(Pregnancy Help News) The leaders of the U.S. Congress’s pro-life caucuses are leading bicameral opposition to the Biden Administration’s proposed rule targeting pregnancy centers for denial of federal funding to help women facing unplanned pregnancy.
In October the Biden Administration had released a Proposed Rule Change for the TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) program, a federal assistance program that gives cash assistance to American families in need through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Numerous states give TANF funds to pregnancy help organizations because they help to meet some or all the TANF program’s goals.
The Biden Administration’s Proposed Rule Change, “Strengthening Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) as a Safety Net and Work Program,” targets pregnancy centers and alternatives to abortion programs, threatening to strip them of funds allocated through the states.
Without citing any evidence that pregnancy centers are unlawfully using federal funds for non-TANF purposes, the Proposed Rule Change targets pregnancy centers, completely dismissing the work that pregnancy help organizations do in the other areas, arguing that because pregnancy centers help women after they have become pregnant, instead of having a sole focus on pregnancy prevention, that the centers should not be eligible for TANF funds.
The Proposed Rule Change appears to give HHS the power to determine which organizations can receive TANF funds at its sole discretion, retracting that authority from the states.
U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) and U.S. Representative Christopher H. Smith (R-N.J.-04), chairs of the Senate and House Pro-Life Caucuses, respectively, sent a letter signed by 11 Senators and 19 Members of the U.S. House in early December condemning the Proposed Rule Change and asking HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra to immediately withdraw the Proposed Rule.
“Women deserve better than abortion and should receive support when they choose life for their babies,” the Congress Members wrote to Becerra. “For decades, pregnancy centers have stood in the gap and generously provided free assistance to women, babies, and families in their moments of need—actions aligned with TANF’s purposes.”
“The Proposed Rule, however, would undermine the TANF program and threaten to strip millions of dollars in support for pregnant women and their unborn babies through pregnancy centers, maternity homes, and alternatives to abortion programs,” they said. “We urge you to withdraw the Proposed Rule immediately.”
In the letter the lawmakers walked through the history of the TANF program and its four purposes:
(1) provide assistance to needy families so that children may be cared for in their own homes or in the homes of relatives;
(2) end the dependence of needy parents on government benefits by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage;
(3) prevent and reduce the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies and establish annual numerical goals for preventing and reducing the incidence of these pregnancies; and
(4) encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent families.
The Proposed Rule Change targets pregnancy centers via Purpose Three, specifics of which are available HERE.
The pro-life officials then noted in their letter to Becerra how TANF was formed to allow for the states to administer the funds to address the root causes of poverty at the local level, stating, “TANF’s design reflects Congress’ intent to provide flexibility for States to achieve these purposes, while also ensuring States contribute their own funds under the maintenance of effort requirement.”
Hyde-Smith and Smith and their pro-life colleagues detailed the many services and forms of support delivered by the nation’s 2,700-plus pregnancy centers, stating that they, “provide help, hope, and healing to countless women and families in need, with almost two million people served in 2019.”
They also pointed out the pregnancy centers’ fiscal benefit to U.S. taxpayers.
“Significantly, pregnancy centers save taxpayers many millions of dollars through the work they perform for free, through volunteers and donors, reducing the need for services that would otherwise be provided by the government at the expense of taxpayers,” the legislators wrote in the letter. “The free services and material assistance provided by pregnancy centers had a conservative estimated value of over $266 million in 2019.”
Eighteen states have established alternatives to abortions programs, they said, which usually support pregnancy centers, adoption agencies, maternity homes, and other pertinent social service partners. At least five states give part of their TANF funds to these programs (together totaling millions of dollars each year), including Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio, and Pennsylvania….
Read entire article at Pregnancy Help News.
Editor’s note: Heartbeat International manages Pregnancy Help News. This article was originally published at Pregnancy Help News and is reprinted here with permission.
