[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 10 (Thursday, January 18, 2024)] [House] [Pages H210-H219] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] PREGNANT STUDENTS' RIGHTS ACT Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 969, I call up the bill (H.R. 6914) 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 969, the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Education and the 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. 6914 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. FINDINGS. Congress finds the following: (1) Female students enrolled at institutions of higher education and experiencing an unplanned pregnancy may face pressure that their only option is to receive an abortion or risk academic failure. (2) Almost 30 percent of all abortions in the United States are performed on women of college age, between the ages of 20 and 24, according to a 2021 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (3) Scientific evidence and personal testimonies document that women who have abortions can be at risk of mental health issues. Studies show that after an abortion, women are 34 percent more likely to develop anxiety disorders, 37 percent more likely to develop depression, 110 percent more likely to rely on alcohol [[Page H211]] use or abuse, 115 percent more likely to develop suicidal behavior, and 220 percent more likely to take on marijuana use or abuse. As many as 60 percent of women having an abortion experience some level of emotional distress afterwards, with 30 percent being classified as severe distress. Potential complications of abortions include heavy or persistent bleeding, damage to cervix, abdominal pain or cramping, scarring of uterine lining, breast cancer, future premature births or miscarriages, infection or sepsis, placenta previa, perforation of uterus, damage to other organs, and even death. (4) A significant proportion of abortions in the United States are performed on women of college age who may be unaware of their rights to accommodation and prohibitions against discrimination due to pregnancy under title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.) or deprived of information about abortion alternatives. (5) Additionally, women on college campuses may fear institutional reprisal, loss of athletic scholarship, and possible negative impact on academic opportunities during the pregnancy and after childbirth. (6) An academic disparity exists because of the lack of resources, support, and notifications available for female college students who do not wish to receive an abortion or who carry their unborn babies to term. SEC. 3. 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 to, 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 the start of each period of study during an 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 the Workforce or their respective designees. The gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx) and the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici) each will control 30 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from North Carolina. General Leave Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 6914. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from North Carolina? There was no objection. Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise as a mother, a grandmother, and a former college instructor, administrator, and student to support the Pregnant Students' Rights Act. Mr. Speaker, in debating the tenets of this bill, I keep coming back to the dual mandate that it represents: more educated young women and more healthy babies carried to term. It reminds me of the two great sources of hope and joy in my personal life, the first of which is education. I have dedicated my life to helping others get a good education, as I was able to do. A good education is a major element of a good life. The second great source of hope and joy in my life has been to rear a child. Having children and then grandchildren is the highest calling and truly the ultimate blessing. Pursuing knowledge and having children: These are two virtues that carry immense social value and should be celebrated. I say should, because as is more often the case, modern society holds them in conflict with one another. Pregnant students should not be faced with the dilemma that their academic and future success must be sacrificed to an unplanned pregnancy. Data show carrying a child to term does not have to hinder one's educational journey. As a woman who understands the strength and resilience of other women, I found it unsurprising that student mothers outperformed their childless peers in the classroom. It is a long-held belief that pregnancy should never be a barrier to a student completing her education. It is a belief enshrined in Title IX, which establishes that universities receiving Federal funds must provide equal opportunities for all students, regardless of pregnancy or parental status. In order to receive Federal funding, campus classroom and education- related activities, from athletics to scholarships to lab work and more, must allow protections and accommodations for pregnant women. That means coaches cannot remove players, universities cannot revoke scholarships, and teachers cannot penalize absences due to medical reasons related to a pregnancy. Yet, despite the legal equality for pregnant students established under Title IX, a significant challenge persists to informing women of the rights and the resources at their disposal. No expectant mother should be left in the dark. The Pregnant Students' Rights Act seeks to bridge the gap between legal protections and practical awareness. It ensures that universities make information regarding pregnant students' rights and protections accessible through handouts, e-mails, and university websites. This bill comes at a time when the nontraditional college student is becoming the norm. Over 20 percent of college students are parents, many of whom are single mothers. With more people entering college at every station of life, it is critical that we pass the Pregnant Students' Rights Act. All students should know the rights and protections available to them, including young, pregnant women. Mr. Speaker, I support the Pregnant Students' Rights Act, and I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 6914, the so-called Pregnant Students' Rights Act. This legislation requires institutions of higher education to distribute information about some of the rights of and accommodations for pregnant students. I opposed this legislation in committee and do so again today because, among other reasons, what is required in this bill is incomplete and biased by not providing information about comprehensive family planning resources and a full range of reproductive healthcare options for pregnant students. Additionally, Republican amendments adopted in the committee added controversial misinformation to this bill, including the myth that having an abortion can lead to breast cancer. This claim has been refuted by the National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. These scare tactics unmasked the true intention of this bill, which is to further the Republican agenda about attacking reproductive healthcare in their attempt to pass a nationwide ban on abortion. As I mentioned to my Republican colleagues in committee, if you want to encourage pregnancy and childbirth, join with Democrats in passing legislation that will make childcare more affordable, support access to affordable healthcare and affordable housing, expand the Children's Health Insurance [[Page H212]] Program, and join the rest of the world in offering paid family leave. The intent of this bill is clear. It is another attempt to have politicians interfere in the very intensely personal decision of whether and when to have a child, a decision that should be made only by the pregnant student and their healthcare provider, not by judges, and certainly not by Members of Congress. Mr. Speaker, I oppose this bill. I encourage my colleagues to vote ``no,'' and I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Iowa (Mrs. Hinson), the sponsor of H.R. 6914. Mrs. HINSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank Dr. Foxx for her leadership in stewarding this bill through committee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support my bill, the Pregnant Students' Rights Act. When Roe v. Wade was rightfully overturned last year, the next chapter of the pro-life movement began, and we were all given a new opportunity to strengthen our support for unborn babies and new moms. As a mom of two, this issue is personal to me. When you are pregnant, there are a million questions going through your head. From doctors' appointments to new financial responsibilities, pregnant students have so much on their plate as they work to balance school with having a healthy pregnancy. Unfortunately, many women on college campuses are pressured into having an abortion and told they must choose between having their baby and continuing their education, despite Title IX protections in place. Under Title IX, pregnant students have the right to stay in school, finish their education, and achieve their career goals. However, academic disparity exists due to the lack of resources, support, and tools for pregnant students. These women may fear institutional reprisal, a loss of athletic scholarship, or negative impacts on their academic opportunity, and standing. {time} 1330 These fears and anxieties are not only unjust to women, but they are really a poor reflection of how our higher education institutions treat pregnant students. These institutions have a responsibility to empower all of their students to succeed, including pregnant students. There are many organizations that provide physical and emotional support for new and soon-to-be moms, and pregnant students should know about these resources on college campuses. They deserve to be treated with respect and to be surrounded with care and love. I have visited pregnancy resource centers in Iowa. I have met with those who have dedicated themselves to the cause of life, many of whom have traveled to Washington, D.C., to the March for Life this weekend. It has been inspiring to me to see the pro-life community spring into action to help expecting moms and their babies to thrive. That is what this movement is really all about: recognizing the sanctity of every life and valuing life at every stage. Pregnant students bravely balance the responsibilities of bringing a new life into this world while simultaneously continuing their pursuit of a bright future through education. It is crucial for pregnant students to know that they have people standing behind them, that they have resources available to them, and that they are entitled to accommodations on campus. Being able to complete your education as a mother is not only empowering for the student, but it is vital to ensuring that the unborn child has the best possible future ahead. The Pregnant Students' Rights Act amends the Higher Education Act to require education institutions at the higher level to distribute information about the rights of pregnant students and the resources available to them at the school via their student handbooks, via email, websites, and during orientations. It also strengthens procedures for students to be able to file complaints and pursue accountability if their rights to these accommodations are violated. It is deeply troubling to me that the Biden administration is so dug in on their pro-abortion agenda that they would oppose providing pregnant women on college campuses with resources to continue their education and have a healthy pregnancy. They don't even want them to have this information or know that they have options other than abortion. I hope my colleagues across the aisle will vote to empower pregnant women and support this vital, life-affirming legislation. There is no reason that providing additional resources and support to women who choose life should be partisan. Every woman who chooses to complete her studies through her pregnancy is another American citizen doubly contributing to our families, to our communities, to our workforce, and should be an inspiration to us all. This bill, the Pregnant Students' Rights Act, 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 will help our families grow and thrive. Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to vote in support of this bill. Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, if my colleagues on the other side of the aisle truly cared about moms, they would join us in addressing the embarrassingly high maternal mortality rate in this country, which is especially concerning for women of color. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Ross). Ms. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the House Republicans' harmful Pregnant Students' Rights Act. Make no mistake. This legislation does nothing to protect pregnant students and fails to provide young parents with the real tools they need to succeed, including affordable childcare, affordable housing, and so much more. Masquerading as an attempt to support pregnant students, this misleading bill is a part of Republicans' dangerous anti-abortion agenda. It would require institutions to distribute limited and even inaccurate resources to students about their existing rights should they choose to carry a pregnancy to term, while omitting information about abortion services, contraception, and while also advancing anti- abortion rhetoric. Last year, I introduced the Understanding Student Parent Outcomes Act with Congresswoman Lucy McBath. This legislation would take concrete steps to support pregnant and parenting students by requiring the Department of Education to collect critical data on barriers that student parents face to graduating college and providing recommendations and resources to institutions of higher education. During the committee markup of this egregious bill, Congresswoman McBath highlighted our bill as an alternative solution that will help student parents succeed while recognizing that all women deserve the opportunity to make their own choices about when to start a family free from persuasion from their schools. I hope my Republican colleagues will see the harm that their legislation will cause and join Democrats in opposing this bill. There are better ways to help our pregnant and parenting students. Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt), the chair of the Values Action Team. Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Foxx for the time to speak in support of this legislation today. This week, a compelling statistic has been front and center of our mind, that 30 percent of all abortions in the United States are performed on 20- to 24-year-old, college-aged women. You wonder how much of this difficult reality is the result of a harmful external pressure that exists, a lack of resources that may exist, inadequate accommodations, or how often a young woman would have chosen life if she had just been informed of the rights, the resources, and the accommodations that were available to her. We must create a culture in this country that does not force women to choose between their babies and a college education. This legislation directly addresses this by simply requiring colleges and universities, as has been said here today, to fully inform pregnant students of what is rightfully available to them and how to file a complaint if they have experienced discrimination on the basis of their pregnancy. It is imperative that our institutions of higher education fully support [[Page H213]] women. We can't say it enough. Pro-life is prowoman. When a student chooses a path of higher education, they deserve our support and encouragement. Being prowoman and being prochild and being profamily is being proeducation and it is being prosuccess. I thank my colleague from Iowa, who I serve on the Appropriations Committee with, for introducing this important legislation. I fully support it and look forward to its passage today. Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Georgia (Mrs. McBath). Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to the deliberately misleading Pregnant Students' Rights Act. It is unfortunately not a bill about protecting pregnant and parenting students or improving their outcomes in school at all. This legislation is just another poorly disguised attempt to further roll back the rights of women in this country and unduly pressure students into making serious healthcare decisions. We should be considering legislation that will actually support pregnant and parenting students and has a real chance of being passed into law, like the Understanding Student Parent Outcomes Act of 2023, introduced by my colleague, Representative Deborah Ross, and me. Instead of leveraging the very real needs of students and their children against the highly polarizing and personal topics of reproductive rights and abortion, we could be studying the issue and establishing best practices at the Department of Education to improve graduation rates and help pregnant and parenting Americans stay in school, practices like ensuring access to quality on-campus childcare and accommodations for breastfeeding. Supporting pregnant and parenting students should be a bipartisan effort, but the bill that our colleagues have brought forth today does not seek to find commonsense, consensus solutions. I look forward to working with my colleagues across the aisle at the appropriate time to ensure that every student is given the support that they need to finish their degree, improve their career, and finally move into that higher income level that they have been dreaming of and working so hard toward. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all my colleagues to oppose this bill. Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. LaMalfa). Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, whenever this subject gets brought up, it is like we just go into la-la land about what the facts are and what the intentions are. For a female student that is in college, on campus, she needs options. She needs to understand what her options are. She needs information to do that. This legislation simply affords a broader amount of information and choices for her to do that. How the folks on the other side could call this some kind of limitation or somehow against women just continues to foster the disinformation for 40 years about this subject. Indeed, it is life that we are talking about. For women, we see in some of these cases, as many as 60 percent, they have gone on to have abortions because they believe that is the only option they have. They have been, in some cases, bullied into it, or closed off from other information. Sixty percent would have preferred to give birth had they known they had the security, the options, and maybe not even be discriminated against on campus to do so. No, the left is always concerned about having the maximum number of abortions. It is appalling. Students that are pregnant deserve support and dignity and the options that help them fulfill whatever their goals are going to be, whatever their life course is going to be. That isn't done by hiding information and hiding options from them. We know the trauma that women can feel when they only have that one option, and it is very real. This bill is a simple step toward that support and helps keep more mothers on their desired path while still pursuing their college degree and getting a career. It is an important part of improving their life and their outlook. It is unbelievable to me the rhetoric that is used to go up against these young women having options and having information. Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in committee, a pregnant student is not just the only one affected. If whomever impregnated the student got some rights and notification about paternity and child support obligations, that might help this information be more complete, but that is not in this bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Stevens). Ms. STEVENS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Oregon for yielding the time. Outrageous in its meaning and egregious in its outcome, I rise in strong opposition to this bill, the Pregnant Students' Rights Act. The amendment that I proposed in committee, the amendment that I took before the Rules Committee, to say that this bill should not fail in recognizing miscarriage, was not accepted, yet we know that upward of a quarter of pregnancies result in miscarriage. If you are not privileged to be going to college in Michigan, a State where abortion rights are enshrined into our State Constitution and are protected, and you are having a miscarriage, what happens to you? You are turned away at a hospital, and you are turned away for medical care. I rise today in support of women's healthcare rights, of women's freedom. Let's talk about pregnant rights, because we see in the States across this country, after Roe v. Wade was overturned, that women cannot get the healthcare they need. We see reporting in everyday publications like People magazine about women bleeding out in parking lots and women being forced to travel in their time of medical emergency on airplanes to get the care they need. That is what my colleagues are talking about. Yes, there is the miracle of life, but there is a need for real healthcare. Here we are at the quarter of the 21st century mark in this great country, we have access to all of the medical information we need to support the unborn, to support women, and to make sure that we have the best health outcomes, yet we have rising maternal mortality and a Black maternal mortality crisis in this country. {time} 1345 How dare we come together under the guise of supporting pregnant students' rights without actually including full access to information to young women in their most vulnerable state? That is what we were pushing for in the Education and Labor Committee. That is what we were pushing for here on the House floor on the heels of voting on this resolution almost in the dark of the night. We have work to do. I am proud to be in a State that protects women's rights, but, man, oh, man, am I terrified, am I heartbroken for women that don't have those rights. Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am truly puzzled by the other side and some of the comments that are being made about this bill. It is a simple bill. It is not misleading. It is simply aimed at helping pregnant students get the support and information that they need if they are pursuing their education. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle used to be pro-women. I don't know what has happened to them, but, as one of my colleagues here said, pro-life is pro-woman. This bill is pro-women and pro-helping women getting an education. At the same time, they can carry their baby to term. Now, nothing in this bill prevents a college or university from disseminating information about how to deal with pregnancy-related conditions, including miscarriages. We are not telling the colleges and universities everything that they have to say. We are simply saying you have to inform the students of the services available and the accommodations that need to be made. All of us should have our hearts go out to women who face difficult pregnancies. We have all known them. My own daughter had four very difficult pregnancies. [[Page H214]] I am deeply saddened that a woman and her baby face challenges and acknowledge that, for a pregnant student, these instances must be extremely stressful and sorrowful, but the purpose of this legislation is to tackle an issue unique to pregnant students on college campuses. Some students are not aware of how they can advocate for themselves to balance student life and motherhood. Colleges and universities must provide reasonable accommodations for these students, such as excused absences and opportunities to make up classwork when a student does have to make frequent medical appointments to take care of herself and her baby. This bill supports pregnant students, and I believe it deserves our support. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I note that our colleagues on the other side of the aisle rejected an amendment to include information about comprehensive reproductive healthcare services. Mr. Speaker, it is now my honor to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Jeffries), the dynamic, distinguished, and dedicated Democratic leader. Mr. JEFFRIES. Mr. Speaker, I thank my distinguished colleague from the great State of Oregon, Representative Bonamici, for her tremendous advocacy and for yielding some time. I rise today in strong opposition to this reckless and regressive Republican effort to undermine women's healthcare. House Republicans have begun this year the same way that they ended last year, targeting women's reproductive freedom. The distinction between Democrats and extreme MAGA Republicans on the abortion care issue couldn't be any clearer. House Democrats believe in a woman's freedom to make her own reproductive healthcare decisions. It is a decision that should be between a woman, her family, and her doctors, not extreme MAGA Republicans trying to intervene and indoctrinate and influence young women on college campuses all across America. We believe in a woman's freedom to make her own reproductive healthcare decisions. What House Republicans want to do is to criminalize abortion care. House Republicans want to impose a nationwide abortion ban. House Republicans want to undermine reproductive freedom, and that is what the underlying bill that is on the floor right now is all about--nothing more, and nothing less. If the legislation that is under consideration was really about improving the opportunity for the children, the infants, the babies of America to live a healthy life, then extreme MAGA Republicans would join Democrats in our efforts to bring that about. House Democrats are trying to address the challenges around infant mortality in America. Extreme MAGA Republicans refuse to join us. House Republicans could be working to deal with the challenges around child poverty in America, but they refuse to join House Democrats in our efforts to go back to the transformative child tax credit that was part of the 2021 American Rescue Plan. House Democrats are working to deal with the problem of child hunger in America, but extreme MAGA Republicans are trying to cut nutritional assistance for children and families in our great country. How dare the Republicans come to the House floor to lecture America about healthy infants, healthy babies, healthy children, when they are doing everything in their power to do exactly the opposite. The notion that this bill has anything to do with transparency and providing information to young women on college campuses all across America is undermined by the fact that the Democratic amendments that were offered to provide a comprehensive set of information to women were consistently rejected. Extreme MAGA Republicans rejected any effort to make sure that young women on college campuses were provided information about the full range of reproductive healthcare. Extreme MAGA Republicans rejected the effort to provide the young women of America with information about the dangers of a miscarriage. Extreme MAGA Republicans rejected the efforts by House Democrats to make sure that the young women of America were provided information about contraceptives. Why? Because House Republicans have only one objective--a nationwide abortion ban. This legislation is part of that effort, and that is why, instead of the Congress dealing with issues related to the economy or housing or inflation or public safety or healthcare, House Republicans have us voting on bills to undermine a woman's freedom to make her own reproductive healthcare decisions. I strongly urge everyone to reject this extreme piece of legislation and join us in trying to uplift women, children, and families in America. Our promise to the country is as follows: House Democrats will stand strongly behind reproductive freedom today; we will stand strongly behind reproductive freedom tomorrow; we will stand strongly behind a woman's freedom to make her own reproductive healthcare decisions forever until we crush the extreme MAGA Republican effort to criminalize abortion care. Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, again, I am aghast. I am just aghast at how this bill is being characterized. It is being called an extreme piece of legislation. We want pregnant students to be supported on their campuses and to know that they can be supported. It has nothing to do with criminalizing abortions. It has nothing to do with a nationwide abortion ban. Our colleagues on the other side of the aisle said something about healthy babies. We need pregnant women to have good resources and good healthcare so they can have healthy babies, but they want what they call comprehensive information to women. What they mean is they want to encourage women to have abortions. And what is an abortion, Mr. Speaker? It is killing babies. I have said it on the floor before. The word ``abortion'' sounds so clinical, so clean, but we need to say what it is. It is killing babies up to the point of their birth. This is not an extreme piece of legislation. It is a sensible piece of legislation, and every person in this body should vote for it if you care about life. If you don't care about life, if all you want to do is destroy life, then vote ``no.'' That is the radical side. We are not the radical people. We know we have a culture of life. We have had a culture of life in this country. I fear it is eroding. Mr. Speaker, this bill deserves the support of every person, particularly every woman, because we all can appreciate what it would be like to be in this situation and not have support. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Jacobs). Ms. JACOBS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, we are just a few days from what would have been the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, so it is sadly predictable that we are here debating a MAGA Republicans' bill that would stigmatize students who parent while in school or who seek abortion care. Now, I can't help but chuckle at the ridiculous arguments coming from the other side of the aisle, because, while I will admit that my Republican colleagues are good at naming bills, they are not good at caring for parents or kids after they are born. {time} 1400 This so-called Pregnant Students' Rights Act ironically fails to give pregnant students any new rights. It gives them no meaningful information and support like campus childcare, family housing, or nutrition support if they choose to be pregnant or parent while in school. Instead, it provides a biased slate of options that pushes students to keep their pregnancy and raise a child, with no mention of contraception or that seeking an abortion is a viable and valid choice. Pregnant and parenting students deserve comprehensive information about their rights and the resources and support they need to thrive at school. What they don't need are lectures about their choices. They don't need [[Page H215]] obstacles to accessing abortion and the full spectrum of healthcare. They certainly don't need this condescending legislation that is more interested in advancing an anti-abortion agenda than genuinely helping students. The decisions about keeping pregnancy to term and raising a child are serious, private, and personal. Women denied an abortion are four times more likely to live below the Federal poverty line. They are more likely to be evicted, go bankrupt, or have debt. They are more likely to stay in contact with a violent partner and raise the resulting child alone. Their children's financial well-being and development are more likely to suffer, too. We shouldn't deprive students of making these informed decisions by withholding their full, comprehensive options. This bill does a disservice to pregnant and parenting students. Instead, we should focus on strengthening Title IX protections, expanding support systems for families on campus like the CCAMPIS program that has been so successful at UC San Diego, and protecting pregnant students from discrimination. I have to say that I have been in college more recently than just about anyone here, and I don't remember a single person being pressured into having an abortion. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to reject this bill. Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Good), who is a subcommittee chairman for the Education and the Workforce Committee. Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chair for yielding. I certainly want to associate myself with the remarks that the gentlewoman so passionately and effectively espoused just a few moments ago. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Pregnant Students' Rights Act. It is incredible and revealing when we hear the other side's reaction to this legislation. This legislation simply requires colleges and universities to share information with mothers about the rights and resources available to help carry their babies to term. Why would anyone--why would even a Democrat--oppose giving mothers information about the rights and resources available to them? It is because they have become the party of abortion. They have become the party of death. I am old enough to remember when ``safe, legal, and rare'' used to be what many Democrats would say. There were many pro-life Democrats not that long ago. Even our President used to claim to be a pro-life Democrat. We know that when a woman has support, she is better able to raise a child that will enrich her life beyond how she could ever imagine. Nevertheless, we know that many college-aged women are presented with only the option of abortion if the pregnancy was unplanned. A mother may face pressure from the pro-death abortion industry, otherwise known as the Democratic Party, forcing her to decide between ending the child's life or reaching her academic and professional goals. We know that this is a false choice that disguises the lasting consequences of abortion both for the mother and for the child. This legislation does include important data on the negative impacts that abortion has on the mother's mental and physical health. Here is the truth: Abortion is harmful to babies and to mothers. As the bill explains, women who receive abortions are 34 percent more likely to develop anxiety disorders, 37 percent more likely to develop depression, and 115 percent more likely to develop suicidal behavior. The data proves that the mission of the overall bill to support mothers matters not only for the sake of the child but also for the well-being of the mother. Mothers in challenging situations deserve our compassion, support, and encouragement. Women who have chosen to have an abortion should know there is compassion, support, and healing available to them, as well. This very week, thousands of people from around the country are gathering in support of life and ending the heinous practice of abortion. The fact is, life begins at conception. That is the moment when we are, as the Bible says, knit together in our mother's womb by our creator. I will vote ``yes'' today on the Pregnant Students' Rights Act and hope this Congress will be bold in finding more ways to defend innocent, precious life in the womb. Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Tlaib). Ms. TLAIB. Madam Speaker, if the technology existed, I really and truly believe the GOP would put tethers on the ovaries of women around our country as a result of this type of overreach and control. This bill literally would target and bully our daughters on college campuses. If this bill claims to support our daughters, then let's talk about programs that truly support our daughters. Lifesaving programs that help women after a baby has been born are getting cut left and right. The legislation creates no new rights and no protections under Title IX, no protections from discrimination or information on how to file a Federal civil rights claim. Literally, the only requirement is that our daughters on college campuses be targeted and shamed. That is exactly what it is. This is all while the Republican majority does nothing--nothing--to stop the unbelievable crisis we have with infant mortality, Black maternal health, and so much more. We have to beg to fund WIC in this Chamber. WIC specifically supports pregnant women. Women are already being forced to work harder just to make ends meet and put food on the table for their families. Yet again, though, we are going to target them. We are going to sit there and pretend that this is to help them. I represent, Madam Speaker, some communities struggling the most. So many of those struggling are mothers. One came to my office in tears because the early childhood program in her neighborhood was cut. She said that was the place where her children could get fed twice a day. This is what we have become. We want to bully and shame women in our country. I am proud to support the women in our country, and I am going to be so proud to be able to vote ``no'' on this extreme, antiwomen legislation. Let's not gaslight the American people. We know exactly what the GOP is trying to do. They are trying to control us, and it is not going to happen. Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Bice). The gentlewoman from North Carolina has 10 minutes remaining. The gentlewoman from Oregon has 15\1/2\ minutes remaining. Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, it is hard for me to believe that some of our colleagues have read this bill with the comments that they are making. It is a 5-page bill, basically. Maybe it takes up 7 pages, but that is mostly blank space. There is nothing about overreach and control in this bill. Our colleagues are saying: Well, you don't provide healthcare. You don't provide food stamps. You don't provide other things. Let me remind my colleagues that we are the Education and the Workforce Committee. We are in our lane. We are looking after pregnant students. Our job is to deal with education issues. As I said in the Rules Committee, our colleagues can go to other committees to do these things. We are doing what we should be doing, which is, again, staying in our lane and helping pregnant students. They should know that if they are here as Members of Congress. I wholeheartedly reject, also, the claim that this bill rolls back any rights of women. Nor does it put undue pressure on anyone other than college administrators to ensure that students are fully informed of their rights. The Pregnant Students' Rights Act ensures that colleges and universities provide information about the rights and accommodations a college must directly offer a mother as she navigates pregnancy and being a parent to her child. Pregnant students deserve equal access to continue their postsecondary education. I do not understand how connecting a student with information is an attack on any rights. Instead, this bill would decrease the likelihood that a student [[Page H216]] is unaware of her opportunities, unlike today, where students may not receive consistent and timely information. Nowhere in this bill does it prohibit colleges from disseminating any type of information. Nowhere in this bill does it dictate that the information be one-sided. Since when did it become popular to attack providing information and resources to a mother for taking care of her baby? Now, let's talk about one-sidedness, which our colleagues are saying. Colleges have been extremely public in support of abortion. Within minutes of the Supreme Court's decision on Roe v. Wade, ``one-sided'' press releases were published as if the issue had to do with higher education. Here is the statement of the University of Michigan president: ``I strongly support . . . abortion services, and I will do everything in my power as president to ensure we continue to provide this critically important care.'' That is one shining example of the overt bias coming straight from the top of the university. I don't think anyone can make the claim that universities are not already pushing a one-sided agenda. However, this bill does not tie the hands of colleges from continuing to relay information, but it sure does ensure the student mothers are supported. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, it is clear from the debate on the bill that what my colleagues on the other side of the aisle want to happen is for every pregnant student to stay pregnant with consequences long beyond their time in college. That is why it is so important that we fund WIC, healthcare, childcare, and all the other things that are prowomen, prochildren, and profamily. This bill is not. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. Omar). Ms. OMAR. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the Pregnant Students' Rights Act, which fails to expand meaningful support and accommodations for students. As a pregnant and parent college student, I have personal experience when it comes to this topic. When I was 19 and in college, I became pregnant with my first daughter and, shortly after, my son. I know the challenges of navigating the education system while balancing motherhood responsibilities. I know how isolating it can be. I know how critical it is for students to have comprehensive information about their choices, options, resources, and accommodations. That is why, when I was in the Minnesota State Legislature, I introduced and passed a bill that not only required institutions to provide pregnant and parent students information about their rights and resources for prenatal and postnatal care but also created a grant program to fund activities that support enrollment, retention, academic success, and graduation. H.R. 6914 is a do-nothing, empty messaging bill that masquerades to support pregnant and parent students but neglects their actual needs. Based on my own experience as a young mom in college and the available data, I know that pregnant and parent students need strong Title IX protections; access to affordable childcare, early education, and pre-K services; expansion of student-parent programs, child- friendly study rooms, and lactation accommodations; assistance with basic needs, such as food, housing, transportation, and supplies to ensure that these students and their families have the support they need to thrive. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired. Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from Minnesota. Ms. OMAR. That is why I plan on introducing a bill that not only requires institutions to provide pregnant and parent students with comprehensive information on all the options and resources available to them but also increases the resources and accommodations that are necessary for student success. I hope that my friends on the other side of the aisle will help support that bill and reject the current bill that we are voting on. Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 30 seconds. Madam Speaker, so now I am truly confused. Our colleagues have come up one after the other and said that this bill is going to bring the end of the world for the ability for women to gain an abortion, which means killing their babies, and now we are told that this bill does nothing and is a do-nothing bill. If it is a do-nothing bill, then I certainly hope our colleagues will vote for it because I know they have voted for other do-nothing bills on the floor. Maybe they should think of it as a do-nothing bill and all vote for it. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Underwood). Ms. UNDERWOOD. Madam Speaker, I stand in strong opposition to H.R. 6914, the reproductive misinformation in higher education act. Just days before the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, this legislation is the latest in extreme MAGA Republicans' assault on comprehensive reproductive healthcare services in America, including abortion. Abortion is healthcare, and we must ensure that everyone who needs it has access to the full range of reproductive healthcare services they deserve. Let me say that again for the people in the back: Abortion is healthcare, and Americans have been clear that they want reproductive freedom for all. Yet, the Republican majority continues to spend week after week in the House pushing their extreme anti-choice and antifreedom agenda. Let's not forget, as Republicans ignore calls for reproductive freedom, they are ignoring the tragic realities that moms and expectant moms face every day. American families are being torn apart by our country's maternal mortality crisis and with the highest maternal mortality rate of any high-income country. Instead of addressing the urgency of this crisis and providing moms with the healthcare and resources they need to thrive, my colleagues are advancing legislation that would do the exact opposite. Despite its misleading name, this bill makes access to reproductive care even more difficult for women who need it. It is a new year, but the extreme MAGA agenda has stayed the same: erode our freedoms and restrict abortion rights despite the suffering that is happening all over our country in a post-Dobbs world. Instead of passing legislation that will fund the government throughout 2024, they are using these precious hours before a government shutdown to advance anti-choice legislation. I am proud that Democrats are committed to safeguarding these same freedoms, and we will not be silent on this issue. This bill is not an effort to protect pregnant students. It does not address the barriers these students face in our education system. {time} 1415 If it did, it would include provisions that also inform students about Medicaid, SNAP, and WIC. Instead, this legislation is an obvious attempt to limit students' access to reproductive healthcare decisions and influence pregnancy outcomes. When we act on legislation like H.R. 6914, we are sending a clear message to women in our country that we do not prioritize their health and well-being, and we do not value their ability to make their own choices. We must do better. On this anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we must pass legislation that provides women with the freedom to make decisions aligned with their health and reinstates our Federal right to abortion. Furthermore, we must support women and mothers along the way. As you may be aware, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, also known as WIC, is set to face a $1 billion shortfall, leaving millions of American families vulnerable. There are nearly 7 million low-income pregnant and postpartum participants, infants, and young children who rely on this program. For more than 25 years, there has been a bipartisan commitment to provide adequate funding for WIC. It is these priorities that should be front and center today, not [[Page H217]] creating more barriers and further restricting reproductive rights. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired. Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 15 seconds to the gentlewoman from Illinois. Ms. UNDERWOOD. Madam Speaker, for this reason, at the appropriate time, I will offer a motion to recommit this bill back to committee. If the House rules permitted, I would have offered the motion with an important amendment to this bill. The amendment would provide students with information on access to Medicaid, SNAP, and WIC. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to add the text of this amendment in the Record immediately prior to the vote on the motion to recommit. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from Illinois? There was no objection. Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, may I inquire as to the time remaining. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from North Carolina has 6 minutes remaining. The gentlewoman from Oregon has 9\1/4\ minutes remaining. Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 1\1/2\ minutes. Madam Speaker, this bill is about supporting pregnant students. There are many resources for pregnant students, both on and off campus. This bill would connect students to these important resources. Many are nonprofit organizations, not just government programs. In particular, I have heard of inspiring and innovative partnerships between colleges and nonprofit organizations to support student mothers. For example, Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, North Carolina, has an incredible partnership with a noncampus maternity home, MiraVia. At MiraVia's college residence, expectant mothers are welcomed and provided with a place to live free of charge. Pregnant students receive a private suite, meals, childcare, diapers, baby clothing and supplies, nursery furniture, life skill classes, personalized guidance to identify additional community resources, and coordination of education and career opportunities. Belmont Abbey College gives pregnant mothers at MiraVia a full scholarship. This is just one example. I am sure many of my colleagues have more examples of support provided by colleges and universities for students and their babies. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Clark), the Democratic whip. Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Oregon for yielding time and for all her incredible work. Madam Speaker, I have to hand it to the majority. With this bill, the MAGA majority has reached new heights or lows, as you want to define it, that are new and creative. They have named this bill, the Pregnant Students' Rights Act and didn't bother to include any rights or resources. Not a single new resource or protection for pregnant students. This bill does nothing to support student parents. It is another vehicle for promoting anti-abortion propaganda and deceiving Americans about their healthcare options. All of this from the same majority that eliminated funding for childcare on college campuses--funding that helps students have their children in childcare so they can go to class. It was defunded by the majority. It was zeroed out. They pull that one day, and then the next day they want students to believe they care about them? Give me a break. One in five undergrads are parents. Has anyone on the other side of the aisle talked to those parents about what they need? If they did, they would find out those students need the same thing as any parent: reproductive freedom, access to childcare, access to maternity care, access to contraception, and access to abortion care. Madam Speaker, let's fund childcare, not propaganda. Let's restore the reproductive freedom of every single American. That is how you help students, by empowering them, not playing a cynical game with their lives. Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott), the ranking member of the full committee. Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 6914, the so-called Pregnant Students' Rights Act. In a post-Roe world where women face State-sanctioned abortion bans and complicated legal challenges to access healthcare, students should be aware of all of their reproductive options and protections. Yet, House Republicans in this bill are denying students the choice to decide by pushing an extreme bill that would keep students in the dark about the comprehensive healthcare choices, resources, and all of the rights that are available to them. On its face, the bill purports to provide pregnant students with resources available to them while they are seeking an education. In fact, the bill requires colleges and universities to distribute only partial information about existing rights under Title IX, as well as selective information on resources that solely encourage students to carry a pregnancy to term. Now, how can you make an informed and potentially life-changing decision if you are only provided with partial information about your rights and available resources? Madam Speaker, students already face challenges on campus, including mental health problems, financial and food insecurity, academic difficulties, just to name a few. This bill would make life much more challenging for students, but the true danger is in what the Republicans carefully left out. For example, the bill fails to require schools to inform students about contraception, which would help students actually avoid unplanned pregnancies; their rights and resources if they experience a miscarriage; and vital resources if they need to terminate a pregnancy due to health-related emergencies. In short, the bill provides students with just some of their rights, only selective rights. Contrary to their claims, the bill does not provide any new rights or resources like childcare assistance or affordable housing for pregnant or parenting students. Additionally, if a student decides to carry a child to term, this bill will not even provide any information on how to obtain funding, childcare, nutrition support like WIC, affordable housing options, or other critical supports. The bottom line is that here we are again wasting time with another harmful bill that jeopardizes sexual and reproductive healthcare for women. Restricting access to important information is both extreme and defies common sense. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill. Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I include in the Record a letter from the Coalition for Pregnant and Parenting Students Advocacy, signed by 60 organizations, opposing H.R. 6914 because this legislation ``would not address the key barriers to pregnant students' educational attainment, and instead would further shame and stigmatize people for their pregnancy outcomes.'' January 18, 2024. 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: The Coalition for Pregnant and Parenting Students Advocacy is a diverse group of advocates and experts dedicated to advancing civil rights protections and institutional resources for pregnant and parenting students. We are joined by the undersigned organizations in voicing our opposition to H.R. 6914, the Pregnant Students' Rights Act--a thinly veiled anti-abortion law which would not address the key barriers to pregnant students--educational attainment, and instead would further shame and stigmatize people for their pregnancy outcomes. This latest bill 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. Students who are pregnant and/or parents deserve to complete their education free [[Page H218]] 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. More than 5.4 million college students in the United States are parents, which is nearly one quarter of undergraduate students and nearly one third of graduate students. 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. The proposed bill relies on anti-abortion language and seeks to limit students' reproductive healthcare decisions. This type of language is part of a deliverate strategy by the anti-abortion movement to further legal grounds for a national abortion ban now that th Supreme Court has overturned the constitutional right to abortion care as established in Roe v. Wade. Furthermore, the bill language contrasts with existing legal protections 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: Strengthened Title IX protections; Nondiscrimination protection 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; Basic needs security (including food, housing, clothing, etc.); Flexible school attendance policies; Lactation accomodations; Less stigma and shame around young parenthood; Increased accountability measure 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 students' parenting statuses. Student Parent Outcomes Act of 2023, which would allow essential data collection on the barriers to college graduation for pregnant and parenting students. But sweeping legislation is necessary to ensure that pregnant and parenting students 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 step up as the champion that pregnant and parenting students in our nation need and deserve. Sincerely, The Coalition for Pregnant and Parenting Students Advocacy: A Better Balance; Generation Hope; Healthy Teen Network; Institute for Women's Policy Research; Justice and Joy National Collaborative; National Women's Law Center; New America Higher Education Program; Pregnant Scholar Initiative at the Center for WorkLife Law; UNITE-LA. Joined by: Advocates for Youth; American Association of University Women; American Federation of Teachers; American Humanist Association; BreastfeedLA; California Women's Law Center; Center for Freethought Equality; Center for Reproductive Rights; Clearinghouse on Women's Issues; Colorado Teen Parent Collaborative; End Rape On Campus; Equal Rights Advocates; Family Equality; Feminist Majority Foundation; Guttmacher Institute. Hadassah; Harvard Law School; If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice; Indivisible, Ipas; League of Women Voters of the United States; Legal Momentum, The Women's Legal Defense and Education Fund; Michigan Organization on Adolescent Sexual Health (MOASH); National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum; National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health; National Association of Social Workers; National Center for Lesbian Rights; National Center for Parent Leadership, Advocacy and Community Empowerment; National Center for Transgender Equality; National Council of Jewish Women; National Education Association; National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association; National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice. National Network to End Domestic Violence; National Partnership for Women & Families; National Women's Health Network; National Women's Political Caucus; Partners in Abortion Care; Physicians for Reproductive Health; Planned Parenthood Federation of America; Positive Women's Network- USA; Power to Decide; Public Justice; Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America); SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change; Southeast Asia Resource Action Center; Stop Sexual Assault in Schools; The Hope Center at Temple University; Union for Reform Judaism; Women of Reform Judaism; Won't She Do It; YWCA USA. Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, the so-called Pregnant Students' Rights Act does nothing to strengthen pregnant students' existing protections and freedoms, and it leaves pregnant students in the dark about their rights under Federal civil rights law. In fact, when committee Democrats tried to include information that would meaningfully support pregnant and parenting students in our committee's markup, Republicans voted down our amendments. Democrats submitted amendments that would have included information about programs that promote the health and well-being of mothers and children, such as Medicaid and WIC. Coincidentally, these are the very programs Republican appropriators are right now actively working to roll back and defund. The bill provides partial information, but no help. That is why dozens of health and reproductive rights organizations, the National Women's Law Center, the National Partnership for Women & Families, and the American Civil Liberties Union have stated that H.R. 6914, ``falls far short of the protections that are actually necessary for pregnant and parenting students and their children.'' In fact, I have a bill to get students information about their SNAP eligibility. I wish we were doing that right now. Madam Speaker, college is hard enough already, and we should do our part to ensure that all pregnant students have the resources they need to succeed. The legislation before us does nothing to achieve that goal. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time. Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Speaker, again, our colleagues on the other side of the aisle have characterized this bill as radical, extreme, overreaching, and controlling students. There are so many negative things and then a couple have said, well, it does nothing. It is sort of confusing. Again, if they have read the five-page bill, they would know that their characterizations of the bill are not at all what it is. It doesn't do things they say they would like it to do, but that is not our role, Madam Speaker. Our role is to work with students on campuses. I do think they are really confused about the nature of this bill, and I would encourage anybody watching this to read the bill. The bill, let's be crystal clear, is not about political advocacy. Nothing in this bill prevents a college counselor from discussing the full panoply of options available to pregnant students. Nothing in this bill prevents a pregnant college student from making her own decision. Rather than political stunts, thanks to a Republican majority, this body is focused on real bills that will have a real effect on the real lives of Americans, particularly pregnant women in college. That is a good thing that we are doing, Madam Speaker. The Pregnant Students' Rights Act is yet another one of the bills we have focused on in this Republican majority in the House of Representatives. Madam Speaker, I look forward to its passage. I urge everyone to vote for this bill. Again, I think if our colleagues on the other side of the aisle care about pregnant women, and particularly pregnant women who are enrolled in college, they would vote for this. If they don't, then I fear it is an indication that they don't care about women who want to carry their babies to term. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I am here today to speak in opposition to the proposed legislation, H.R. 69l4, Pregnant Student's Rights Act. [[Page H219]] This bill requires higher education institutions that participate in federal education programs to disseminate information on the rights and resources afforded to prospective, full- and part-time students who are pregnant or may become pregnant to encourage them to carry their pregnancy to term. These institutions would be required to share this information by email at the start of each academic year, in student handbooks, at each orientation for enrolled students, at student health and counseling centers, and on the school's website. A list of anti-abortion ``findings'' in the bill insinuate that women who have an abortion are at risk of developing mental health issues, abusing drugs and alcohol, and becoming suicidal. Amendments in committee offered to make it clear that schools are still allowed to disseminate information on access to sexual and reproductive health services and the rights, protections, and accommodation afforded to students under Title IX, were voted down by Republicans on the Committee. Additionally, it must be noted that this harmful bill is a futile attempt that will be vetoed by this Administration. As we know, the Administration strongly opposes H.R. 69l4. As highlighted in the White House Statement of Administrative Policy (SAP), the Administration clearly stated its opposition to H.R. 69l4 in its current form. Existing federal civil rights laws have long prohibited discrimination against students on the basis of pregnancy and related conditions, and institutions of higher education are already required to provide reasonable modifications to pregnant students--from modified class schedules to medical leave. The Administration stated that it will continue taking action to ensure that students know their rights under federal law and have access to the comprehensive, evidence-based information and resources they need to make informed decisions about their health care. I stand with the Administration in stating that we remain committed to supporting the security, health, and well-being of women and families across the country, and I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to make this commitment as well. I have long supported pregnant people, especially those who are facing the challenges of being pregnant while being a student. Many students enrolled at an institution of higher learning face unplanned pregnancies and face pressures of either getting an abortion or face academic failure. According to national statistics, 1 in 5 college students have children, one of the many identified barriers that can make it difficult for students to complete a certificate or credential. Most student parents are women and more than 2 in 5 are single mothers. While teenage birth rates have declined significantly across the country in recent decades, Texas remains above the national average, consistently ranking in the top 10 states. Out of all births in Texas, around 6 percent were teen births in 2019 and 2020. And a startling proportion of teenagers who gave birth in Texas in 2020--more than 1 in 6--already had at least one other child. Texas does not require high schools to teach sex education, and the vast majority that do focus on sexual abstinence. The state has a complicated maze of requirements for teenagers seeking birth control and is currently operating under the strictest abortion laws in the country. During this Congress, I have co-sponsored many pieces of legislation that are in support of pregnant people's rights. Bills that endorse full-term pregnancies, such as the Mommies ACT (H.R. 6004) which seeks improve Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program for low-income mothers, as well as the Perinatal Workforce Act (H.R. 3523) which strives to grow and diversify the perinatal workforce, and for other purposes. Students currently have insufficient tools to proactively manage their own maternal health and decisions. For these reasons, namely, to encourage, protect, and support pregnant students across the nation, I am committed to speaking up for the rights of students and pregnant people and confronting the issues that affect them. I urge my colleagues to vote no on H.R. 69l4 because this bill contradicts our nations long standing fight and advancements in protecting all students and reproductive rights for all Americans. {time} 1430 The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired. Pursuant to House Resolution 969, the previous question is ordered on the bill, as amended. 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. UNDERWOOD. Madam 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. Underwood of Illinois moves to recommit the bill H.R. 6914 to the Committee on Education and the Workforce. The material previously referred to by Ms. Underwood is as follows: Ms. Underwood moves to recommit the bill H.R. 6914 to the Committee on Education and the Workforce with instructions to report the same back to the House forthwith with the following amendment: Page 6, after line 16, insert the following: ``(D) Information on access to Federal programs that support the health and well-being of pregnant women and children, including-- ``(i) the Medicaid program under title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.); ``(ii) the supplemental nutrition assistance program under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.); ``(iii) the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children established by section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786); and ``(iv) programs under title X of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300 et seq.).''. 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. UNDERWOOD. Madam 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 are postponed. ____________________