Pregnant Students' Rights Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1009, I call up the bill (H.R. 6359) to require institutions of higher education to disseminate information on the rights of, and accommodations and resources for, pregnant students, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
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Mr. WALBERG. 6359.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Pregnant Students' Rights Act, legislation that affirms a simple but powerful principle: Expecting mothers should be encouraged to pursue their education like any other student.
Pregnant students often receive incorrect guidance or no guidance at all on how to navigate classes while pregnant. In many cases, women feel pressured to end their pregnancies or risk academic failure despite protections that exist now under Federal law.
The Pregnant Students' Rights Act requires schools to clearly communicate what accommodations and protections pregnant and parenting students are entitled to. That includes excused absences for medical needs, the ability to make up missed work, and protection from discrimination and retaliation.
More specifically, this bill requires information to be emailed to students at least once each academic year and appear in student handbooks at orientation, at student health or counseling centers, and on the institution's website. When students know their rights, they are empowered to stay enrolled, stay engaged, and succeed.
This legislation doesn't burden colleges. It simply increases transparency by helping schools communicate consistently and avoid confusion or unnecessary disputes.
This is a commonsense, compassionate measure that promotes transparency and ensures pregnant students have the support they need to create a better future for themselves and their child.
Mr. Speaker, let's cherish life for both the child and his or her mother who dreams of academic success. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the Pregnant Students' Rights Act and stand up for the dignity, opportunity, and educational success of every student.
Mr. Speaker, I just have to go back to the same argument that we had in committee.
We don't prohibit schools from giving a full panoply of information. Our concern is that they haven't been.
Pregnant students have been left without full information, full information that comes and is required by law under Title IX on all aspects of medical care, of counseling, and of opportunity. But sadly, that has been left out as far as saying if you are pregnant and you want to continue as pregnant in this school, we are going to support you in that.
Title IX gives all of the information. We are not going to be redundant. We are just making sure that you also include, young lady, if you are pregnant and you want to continue in school, we are going to do our best to help you and provide all the resources. I just wish we could catch hold of this.
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Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, to my dear friend and colleague from Georgia, as she has discussed that tragic story with me before, my heart does break. Having experienced that in my own personal family, as well, I understand what she is saying.
I am just not capable, I guess, of communicating that this bill is affording all the questions to be answered and all of the issue to be addressed. It also gives pregnant women, who are blessed to be able to continue carrying to completion, the opportunity to also know that their academic opportunity will continue, as well. That is all we are attempting to do.
My heart breaks with that story, but my heart also says we want to make sure--that is why I appreciate Representative Hinson's bill--it expands the opportunity for the information that is given.
Mr. Speaker, I will make a few factual comments in response and also provide some information relative to my colleague's previous comments.
Republicans just passed working families tax cuts, which gave American families the largest tax cut in American history. Under the bill, the typical family will get up to $10,900 in additional take-home pay. Households earning less than $100,000 will get a 12 percent tax cut compared to July 2025. Equally as important, if not more so, the child tax credit will double to $2,200 for more than 40 million American families.
That is taking into consideration the children that come from pregnancy who are born. We are not leaving them without resources. The working families tax cuts promotes life by putting hardworking families first, ensuring that they keep their hard-earned money in their pockets for their necessary uses.
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Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a list of significant pro-family, pro-life medical community members, family research members, and students in support of the Pregnant Students' Rights Act. Organizations that Support H.R. 6359, the Pregnant Students' Rights Act
Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America Students for Life Action
National Right to Life Committee
Iowa Right to Life
Concerned Women for America
American Association of Pro-life Obstetricians and Gynecologists (AAPLOG) Action
Heritage Action
Independent Women
Center for Urban Renewal (CURE)
Eagle Forum
Family Research Council
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Mr. WALBERG. I am prepared to close, Mr. Speaker, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to reemphasize that this bill is about ensuring pregnant students know the rights given to them under Title IX, which cover all the concerns that my colleagues, with all due respect, on the other side of the aisle say they want included. Title IX includes all of that.
We want students to know the rights given to them under Title IX without creating excessive regulations or requirements for colleges and universities.
Despite what some of my colleagues have said today, the Pregnant Students' Rights Act doesn't promote a certain viewpoint or ideology. It simply affirms a basic principle, and that principle is that pregnant students deserve to know their rights when pursuing an education.
I don't believe that to be too radical, Mr. Speaker, and I don't believe the American people do either. In fact, for years, many of my Democratic colleagues acknowledged that abortion is a serious and difficult decision and supported efforts to ensure women were not forced into it by a lack of resources or support. They joined in passing legislation to help women who choose to continue their pregnancies. Yet, today, some of those efforts are being undermined unless amendments that explicitly promote abortion are included.
It is deeply disappointing that some of my Democratic colleagues have chosen to turn this straightforward transparency bill into an abortion debate, implying that support for pregnant students is contingent on including pro-abortion provisions. Why must an innocent baby ever be seen as an enemy or obstacle to success?
This bill also does not provide medical advice or dictate what specific resources colleges and universities may list. For that reason, I would encourage those who oppose this legislation on those grounds to carefully re-read the bill's plain language. We all know that when individuals know their rights, they are able to make informed decisions that are best for them, their families, and their futures.
Mr. Speaker, this is why I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.
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