Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chair of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, spoke on the House floor in support of the Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act (HR 6945). The bill aims to allow states to use Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant funding for pregnancy care centers.
Smith has advocated for increased federal protections for pregnancy care centers, which he says have faced harassment and discrimination from some state governments. During his remarks, Smith said, “Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Pro-Life Caucus Co-Chair, Rep. Michelle Fischbach, for her leadership and compassion by offering this legislation to protect pregnancy centers from discrimination and ensure they can continue their important work of assisting families in need.”
He shared stories from a New Jersey pregnancy center dinner where women expressed gratitude for the support that led them to continue their pregnancies. Smith recounted how two teenagers thanked a center director for supporting their mothers during difficult times, saying that without her help, “we’d be dead.”
Smith also highlighted the experience of Jean Marie Davis, a survivor of human trafficking who credited a pregnancy care center with saving her life. Davis said:
“…I was trafficked in 33 states…
“Even though I was losing weight from the drugs, my belly kept growing, and I soon discovered the pregnancy that would ultimately save my life…
“…I literally ran away from the only life I had ever known.
“Fighting despair, and with only $1.38 to my name, I had very few places to turn.”
Davis explained how she received free resources and support at a local pregnancy center:
“The pregnancy center provided me with free resources and support to take care of my son. I was also able to realize and pursue dreams I had never imagined, such as earning a college degree…
“Years later, I applied for the executive director position of a pregnancy center in Vermont—Branches Pregnancy Resource Center…
“If it hadn’t been for Phyllis and the pregnancy center, I would be dead. They saved my life. My son saved my life. Now, it’s my turn to defend the very cause that saved me.”
Smith stated that more than 2,700 pregnancy resource centers operate across the United States providing various services at no cost including ultrasounds, prenatal education classes, diapers, car seats and other goods. In 2024 alone these centers delivered over $452 million worth of medical care and material assistance with an overall client satisfaction rate of 98%.
Some states already provide TANF funding to these centers because they help families care for children at home while reducing dependence on government benefits.
According to Smith: “HR 6945… clarifies that states may direct these TANF dollars to pregnancy centers and the crucial assistance they provide.”
He criticized President Biden’s administration for proposing rules that would prevent such centers from receiving TANF funds: “Tragically, President Biden—the Abortion President—weaponized the entire federal bureaucracy to aggressively promote abortion on-demand… His administration proposed a rule to block pregnancy centers from receiving TANF funds.”
Smith concluded by stating his support for protecting access to funding for these organizations.
Chris Smith has represented New Jersey’s 4th district in Congress since 1981 after replacing Frank Thompson (https://chrissmith.house.gov/biography/). He was born in Rahway in 1953 and currently lives in Manchester Township. He graduated from The College of New Jersey in 1975 with a Bachelor of Science degree.
