Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act

1/29/2024, 4:15 PM

Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act

This bill prohibits the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing (with respect to certain pregnancy centers) a provision of a proposed rule modifying the standard for a state's reasonable use of funds under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.

The proposed rule provides that if ACF identifies a TANF expenditure that does not appear to reasonably accomplish a purpose of TANF then the state must show that it used the funds in a manner that a reasonable person would consider to be within one of the purposes.

The bill prohibits ACF from applying this standard to state expenditures for pregnancy centers that (1) support protecting the life of the mother and the unborn child; and (2) offer resources and services to mothers, fathers, and families, including but relationship counseling, prenatal and pregnancy education, pregnancy testing, diapers, baby clothes, or material supports.

Under current law, TANF funds may be used for any of four purposes, including to prevent and reduce out-of-wedlock pregnancies. In the supplemental information to the proposed rule, ACF states that TANF expenditures for programs that exclusively or primarily provide pregnancy counseling to women only after they become pregnant have a tenuous or nonexistent connection to this purpose and, therefore, likely do not meet the proposed reasonableness standard.

Congress
118

Number
HR - 6918

Introduced on
2024-01-09

# Amendments
1

Sponsors
+5

Cosponsors
+5

Variations and Revisions

1/22/2024

Status of Legislation

Bill Introduced
Introduced to House
House to Vote
Introduced to Senate
Senate to Vote

Purpose and Summary

Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act

This bill prohibits the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing (with respect to certain pregnancy centers) a provision of a proposed rule modifying the standard for a state's reasonable use of funds under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.

The proposed rule provides that if ACF identifies a TANF expenditure that does not appear to reasonably accomplish a purpose of TANF then the state must show that it used the funds in a manner that a reasonable person would consider to be within one of the purposes.

The bill prohibits ACF from applying this standard to state expenditures for pregnancy centers that (1) support protecting the life of the mother and the unborn child; and (2) offer resources and services to mothers, fathers, and families, including but relationship counseling, prenatal and pregnancy education, pregnancy testing, diapers, baby clothes, or material supports.

Under current law, TANF funds may be used for any of four purposes, including to prevent and reduce out-of-wedlock pregnancies. In the supplemental information to the proposed rule, ACF states that TANF expenditures for programs that exclusively or primarily provide pregnancy counseling to women only after they become pregnant have a tenuous or nonexistent connection to this purpose and, therefore, likely do not meet the proposed reasonableness standard.

Alternative Names
Official Title as IntroducedTo prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from restricting funding for pregnancy centers.

Policy Areas
Health

Potential Impact
Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Department of Health and Human Services
Health programs administration and funding
Sex and reproductive health
Women's health

Comments

Recent Activity

Latest Summary1/29/2024

Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act

This bill prohibits the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing (with respect to certain pregnancy centers) a provision of a...


Latest Action1/22/2024
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.