Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act
Where it stands
- Introduced1/9/24
- Passed HousePassed 1/18/24
- Senate
- President
- Law
Passed the House 214–208 on January 18, 2024 (Roll Call 17 →). Received in the Senate on January 22, 2024. No Senate action since.
Set your address to see how your representatives voted.
Roll calls on this bill
- Democratic0 Yea · 208 Nay · 5 Not voting
- Republican214 Yea · 0 Nay · 6 Not voting
- Independent / Other0 Yea · 0 Nay · 0 Not voting
Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act
This bill prohibits the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing (with respect to certain pregnancy centers) a provision of a proposed rule modifying the standard for a state's reasonable use of funds under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.
The proposed rule provides that if ACF identifies a TANF expenditure that does not appear to reasonably accomplish a purpose of TANF then the state must show that it used the funds in a manner that a reasonable person would consider to be within one of the purposes.
The bill prohibits ACF from applying this standard to state expenditures for pregnancy centers that (1) support protecting the life of the mother and the unborn child; and (2) offer resources and services to mothers, fathers, and families, including but relationship counseling, prenatal and pregnancy education, pregnancy testing, diapers, baby clothes, or material supports.
Under current law, TANF funds may be used for any of four purposes, including to prevent and reduce out-of-wedlock pregnancies. In the supplemental information to the proposed rule, ACF states that TANF expenditures for programs that exclusively or primarily provide pregnancy counseling to women only after they become pregnant have a tenuous or nonexistent connection to this purpose and, therefore, likely do not meet the proposed reasonableness standard.
What happens next
The Senate must pass the same text, then it goes to the President.
If it isn't enacted by Jan 3, 2025, it expires when the 118th Congress ends.
All actions (21)
- 1/9/24Introduced in House
- 1/9/24Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
- 1/11/24Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- 1/11/24Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 24 - 18.
- 1/16/24Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Ways and Means. H. Rept. 118-349.
- 1/16/24Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 285.
- 1/17/24Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H155)
- 1/17/24Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 969 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 6914, H.R. 6918 and H. Res. 957. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 6914, H.R. 6918, and H. Res. 957 under a closed rule, with one hour of general debate on each measure. The resolution provides for a motion to recommit on H.R. 6914 and H.R. 6918.
- 1/18/24Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 969. (consideration: CR H201-210)
- 1/18/24Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 6914, H.R. 6918 and H. Res. 957. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 6914, H.R. 6918, and H. Res. 957 under a closed rule, with one hour of general debate on each measure. The resolution provides for a motion to recommit on H.R. 6914 and H.R. 6918.
- 1/18/24DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 6918.
- 1/18/24The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
- 1/18/24Ms. Davids (KS) moved to recommit to the Committee on Ways and Means. (text: CR H210)
- 1/18/24The previous question on the motion to recommit was ordered pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XIX.
- 1/18/24POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on H.R. 6918, the chair put the question on the motion to recommit and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Smith (MO) demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
- 1/18/24Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H226-227)
- 1/18/24On motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 208 - 214 (Roll no. 16).
- 1/18/24Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 214 - 208 (Roll no. 17). (text: CR H201-202)
- 1/18/24On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 214 - 208 (Roll no. 17). (text: CR H201-202)
- 1/18/24Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- 1/22/24Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.