HYDE-SMITH HELPS INTRODUCE ‘MOMS ACT’

HYDE-SMITH HELPS INTRODUCE 'MOMS ACT'

Cosponsors Legislation Aimed at Building Culture of Life, Supporting Women & Families

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) on Thursday helped introduce legislation to provide critical support to women during typically challenging phases of motherhood: prenatal, postpartum, and early childhood development.

Introduced in advance of Mother's Day by U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.), the More Opportunities for Moms to Succeed (MOMS) Act (S.4296) would also increase access to public and private resources and assistance to help mothers and their children thrive.

"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 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."

"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 mother of school-aged children in the U.S. Senate.

If enacted, the resources and programs authorized by the MOMS Act would help Mississippi overcome some of the disparities outlined in a 2023 March of Dimes report that found that 51.2 percent of its counties are defined as maternity care deserts, compared to 32.6 percent nationally. The report also found that almost a quarter of Mississippi women had no birthing hospital within 30 minutes and that almost 14 percent of pregnant women received no or inadequate prenatal care.

The MOMS Act would (section-by-section):

Establish "Pregnancy.gov" as a federal clearinghouse of resources available to expecting and postpartum moms, as well as those with young children.

• The 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.
• 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.

• 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.
• 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.

U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.Dak.), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kans.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Jerry Moran (R-Kans.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), and Mike Rounds (R-S.Dak.) are also original cosponsors of the MOMS Act.

The MOMS Act has been endorsed by Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, Americans United for Life, March for Life Action, the National Right to Life Committee, and the Family Policy Alliance.

In January, Hyde-Smith also introduced the Pregnancy Center Support Act, which would implement a 50 percent tax credit to incentivize voluntary contributions to pregnancy centers.

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