[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 15 (Thursday, January 22, 2026)]
[House]
[Pages H1325-H1330]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PREGNANT STUDENTS' RIGHTS ACT
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.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 1009, the
amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on
Education and Workforce, printed in the bill, is adopted, and the bill,
as amended, is considered read.
The text of the bill, as amended, is as follows:
H.R. 6359
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Pregnant Students' Rights
Act''.
SEC. 2. NOTICE OF PREGNANT STUDENT RIGHTS, ACCOMMODATIONS,
AND RESOURCES.
Section 485 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1092) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(n) Pregnant Students' Rights, Accommodations, and
Resources.--
``(1) In general.--Each institution of higher education
participating in any program under this title shall carry out
the information dissemination activities described in
paragraph (3) for prospective and enrolled students
(including those attending or planning to attend less than
full time) regarding the information described in paragraph
(2) on the rights of, and resources (including protections
and accommodations) for, pregnant students to carry a baby to
term and students who may become pregnant while enrolled at
such institution of higher education to carry a baby to term.
``(2) Information content.--The information described in
this paragraph is the following:
``(A) A list of resources on campus and in the community
that exist to help a pregnant student in carrying the baby to
term and caring for the baby after birth.
``(B) Information about the accommodations available to
help a pregnant student carry the baby to term and parent the
baby after birth.
``(C) Information on how to file a complaint with--
``(i) the Department of Education, if a student believes
there was a violation by the institution of title IX of the
Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.) on
account of such student's determination to carry a baby to
term; and
``(ii) the institution, if a student believes the student
has been discriminated against in violation of such title IX
on account of the student's determination to carry a baby to
term.
``(3) Information dissemination activities.--The
information dissemination activities described in this
paragraph shall include--
``(A) an email to each enrolled student at least once each
academic year; and
``(B) the provision of information--
``(i) in student handbooks, if any;
``(ii) at each orientation for enrolled students;
``(iii) at student health or counseling centers, if any;
and
``(iv) on the publicly available website of the institution
of higher education.
``(4) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this subsection
shall be construed to authorize the Secretary to require the
dissemination of additional information, or establish
additional rights, beyond the information and rights included
in this subsection.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The bill, as amended, shall be debatable for
1 hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority
member of the Committee on Education and Workforce or their respective
designees.
The gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg) and the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Scott) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan.
General Leave
Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and insert extraneous material on H.R. 6359.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Michigan?
There was no objection.
Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
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 reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 6359, the Pregnant
Students' Rights Act.
This bill requires schools to provide pregnant students with
information about on campus and community resources and accommodations
to assist them in carrying a baby to term while they pursue an
education.
Unfortunately, instead of sharing unbiased and comprehensive
information, this bill requires schools to distribute only partial
information about a student's rights under Title IX and selective
information and resources that solely encourage students to carry a
pregnancy to term.
It provides no information about rights and accommodations for
students who may find themselves in a medical situation that requires
an abortion. Now, repeating the idea that comprehensive information
must be provided does not make it true.
Title IX entitles the students to the information, but this bill only
requires some of that information to be provided. Now while the bill's
proponents continue to assert that students are
[[Page H1326]]
unaware of their rights, they provide no justification or evidence that
students are any more or less aware of their rights or accommodations
specific to carrying a child to term. If we are concerned about
students who do not have a full understanding of their rights, then we
should provide all of the information necessary to address their
concerns.
By shielding students from health information, resources, and the
rights that are available to them, Republicans are denying them the
ability to choose what may be best for them and their families.
Mr. Speaker, for these reasons, I urge my colleagues to oppose the
bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
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.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Iowa (Mrs.
Hinson), the sponsor of this commonsense, compassionate, and helpful
bill.
{time} 1540
Mrs. HINSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding time and
for his excellent work in shepherding this bill through the Education
and Workforce Committee.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support my bill, the Pregnant Students'
Rights Act. This is a commonsense piece of legislation because when Roe
v. Wade was rightfully overturned in 2022, the next chapter of the pro-
life movement began. We were all given the opportunity to help
strengthen our support for unborn babies and for new moms.
As a mom of two, this issue is personal for me. I know that when you
are pregnant, there are about a million questions that are going
through your head at any given time. You have the doctors'
appointments. You have new financial responsibilities. Pregnant
students have so much on their plate as they are working to balance
school and have a healthy pregnancy at the same time.
I think it is just unacceptable that so often they would choose
between finishing their education and having their baby, despite the
Title IX protections that are already in place.
Under Title IX, pregnant students have the right to stay in school
and finish their education and achieve their career goals. However, the
academic disparity does exist because of limited resources and support
for pregnant students.
These women may fear institutional reprisal, loss of athletic
scholarships, or even negative impacts on their academic opportunities
and their standing. Those fears and anxieties are not just unjust to
women but they are a poor reflection of how our higher education
institutions treat pregnant students.
Higher education institutions and universities have a responsibility
to empower all their students, all of them, to succeed, including
pregnant students. They deserve to be treated with respect and
surrounded with care and love. That is what this piece of legislation
is designed to do.
I have visited pregnancy resource centers in Iowa and met with so
many of those who have dedicated their cause to life, many of whom have
traveled right here to Washington, D.C., for the March for Life this
weekend. It may be a snowy March for Life this weekend.
It has been inspiring to me to see all of the pro-life community
spring into action to really help our expecting mothers and their
babies to thrive because that is what this movement is all about. It is
about recognizing the sanctity of every life and valuing life at every
stage.
It is crucial pregnant women know they have people standing behind
them, resources available to them, and that they are entitled to these
accommodations on campus. Completing an education as a mother is not
only empowering for the student but vital to ensuring a strong future
for her child, for our next generation.
The Pregnant Students' Rights Act amends the Higher Education Act to
require our colleges and universities to clearly distribute information
about pregnant students' rights and available resources through student
handbooks, emails, websites, and orientations, while promoting
accountability when those students' rights are violated.
It is troubling that some of my colleagues on the other side of the
aisle are so dug in on their pro-abortion stances and agenda that they
would oppose providing pregnant students with information on their
rights and resources available to them to continue their education and
have a healthy pregnancy.
Supporting women who choose life should not be a partisan issue.
Every woman who completes her studies while pregnant strengthens our
families, our communities, and our workforce. I hope my colleagues
across the aisle will help to vote to empower pregnant students and
support this vital life-affirming legislation.
Mr. Speaker, this bill is a step in the right direction to creating a
culture of life in our society and a step that we must take as we
continue to pursue policies that help our families to grow and thrive
from Iowa and beyond across the country.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentlewoman from Georgia (Mrs. McBath).
Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member of the Education
and Workforce Committee, Mr. Bobby Scott, for yielding time.
Mr. Speaker, like so many women across the country, I struggled for
so many years to get pregnant. My husband and I tried everything that
we could do to start a family of our own. Being a mom for me was what I
always wanted to do. I wanted to be the best mom that I could be.
When we finally succeeded, I remember that I had never really been so
happy. All the prayers I prayed to God, I finally felt like my prayers
were answered. The moment I prayed for, for years, was happening. I
wanted to tell everyone that I was going to be a mom, but one day I
woke up covered in blood.
It is hard to describe the agony of a miscarriage. It is hard to
describe the heartbreak and the utter helplessness. You fall directly
into pain and despair.
After my second miscarriage, I wondered if God ever had plans for me
to be a mom. When I got pregnant a third time, I was completely
overjoyed. At 4 months, I was rushed to the hospital where I learned I
had suffered a fetal demise. That means a stillborn.
My doctors thought it would be safer to end the pregnancy naturally.
For 2 weeks, I carried my stillborn child within my womb, within my
belly. For 2 weeks, I carried that lost pregnancy.
For 2 weeks, I carried my dead fetus as they waited for me to go into
labor. I never ended up going into labor on my own. When the doctors
finally induced me, I faced the pain of childbirth without the hope for
a living child.
This story is uniquely mine, but it is not just my story. Millions of
women in our country--women in this room, women all throughout America,
women that people here actually know and love--have suffered a
miscarriage or stillbirth.
Congress should be making sure that women are aware of all of their
rights, not just cherry-picking the ones that we want to highlight over
others to make a point about abortion.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to
the gentlewoman from Georgia.
Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, for the women in your life whose stories
you don't even know, for the women across the country whose lives you
may not even understand--the choices and the environments that they
live in--and for the women in America who have gone through things some
people can never even imagine, I ask my colleagues to vote ``no'' on
this misguided bill.
[[Page H1327]]
It is not that we are not trying to empower women who are making
choices during their pregnancy. That is not it at all. Let's make sure
that they are empowered with every tool, every resource, and every bit
of information they deserve to make the choices they need to make about
their lives, their bodies, and their pregnancies.
This body should not determine what decisions they make for
themselves. We talk about God. God gives us choice. God gives us choice
to make the decisions that we believe are best for ourselves. We have
no right to take those choices away from them.
Mr. Speaker, I ask every colleague on the other side of the aisle--I
have been there. I have had to make choices. Let's do the right thing
and make sure that every woman has the full breadth of the ability to
make the choices that she needs to make.
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.
{time} 1550
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs.
Miller), chair of the Congressional Family Caucus and also a member of
the Education and Workforce Committee.
Mrs. MILLER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of
H.R. 6359, the Pregnant Students' Rights Act.
Mr. Speaker, college can be a challenging environment, especially for
pregnant women. Many feel forced to choose between motherhood and their
education. Nearly 30 percent of all abortions in the United States are
performed on women in college.
Title IX already protects the right of pregnant women to stay in
school. However, many of them face a lack of resources and support.
Some even fear punishment and a loss of scholarships simply for
carrying their baby to full term while taking classes.
The Pregnant Students' Rights Act requires colleges and universities
to inform pregnant women of their rights and protections. This includes
information on modified class schedules or excused absences.
This bill also requires universities to inform pregnant women how to
file a complaint with the Department of Education if their Title IX
protections are violated. Let me be clear: No woman should ever have to
choose between finishing her education or experiencing the joy of
motherhood.
To my colleague on the other side, I have had a similar situation
also, but I do want to thank her for acknowledging that the life within
her was a baby. Women are fully capable of raising children and getting
an education at the same time. I know because I did it.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Hinson for her leadership on the
Pregnant Students' Rights Act.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Randall).
Ms. RANDALL. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Scott for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 6359, a bill
that claims to protect pregnant students but actually mandates that
they get less, not more information about their rights.
If the sponsor of this bill and the majority party actually believed
in supporting student parents, then they would take real action, not
just grandstand on the House floor because the March for Life is this
weekend.
The bill before us today requires the dissemination of incomplete
information, but it also comes after House Republicans have worked
alongside the Trump regime to dismantle and weaken the Department of
Education and protections for students who file complaints around Title
IX violations, among other things.
It has dismantled subsidized loan programs and financial aid. It has
decimated Medicaid, the number one payer for births in this country, in
order to pay for tax breaks for the ultrawealthy and fund ICE's violent
reign in our communities.
If we believed in supporting student parents, we would put more money
into childcare subsidies, more money into financial aid, and more money
into food assistance so that the women in college, the people who are
students who get pregnant, who have a tough decision to make, would
have all of the resources and support they need to make the decision
that is right for them.
It is not our job to tell a student what decision is right for them.
It is not our job to tell any high school graduate that they need to go
to college, right? I hear Republicans say that all the time. I tend to
agree. I believe that students deserve all of the options and all of
the support to make the choice that is right for them.
Yet mandating incomplete information while gutting the programs that
would allow a pregnant student to choose to stay pregnant and to choose
to complete school is a fallacy. It is political theater, and it is
doing a disservice to the students who we are purporting to support.
I have had a chance to work with a lot of students who have become
pregnant, both from around the time I was in junior high, when a friend
of mine had a pregnancy scare, to a time when I was in college, to
being a volunteer in the bay area where I was on a rapid response line
in case someone needed to take a bus 3\1/2\ hours from their college
campus into the city. That is because that was the only place they
could access either maternity care, OB/GYN care, or access abortion
care. We have not funded healthcare in rural communities across the
country. We have gutted programs that provide actual support for
pregnant people.
This is a joke. This let's make sure they get an email with all of
the information. It is unserious.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill
and to take serious action to support students, pregnant or not.
Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
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.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume. First, I suggest that that big, ugly bill gave tax cuts
primarily to the wealthy, but, meanwhile, it cut healthcare, Medicaid,
SNAP benefits, and ran up trillions of dollars in additional debt.
Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter from over 50
organizations representing civil rights, labor organizations, youth
advocates, women's rights, reproductive rights, and others.
January 20, 2026.
Hon. Mike Johnson,
Speaker, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Hakeem Jeffries,
Minority Leader, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Speaker Johnson and Leader Jeffries: We, the
undersigned organizations, represent a diverse group of
advocates and experts dedicated to advancing civil rights
protections and institutional resources for pregnant and
parenting students. We write
[[Page H1328]]
to share our opposition to the Pregnant Students' Rights
Act--a thinly veiled anti-abortion law which would not
address the key barriers to pregnant students' educational
attainment, but would instead further shame and stigmatize
people for their pregnancy outcomes.
This bill that purports to ``protect the rights of pregnant
students'' falls far short of the protections that are
actually necessary for pregnant and parenting students and
their children.
More than 3 million undergraduate students in the United
States are parents, which is nearly one in five. Despite
earning higher GPAs than non-parenting students, parenting
college students are less likely to graduate. This is not due
to personal failing, but rather a lack of institutional
support and recognition of the unique barriers to college
completion for parenting students. Pregnant and parenting
students often experience feeling disconnected from the
larger education community and are not aware of who they can
speak to when they experience discrimination because of their
pregnancy or parenting status.
Students who are pregnant and/or parents deserve to
complete their education free from bias and harassment, in
environments that support them on their educational journeys.
Unfortunately, pregnant and parenting students are routinely
stigmatized, discriminated against, and denied the resources,
accommodations, and support they need to thrive in their
educational institutions. Many pregnant students risk their
health or the health of their pregnancies, because they are
unaware of their right to accommodations, including leaves of
absence, lactation accommodations, academic adjustments--
including virtual learning and extensions on completing
assignments--financial aid eligibility, and child care.
Ensuring that students are informed about their educational
institution's policies that can further their academic
achievement while also supporting their health and caregiving
needs is an important step in addressing the systemic
barriers that can keep pregnant and parenting students from
graduating.
Unfortunately, the proposed bill would do little to
mitigate these harms and instead risks further stigmatizing
pregnant and parenting students. The proposed bill relies on
anti-abortion language and seeks to limit students'
reproductive healthcare decisions. This language is part of a
political ploy that the anti-abortion movement hopes to use
to further its case for a national abortion ban now that the
Supreme Court has overturned the federal constitutional right
to abortion care as established in Roe v. Wade. Furthermore,
the bill language undermines existing legal protections under
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) for
pregnant students experiencing a range of outcomes related to
their pregnancies.
Our belief in personal autonomy and respect for every
person's capacity to make their own decisions--including
whether to continue their pregnancy or not--is at the core of
our work to support pregnant and parenting students. This
bill does not contain any meaningful supports that would
actually help pregnant and parenting students be able to
remain enrolled and meet their educational goals.
Such supports are critically needed, and include:
Explicit protections under Title IX
Nondiscrimination protections at the state and local level
Accessible and affordable child care, and increased funding
for on-campus child care
Access to early education and pre-kindergarten services
Transportation access
Support for basic needs, including food, housing, clothing,
etc.
Flexible school attendance policies
Lactation accommodations
Less stigma and shame around young parenthood
Increased accountability measures for institutions who fail
to protect pregnant and parenting students
Federal funding to support campus Title IX offices' work to
prevent and investigate discrimination against pregnant
students
Mandatory data collection on student parents to help
institutions better target supports and meet the unique needs
of this population
As mentioned above, pregnant and parenting students do face
stigma and need adequate resources to combat discrimination.
However, the Pregnant Students' Rights Act contains
little more than a hollow directive for these students to
file complaints with the Department of Education, which
the Trump Administration has been systematically
decimating since taking office, even promising to
dismantle the agency. A series of Executive Orders issued
early in 2025 substantially impacted the Department's
enforcement of civil rights laws, by prioritizing
weaponizing these laws to advance discrimination instead
of protecting students, including pregnant and parenting
students. Education Secretary Linda McMahon fired nearly
half of Department staff--with the Office for Civil Rights
(OCR), which is responsible for ensuring schools comply
with federal civil rights laws, being particularly
impacted. And Secretary McMahon also closed most of OCR's
twelve regional offices that have responsibility to
investigate alleged violations of civil rights laws.
Directing pregnant students to an institution that has
been gutted by the current Administration is little more
than lip service.
There is an alternate path forward. We applaud the
bipartisan legislation put forward by Representatives Lucy
McBath, Deborah Ross, and Don Bacon: the Understanding
Student Parent Outcomes Act of 2025. This bill would make a
meaningful difference by allowing essential data collection
on the barriers to college graduation for pregnant and
parenting students. Legislation like this is necessary to
ensure that pregnant and parenting students can complete
their education and that they and their families are
protected.
Although pregnant and parenting students face many
roadblocks, they can thrive when their educational
institutions listen to them, support them, and prevent
discrimination against them, While balancing their health,
caregiving responsibilities, and educational goals is
challenging, these added responsibilities often renew
students' dedication to their studies. While the decision to
parent and/or continue pregnancy is a personal one, the
barriers that pregnant and parenting students face are not.
This proposed bill would reinforce structural and
institutional bias and scrutiny of the decisions students
make regarding their personal lives.
We welcome the opportunity to have an open dialogue with
the sponsors of the ``Pregnant Students' Rights Act'' and
with any other members of Congress who are ready to be the
champion that pregnant and parenting students in our nation
need and deserve.
Sincerely,
Advocates for Youth, AFT, AFL-CIO, All* in Action Fund,
American Association of University Women (AAUW), American
Atheists, American Civil Liberties Union, American Humanist
Association, Center for Reproductive Rights, Clearinghouse on
Women's Issues, End Rape On Campus, Equal Rights Advocates,
Feminist Majority, Girls for Gender Equity, Guttmacher
Institute, Healthy Teen Network, Ibis Reproductive Health,
Just Solutions, Justice and Joy National Collaborative, Know
Your IX, Legal Momentum, the Women's Legal Defense &
Education Fund.
MANA, A National Latina Organization, MomsRising, National
Council of Jewish Women, National Education Association,
National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association,
National Institute for Reproductive Health, National Latina
Institute for Reproductive Justice, National Network of
Abortion Funds, National Organization for Women, National
Organization of API Ending Sexual Violence, National
Partnership for Women & Families, National Women's Law Center
Action Fund, National Women's Political Caucus, New America
Higher Education Policy Program, Physicians for Reproductive
Health, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Positive
Women's Network-USA, Power to Decide, Public Justice,
Reproaction.
Reproductive Freedom for All, Rocky Mountain Victim Law
Center, SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change, Stop Sexual Assault
in Schools, Tahirih Justice Center, The Pregnant Scholar at
WorkLife Law, Transgender Law Center, UltraViolet Action,
Union for Reform Judaism, University Survivors Movement,
Women Employed, Women of Reform Judaism, Women's Law Project.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, they describe the Pregnant
Students' Rights Act as: ``a thinly veiled anti-abortion law which
would not address key barriers to pregnant students' educational
attainment, but would instead further shame and stigmatize people for
their pregnancy outcomes.''
They further say: ``This bill that purports to `protect the rights of
pregnant students' falls far short of the protections that are actually
necessary for pregnant and parenting students and their children.''
It points out that if you really want to be serious, there are some
things that we could actually do to support the students, such as:
explicit protections under Title IX; nondiscrimination protections at
the State and local level; accessible and affordable childcare; access
to early childhood education and pre-kindergarten services;
transportation services; and others that would actually make a
difference.
Mr. Speaker, we have constantly heard that they are providing
comprehensive information and not amending Title IX. The fact is that
Title IX does have comprehensive rights that are listed under Title IX
that are comprehensive.
This bill, however, only requires partial information about those
rights. When only partial information is given, that could have fatal
consequences to women. Tragically, women have died because of anti-
abortion legislation that was passed in some States that require women
to be close to death before they can have what could have been a safe
abortion if performed earlier. If they mistime it and get closer to
death than they thought, many have actually died in those
circumstances.
Legislators voted for those laws. We have to note that we should not
allow colleges to withhold information that could save women's lives.
[[Page H1329]]
Mr. Speaker, I would hope that this bill would not pass under that
situation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1600
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
Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici).
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Scott for his
leadership and for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I oppose this bill because, among other reasons, the
information that is required is incomplete and biased.
As written, the Pregnant Students' Rights Act is unfairly limited
regarding the information it requires colleges to provide to students
and the students it chooses to support. It does not include information
about comprehensive family planning resources, and it only supports
pregnant students who carry a baby to term.
Simply put, the bill fails to support any student with a different
pregnancy-related outcome.
I, like my colleague from Georgia, had a wanted pregnancy. I was past
the first trimester when I had an ultrasound, and the doctor said this
was not viable, not a viable pregnancy, so they sent me to the hospital
to have a procedure.
My colleagues might think that is terrible, but had I been in a post-
Dobbs world or a State where that wasn't possible, I could have just
been made to wait and risk my reproductive health. I went on to have
two healthy children because I had that procedure.
The intent of this bill is clear, Mr. Speaker. It is clear from the
text. It is clear from the debate. It is certainly clear from the
timing. It is another attempt to have politicians interfere in the
intensely personal decision of when and whether to have a child, a
decision that should be made only by the pregnant student, not by
Members of Congress.
In the wake of Dobbs, many States have prohibited or tried to
prohibit healthcare providers and health plans from offering or
covering certain reproductive healthcare services. These anti-abortion
efforts have disproportionately harmed some students whose access to
services and information is affected by their geographical barriers,
depending on where they are in college.
Pregnant and parenting students deserve access to a full range of
family planning resources and reproductive healthcare options that keep
them healthy and on track for academic success, regardless of where
they go to college.
For this reason, Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time, I will offer a
motion to recommit this bill back to the committee. If the House rules
permitted, I would have offered the motion with an important amendment
to this bill.
My amendment would make clear that institutions of higher education
will also provide medically accurate and comprehensive information and
resources about all reproductive healthcare services, including
contraception and abortion rights.
The biased, anti-choice effort underpinning this bill will make it
harder for students to make informed decisions about what is best for
them. Promoting partisan legislation that fails to address the full
healthcare needs of students does not promote academic success.
Again, Mr. Speaker, this is a decision that belongs to the pregnant
student, not to Members of Congress.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert into the Record the
text of this amendment immediately prior to the motion to recommit.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Oregon?
There was no objection.
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in
voting for the motion to recommit.
Mr. WALBERG. I am prepared to close, Mr. Speaker, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my
time.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v.
Wade, State abortion bans have undermined healthcare for pregnant
women, causing women to experience life-threatening health conditions
and complications, with some women tragically losing their lives
because of laws that legislators voted for.
Now, House Republicans are going to make things worse by limiting
students' access to information about available resources, including
information about their right to receive accommodations and protections
under Federal civil rights laws available to pregnant or parenting
students on college campuses. Women should have access to all relevant
information so they can make informed decisions about their futures.
By requiring schools to provide only some information that encourages
students to carry a pregnancy to term, this bill could unduly endanger
students' health by keeping them in the dark about their rights and
resources available to them.
The supporters keep saying that they are not amending Title IX, which
entitles students to all of this information. They keep ignoring the
fact that this bill only requires that some, not all, of that important
information be provided. Repeating a misrepresentation does not make it
true.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose the bill, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 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.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
Pursuant to House Resolution 1009, the previous question is ordered
on the bill, as amended.
[[Page H1330]]
The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was
read the third time.
Motion to Recommit
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the motion to
recommit.
The Clerk read as follows:
Ms. Bonamici of Oregon moves to recommit the bill H.R. 6359
to the Committee on Education and Workforce.
The material previously referred to by Ms. Bonamici is as follows:
Ms. Bonamici of Oregon moves to recommit the bill H.R. 6359
to the Committee on Education and Workforce with instructions
to report the same back to the House forthwith, with the
following amendment:
Page 5, line 13, strike the quotation mark and period at
the end.
Page 5, after line 13, insert the following:
``(5) Additional rule of construction.--Nothing in this
subsection shall be construed to prevent an institution of
higher education from providing medically accurate and
comprehensive information and resources about sexual and
reproductive health services, including information and
resources related to contraception and abortion, to
prospective and enrolled students.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XIX, the
previous question is ordered on the motion to recommit.
The question is on the motion to recommit.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the noes appeared to have it.
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
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