Central ND News

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and U.S. Representative Claudia Tenney (R-NY-24) have reintroduced the Unborn Child Support Act, a bicameral bill aimed at providing support to expecting mothers and their unborn children. The bill would allow mothers to receive child support from the father of their child during pregnancy.

"New mothers and unborn children deserve care from conception, and child support should reflect this. Modifying child support laws to allow pregnant mothers to receive it is commonsense and long overdue," said Senator Cramer.

The Unborn Child Support Act would require judges to consult with mothers on payment plans and give mothers the discretion to decide whether or not child support payments will be awarded retroactively. Additionally, the bill would give mothers the authority to determine if and when paternity tests should be conducted, ensuring the safety and well-being of the child.

"Every human life is important, and expecting mothers should have the physical, emotional, and financial support they need to reflect that," said Congresswoman Tenney. "The Unborn Child Support Act provides mothers with the opportunity to access child support payments during pregnancy while giving them the flexibility to deny these payments, should they choose."

The legislation has gained support from several cosponsors, including U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Katie Britt (R-AL), Steve Daines (R-MT), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), James Lankford (R-OK), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Roger Wicker (R-MS), as well as U.S. Representatives Ben Cline (R-VA-06), Clay Higgins (R-LA-03), Nick Langworthy (R-NY-23), Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL-13), and John Moolenaar (R-MI-02).

The Unborn Child Support Act has also garnered the endorsement of several organizations, including the March for Life Action, Susan B. Anthony (SBA) Pro-Life America, CatholicVote, National Right to Life, the Family Policy Alliance, the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), the Concerned Women for America, the Family Research Council, and the Americans United for Life (AUL).

Senator Cramer has been a staunch supporter of initiatives supporting expectant mothers and the pro-life movement. He received the Life Protector Award from the North Dakota Right to Life (NDRL) in January 2023 and reintroduced the Unborn Child Support Act in July 2022. In an op-ed, Senator Cramer emphasized the importance of the bill in ensuring the well-being of mothers and children.

"In this age of polarization, the Unborn Child Support Act is something all Americans should rally behind. It is a vital step toward ensuring mothers and children are well cared for and fathers embrace the responsibility of bringing life into the world," wrote Senator Cramer.

In addition to the Unborn Child Support Act, Senator Cramer and his colleagues introduced a resolution celebrating the pro-life movement's victory in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. The Senator also joined more than 200 members of Congress in filing an amicus brief supporting the State of Mississippi in the same case, which protected the state's law on the protection of life.

With the reintroduction of the Unborn Child Support Act, Senator Cramer and Congresswoman Tenney are working to provide pregnant mothers with the necessary support they need during pregnancy and beyond, ensuring the well-being of both mothers and their unborn children.