The U.S. House passed legislation (HR 6945) allowing states to use federal grant funds, like TANF, for pregnancy resource centers. Another bill (HR 6359) moving through Congress would mandate that federally funded colleges inform students about resources for continuing pregnancies while pursuing education. Senator John Kennedy introduced legislation (Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act) making it a crime to transport a minor across state lines for an abortion without parental knowledge. Legislative activity supporting pro-life measures is increasing in Congress coinciding with the 2026 March for Life.
about 1 month ago
Pro-life legislation is advancing rapidly in Congress as the 2026 March for Life begins.1 2 3
The U.S. House passed two key bills this week with narrow margins.1 4
HR 6945, the Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act, passed the House 215-209 on January 21.1 4
Sponsored by Rep. Michelle Fischbach, R-Minn., it allows states to use TANF funds for pregnancy resource centers offering testing, counseling, supplies, and more.4 5
A Senate vote may follow soon.1
Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., hailed centers for affirming life and supporting women.1 2 3
HR 6359, the Pregnant Students’ Rights Act by Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, passed 217-211 on January 22.1 4
It mandates colleges receiving federal aid to inform students of resources, accommodations, and rights for carrying pregnancies to term.1 4
Kristan Hawkins of Students for Life Action called it a chance to highlight alternatives to abortion.1 2 3
A Senate version is slated for a vote next week.4 5
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., introduced the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act on January 21, criminalizing transport of minors across state lines for abortions without parental notice.1 2 3
Cosponsors include Sens. Moody, Cassidy, Cramer, Daines, Fischer, Lankford, and Ricketts.1
A House companion, HR 4964 by Rep. Dave Taylor, R-Ohio, was filed in August 2025.1 2 3
Lawmakers emphasized protections against abuse and trafficking.1
Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., introduced SB 6 on January 15.1 2 3
It requires care for infants born alive after failed abortions, matching standards for other newborns, with hospital transfer and penalties up to five years in prison for neglect.1
Lankford described neglect as "infanticide."1 2 3
Three USCCB chairmen—Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre (Domestic Justice), Bishop David M. O’Connell (Catholic Education), and Bishop Daniel E. Thomas (Pro-Life)—praised both student rights and pregnancy center bills on January 23.4 5
They stressed that support enables mothers to welcome children without false choices.4 5
O’Connell and Thomas urged passage in a January 22 letter, noting pressures on pregnant students.4 5
Such aid from centers and campuses can be "life-saving."4 5
Assess Catholic teachings on state support for pregnant students
Catholic teaching affirms the inherent dignity of every human person, rooted in their creation in the image and likeness of God, which demands respect for their rights and the promotion of conditions that support human flourishing. This dignity is equal for men and women, reflecting God's wisdom, and extends to the unborn child as well as the pregnant mother. Society, including the state, has a moral obligation to recognize these rights as prior to its own structures, forming the basis of legitimate authority. Without such respect, authority loses moral legitimacy and resorts to force. The pursuit of the common good is essential, requiring institutions that improve human life conditions, particularly for the vulnerable like pregnant women.
The Church's social doctrine emphasizes that the state must foster policies supporting family life, especially amid challenges like pregnancy. Work and family mutually influence each other, so policy choices should prioritize family support. Popes have repeatedly called for employment circumstances aiding families with children. Pope Francis notes the state's duty to enact laws ensuring young people's future and family formation. Pope John Paul II stressed organizing labor to respect personal needs, including family life, age, and sex, allowing women to fulfill tasks without discrimination or sacrificing family roles, where mothers have an irreplaceable part. True advancement for women structures labor so they do not abandon their specific contributions at family's expense.
This extends to education, where pregnant students—often young and facing similar vulnerabilities as workers—deserve analogous support. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) endorsed the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), requiring reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers (e.g., those with 15+ employees), protecting against denial of opportunities, forced leave, or retaliation. Such measures create safer environments for pregnant women, nursing mothers, and unborn children, aligning with Catholic teaching post-Dobbs to bolster pregnant women and families. While focused on workers, the principle applies broadly: society must provide "life-giving alternatives to abortion" like support programs for pregnant women, especially the poor. Counseling centers aiding pregnant women in crises, saving unborn lives, exemplify this, with the Church urged to maximize state-offered action out of love for the unborn.
Catholic support for such state measures is principled, not unconditional. The PWFA explicitly avoids requiring employers to cover abortions, sterilizations, or contraception, and includes Title VII exemptions for religious employers' faith-based decisions. Additional safeguards like the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and First Amendment protect religious entities. Church teaching opposes any policy legitimizing abortion, the deliberate killing of the unborn, as a preeminent threat to dignity—never morally acceptable. Instead, promote childbirth, adoption, poverty alleviation, healthcare, and assistance for pregnant women and families. Procreation must respect the conjugal act's unity and human dignity, rejecting technology's domination over life's origins.
Though sources address workers more directly, Catholic principles universalize: states should aid pregnant students through accommodations (e.g., flexible scheduling, health support) enabling education continuation without choosing between studies and motherhood. This echoes calls for comprehensive aid—healthcare, palliative care, poverty relief—honoring life's sanctity from conception. The Church prioritizes protecting unborn life and maternal dignity as the "primary and decisive criterion" for policy. In Japan or elsewhere, analogous policies (e.g., maternity leave, counseling) align if they promote life without endorsing moral evils.
In summary, Catholic teaching unequivocally supports state measures aiding pregnant students, grounded in human dignity, common good, and family primacy, while rejecting abortion facilitation. Such policies fortify life-affirming choices, urging society to "put children and families first."