U.S. Senators Katie Britt, Marco Rubio, Kevin Cramer Introduce MOMS Act to Help Build Culture of Life, Support Women, Strengthen Families
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 9, 2024 — Ahead of Mother’s Day this Sunday, U.S. Senators Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Kevin Cramer (R-N.Dak.) today are introducing the More Opportunities for Moms to Succeed (MOMS) Act. This legislation would provide critical support to women during typically challenging phases of motherhood – prenatal, postpartum, and early childhood development – and bolster access to resources and assistance to help mothers and their children thrive.
This comes at an important moment. The number of U.S. births in 2023 was the lowest since 1979, according to provisional CDC data, and the total fertility rate in America hit an all-time low last year.
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.) have cosponsored the MOMS Act.
“As a mom, I know firsthand that there is no greater blessing in life than our children and understand the types of challenges that women face during their pregnancy journeys and while raising their kids. I’m proud to support women throughout these seasons of motherhood. This legislation is further evidence that you can absolutely be pro-life, pro-woman, and pro-family at the same time. The MOMS Act advances a comprehensive culture of life, grows and strengthens families, and ensures moms have the opportunities and resources needed so they and their children can thrive and live their American Dreams,” said Senator Britt, the only Republican mom of school-aged children in the U.S. Senate.
“Being pro-life means being pro-mother. We need to work towards passing legislation that helps mothers before, during, and after pregnancy,” said Senator Rubio.
“Being pro-life means valuing both mother and child,” said Senator Cramer. “The financial strain of pregnancy and raising a family is real. Our MOMS Act helps provide pregnant women with the resources they need at all stages of motherhood. I’m glad to join Senators Britt and Rubio in this effort to empower women and advance a culture of life.”
“As an OB/GYN who spent 25 years caring for thousands of mothers throughout their pregnancies, I know firsthand how important it is to provide the necessary support and care,” said Senator Marshall, co-chair of the Senate Values Action Team. “The MOMs Act provides a one-stop-shop on everything women need to have a successful pregnancy and beyond. I am proud to stand beside Senator Britt in sponsoring this much-needed pro-mother legislation.”
“Raising kids takes a village, and we should be doing everything we can to support new moms before and after they welcome a new baby. I’m glad to join Senator Britt in introducing this bill that will help both moms and their children thrive,” said Senator Daines, founder and former chair of the Senate Pro-Life Caucus.
“The best thing about this legislation is that it is completely pro-moms and pro-babies. It would offer women the support they need to have a healthy pregnancy, no matter where they live in this great country,” said Senator Hyde-Smith, chair of the Senate Pro-Life Caucus. “The MOMS Act is affirmation of the pro-life policies to which we recommitted after the Dobbs decision. I’m pleased to support it.”
“New and expectant mothers should have ready access to health care resources. Often, even when the appropriate support exists, it can be difficult to find or get to – especially for women living in rural areas. Our bill addresses these challenges and promotes a pro-mother, pro-family culture by creating an online information hub for moms and improving telehealth capabilities,” Senator Grassley said.
The MOMS Act would:
- Establish Pregnancy.gov – a federal clearinghouse of resources available to expecting and postpartum moms, as well as those with young children.
- This clearinghouse would increase access to adoption agencies, pregnancy resource centers, and other relevant public and private resources available to pregnant women within their zip code and surrounding areas.
- As part of Pregnancy.gov, HHS would be required to include and maintain a national list of federal funding opportunities available to non-profit and healthcare entities for pregnancy support.
- Improve access to pre- and post-natal resources.
- This legislation would establish a grant program for non-profit entities to support, encourage, and assist women in carrying their pregnancies to term; and to care for their babies after birth.
- It would also 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.
- Require states to apply child support obligations to the time period during pregnancy, if so requested by the mother.
The MOMS Act is endorsed by Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, Americans United for Life, March for Life Action, the National Right to Life Committee, the Family Policy Alliance, Democrats for Life of America, and Students for Life Action.
The full text of the bill can be viewed here. A section-by-section of the bill can be found here.
Alabama is especially in need of strengthened support systems for moms. Over a third of the state’s 67 counties are classified as “maternity care deserts,” areas without access to birthing facilities or maternity care providers. Last fall, three Alabama hospitals announced closures of their labor and delivery departments. Additionally, Alabama has the highest maternal mortality rate in the nation at 64.63 deaths per 100,000 births.
Senator Britt has made health care, including maternal care, a top legislative priority during her first 16 months in office. Last month, Senator Britt during a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing questioned U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Xavier Becerra on the President’s proposed FY25 budget for HHS. She highlighted the United States’ maternal mortality crisis and pressed Secretary Becerra on the budget proposal’s reduction in funding to the Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Grants for states, which would negatively impact rural communities trying to provide quality care to mothers and children.
Recently, Senator Britt joined Senator Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) in introducing the NIH IMPROVE Act. Their bipartisan legislation would provide consistent support and resources for the NIH to conduct important research into the causes of America’s maternal mortality crisis and to improve health care and outcomes for women before, during, and after pregnancy.
Additionally, Senator Britt joined Senators Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) in introducing the Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act. This bipartisan legislation would expand access to maternal care by offering support for rural health care facilities and doctors to provide urgent obstetric care. This is especially important for Alabama, as 55 of the state’s 67 counties are considered rural.
Senator Britt also reintroduced the Access to Breast Cancer Diagnosis (ABCD) Act with Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) in September 2023. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation would eliminate copays and other out-of-pocket expenses for breast cancer diagnostic tests, making them more accessible and affordable.
Last December, Senator Britt joined a bipartisan group of 59 of her Senate colleagues in reintroducing the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2023. This bill would expand coverage of telehealth services through Medicare, make permanent COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities, improve health outcomes, and make it easier for patients to connect with their doctors, especially important in rural areas.
Additionally, she cosponsored two pieces of bipartisan legislation to help all Alabamians access insulin. They include the Affordable Insulin Now Act of 2023, which would cap the price of insulin for all patients, including those who are uninsured, at $35 for a 30-day supply; and the Improving Needed Safeguards for Users of Lifesaving Insulin Now (INSULIN) Act of 2023, which would comprehensively address the skyrocketing costs of insulin, removing barriers to care and making it more accessible for millions more Americans.
Senator Britt, along with Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), also introduced the Youth Mental Health Research Act to create a national Youth Mental Health Research Initiative to guide long-term mental health care efforts, better target preventive interventions for those at risk of developing mental health challenges, and improve treatments for children.
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