Jefferson Reporter

U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) delivered a speech on the Senate floor advocating for the passage of S. 4296, the More Opportunities for Moms to Succeed (MOMS) Act, which was subsequently blocked by Senate Democrats.

Last month, Senators Britt, Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Kevin Cramer (R-N.Dak.) introduced the MOMS Act. The legislation aims to provide support to women during challenging phases of motherhood and enhance access to resources for mothers and their children.

Senator Britt expressed gratitude towards her colleagues who supported the bill: "First, I’d like to thank my colleague from Oklahoma, Senator Lankford, for putting this together today, showing that we are truly the party of life, the party of parents, the party of families. I’d also like to thank my colleague from Florida, Senator Rubio, and my colleague from North Dakota, Senator Cramer, for joining me in introducing the MOMS Act."

The MOMS Act proposes three main initiatives:

1. Establishing Pregnancy.gov: This website would offer a range of resources for expecting and postpartum mothers as well as families with young children. Addressing concerns raised by opponents, Senator Britt stated: "Visiting this website is 100% voluntary... no one would have to disclose personally identifiable information... there is no database of women created... no registry established... no tracking involved."

2. Creating two grant programs: One program would facilitate prenatal and postnatal telehealth appointments in rural and underserved areas by providing necessary tools such as medical equipment and technology. The second program would fund non-profit entities supporting women through pregnancy and early child-rearing stages.

3. Introducing Senator Cramer’s Unborn Child Support Act: This component requires states to apply child support obligations retroactively during pregnancy if requested by the mother while maintaining state-level proof-of-paternity requirements.

Senator Britt emphasized that the legislation promotes a comprehensive culture of life and supports families: "The MOMS Act advances a comprehensive culture of life; it grows and strengthens families; it ensures moms have the opportunities and resources needed so they and their children can thrive."

In conclusion, Senator Britt called for unanimous consent for immediate consideration of S. 4296 but faced opposition from Senate Democrats.

Video footage of Senator Britt's remarks is available online.