MOMS Act Gains Support Following Failed, Debunked Smear Campaign

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 23, 2024 – A leftwing smear campaign against the More Opportunities for Moms to Succeed (MOMS) Act is backfiring, with the bill picking up more support in the wake of fearmongering and gaslighting by partisan opposition.

The MOMS Act is led by Senators Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Kevin Cramer (R-N.Dak.). As of today, the legislation’s cosponsor list has grown to 22, and includes Senators Roger Marshall (R-Kans.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Jerry Moran (R-Kans.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebr.), Mike Rounds (R-S.Dak.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Deb Fischer (R-Nebr.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), John Thune (R-S.Dak.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), John Cornyn (R-Tex.), and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.).

A range of prominent figures on the political left have engaged in intentionally, flagrantly false attacks against the MOMS Act since it was introduced on May 9. This includes the Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, a group of 12 Democrat U.S. Senators, and a host of liberal social media influencers and bloggers.

A USA Today fact check was the first to definitively correct the record, formally rating the claims “false” and describing them as “baseless.” Additional independent fact check organizations have also confirmed the claims are false, including FactCheck.org, PolitiFact, Lead Stories, and VERIFYThis.

This week, the MOMS Act received bipartisan support from Democrats For Life, who in a statement called on their “fellow Democrats to change course and stop attacking and spewing misinformation about this legislation and start supporting it.”

Hayden Laye, Chapter Development Coordinator of Democrats For Life of America, described the MOMS Act as “pro-mother, pro-child, pro-family.”

“The desperate smear campaign against the MOMS Act has been shameful,” said Senator Katie Britt. “Instead of being a part of a commonsense solution that would help vulnerable women, children, and families, some on the left would apparently rather fearmonger and spread intentionally false disinformation. Several of my colleagues who participated in these scare tactics know better, and frankly many of them are better. Their debunked claims were blindly partisan and ultimately only backfired. I’m grateful for the 22 Republican colleagues who have already backed the MOMS Act, and I look forward to continuing to build momentum for this important piece of legislation.  Supporting women throughout their pregnancy and postpartum journey is critically important and worth fighting for — and truly should be bipartisan.”

The MOMS Act would bolster access to a wide range of relevant resources for women, parents, and families, including:

• Mentorship opportunities, including pregnancy and parenting help and case management resources.
• Health and well-being services, including women’s medical services such as obstetrical and gynecological support services for women, breastfeeding, general health services, primary care, and dental care.
• Financial assistance, work opportunities, nutrition assistance, childcare, and education opportunities for parents.
• Material or legal support, including transportation, food, nutrition, clothing, household goods, baby supplies, housing, shelters, maternity homes, tax preparation, legal support for child support, family leave, breastfeeding protections, and custody issues. 
• Recovery and mental health services, including services with respect to addiction or suicide intervention, intimate partner violence, sexual assault, rape, sex trafficking, and counseling for women and families surrounding unexpected loss of a child. 
• Prenatal diagnostic services, including disability support organizations, medical interventions for a baby, perinatal hospice resources, pregnancy and infant loss support, and literature on pregnancy wellness.
• Services providing childcare, adoption, foster care, and short-term childcare services and resources.

Other under-reported provisions in the MOMS Act include that the bill would provide tools for pre-natal and post-natal telehealth appointments by instituting a grant program to purchase necessary medical equipment and technology in rural areas and other medically underserved areas.

In addition to this telehealth grant program, the bill would set up a new Department of Health and Human Services grant program for non-profit entities to assist women, children, and families with numerous important topics, such as:

• Medical care.
• Nutritional services.
• Housing assistance.
• Adoption services.
• Education and employment assistance, including services that support the continuation and completion of high school.
• Child care assistance.
• Parenting education and support services.
• Voluntary substance abuse counseling and treatment.

More information on the MOMS Act can be found here.

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