Republicans in the Senate are pushing for a new child tax credit incentive to recognize and benefit unborn babies by re-introducing the Child Tax Credit for Pregnant Moms Act for deliberation and potential implementation.
Sen. Steve Daines of Montana led the bill's re-introduction with colleagues Deb Fischer, Mitt Romney, Kevin Cramer, Ben Sasse, Mike Lee, Tim Scott, Cindy Hyde-Smith, Josh Hawley, and Marco Rubio. Daines said in a press release that the purpose of the child tax credit payments for pregnant moms is to help cover the expensive costs of the birth and the baby's supplies.
Daines originally proposed this bill during the 115th and 116th sessions. While he failed to gain traction at that time, he has received much support from his co-party mates after putting the legislation for deliberation yet again.
The senator re-introduced the bill on Friday, Jan. 28, 2022. Republican representatives Jason Smith and Doug Lamborn introduced a House version of the bill.
How Much Will Moms Get?
The Child Tax Credit for Pregnant Moms Act will be based on the eligibility and payments before the COVID-19 pandemic tax incentives. Thus, if signed into law, expectant mothers could expect to claim $2,000 for their baby.
Households filing for the benefit must also meet the same income level as the original child tax credit before the pandemic. They will get the payment during tax season only so that some families may claim the $2,000 months after the baby's birth.
Parents may still be eligible for the claim even if the pregnancy ends in a miscarriage or the baby dies during birth. The taxpayers need to prove the pregnancy with a certificate from a qualified doctor.
According to Arielle Kuperberg, a women's gender and sexuality expert from the University of North Carolina Greensboro, the child tax credit for pregnant moms may help those who do not get paid parental leave or maternity leave from work. The money may also be used for prenatal health expenses and medical care, especially if they cannot qualify for Medicaid.
Cramer, who sponsored the bill in the Senate, said that this proposal would allow families to "start off with their best foot forward" before the new baby arrives. Supporters of the bill said that mothers and their babies deserve this incentive as they should be treated with respect and dignity.
A Pro-Life Exercise?
However, critics of the bill said that this is a pro-life exercise that will impact existing laws on abortion. According to Jezebel, if pregnant women claim the tax incentive, they recognize that the fetus inside their womb is a person. Thus, laws supporting abortion could be regarded as murder.
Daines' bill excludes moms from claiming the child tax credit if they had an abortion or if the qualified doctor who confirmed the pregnancy, following a miscarriage or stillbirth, works at a facility that performs an abortion.
The Council on Contemporary Families director at the University of Texas, Jennifer Glass, does not think this bill was intended to help families. Instead, she said that it was created so that the lawmakers may "claim that fetal life has rights" just as much as children who have been born.
