pressure from the Ways and Means Committee and this Chamber, the Biden Administration withdrew the rule in its final days. Think of what would have happened to maternal care in this country. One of the few places women can get care and support would have been closed. In my home state of Missouri, three out of every four dollars the state gives to pregnancy resource centers comes from TANF. But, it's not just Missouri. Women in other states would have had fewer choices for their own care.

"That's why we are passing this bill - to give pregnant women and moms a choice about where they receive maternal care. To stop any future Administration from taking the same actions as the Biden White House.

"Democrats will talk until they're blue in the face about a women's right to choice, but they oppose this bill which is all about empowering women to make their own choices.

"Why is that?

"Simply because it doesn't align with their political agenda. The hypocrisy is stunning.

"Democrats only believe in choice when it's the choice their party would make.

"Republicans are on the side of pregnant women, moms, and children who choose to get the help they need at one of these centers.

"I urge my colleagues to support this bill."