Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chair of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, expressed disappointment after the Senate did not invoke cloture on the Pregnant Students’ Rights Act. The bill aimed to support pregnant and parenting students as they work toward completing their degrees.
“I am extremely disappointed in my Senate colleagues’ failure to invoke cloture on and advance the Pregnant Students’ Rights Act, critical legislation that would have supported pregnant and parenting students seeking to complete their degrees.
“This common-sense legislation would have required colleges and other higher learning institutions to provide pregnant and parenting students with helpful resources, details about accommodations, and information about how to file a complaint. The miracle of pregnancy should not be viewed as an ‘inconvenience’ by schools and administrators, let alone an inhibitor of higher education.
“This bill sends a clear message that motherhood and education are not mutually exclusive: assistance, resources, and accommodations are in-place and available.
“The unconscionable decision of Senate Democrats to vote against cloture reflects an unwillingness to offer care to young parents throughout the United States, who continue to pursue college-level or higher degrees during pregnancy or post-birth. There should be clear, bipartisan support for students who are pursuing an education and working towards a viable career path while caring for children or preparing to give birth. Young parents and their children need Congress to be their fierce advocates, not powerful adversaries.”
Chris Smith has represented New Jersey’s 4th District in Congress since 1981, after succeeding Frank Thompson. He was born in Rahway, New Jersey in 1953 and currently lives in Manchester Township. Smith graduated from The College of New Jersey in 1975 with a Bachelor of Science degree.
