A bill filed in the U.S. Congress would expand child tax credits to include babies still in the womb.
Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) submitted the legislation in their respective chambers.
The Providing for Life Act of 2023 would “provide support and assistance to unborn children, pregnant women, parents, and families.”
Specifically, the bill would expand the Child Tax Credit to allow pregnant women to claim tax credits for their unborn children. It would also increase the credit allocation to $4,500 for children under 6 and $3,500 for those ages 7 to 18.
“The Providing for Life Act charts the policy course for a culture of life in America,” Rep. Hinson asserted in a press release.
“By expanding the Child Tax Credit to include the unborn and provide additional relief to working families, empowering women to care for their babies and families regardless of socioeconomic status or zip code, and expanding access to community resources, we can protect the most vulnerable, make a meaningful difference for those in need, and strengthen all families,” Hinson continued.
“I want to thank Senator Rubio for leading this important legislation in the Senate, and I look forward to building consensus around this comprehensive, pro-family plan,” she concluded.
Sen. Rubio, who filed the companion bill in the Senate, added, “Supporting pregnant mothers and their unborn children is essential, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because America’s continued strength depends on the next generation.”
“This comprehensive legislation will provide real assistance for American parents and children in need. We need policies like these to show America that conservatives are pro-life across the board,” he suggested.
In support of the bill, Marilyn Musgrave, the vice president of government affairs for Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, said, “From the moment a woman learns she is pregnant, throughout her pregnancy, and after her child is born, every mother deserves the support and critical resources she needs to care for herself and her baby.”
“The Providing for Life Act both recognizes the humanity of unborn children and helps address the challenges moms and families face so they can make life-affirming decisions and thrive,” she continued.
Others, however, expressed disapproval of the bill.
Bill Prady, one of the creators of the popular sitcom The Big Bang Theory, denounced the plan on social media, asking, “How would this insane plan actually work? On the honor system? With an IRS employee administering the pregnancy test?”
“These people are insane,” he added.