Opinion: Support families and the unborn to create a culture of life in America

The pro-life movement was never solely about ending abortion, it has always been about valuing life at every stage. When Roe v. Wade was rightfully overturned last year, the next chapter of the pro-life movement began and we were all given the opportunity to strengthen our support for unborn babies and new families.

In Iowa, our governor and state Legislature have been working tirelessly to pass fetal heartbeat legislation. As they continue this fight for the unborn, there are policies we must enact at the federal level to follow through on our pro-life commitments.

This means supporting women during pregnancy, devoting resources to maternal health care access and stillbirth prevention, and helping parents afford to raise their kids comfortably. It requires engaged fathers, expanded nutrition assistance, and robust community assistance for women and children in need.

The Providing for Life Act — legislation I’m leading in the House and championed by Marco Rubio in the Senate — accomplishes these objectives and charts the policy course for a culture of life in America.

ANOTHER VIEW: Denying access to abortion hurts children and families

When a woman finds out she is pregnant, she should be surrounded with easily accessible information, support, and mental and physical care options. The Providing for Life Act includes a provision that would create a public website — life.gov — for expecting mothers to access federal, state, and local resources including maternal mental health counseling and prenatal and postnatal care options. It also ensures that expecting moms on college campuses aren’t pressured into having an abortion and are empowered to choose life while continuing their education to set up the best possible future for their family.

More: Opinion: Iowans are pro-life, and today was a long time coming

With modern medicine, there is no acceptable reason for U.S. stillbirth and maternal mortality rates to be so high, and moms shouldn’t fear for their lives or the life of their unborn baby because of where they live. We must devote federal resources to stillbirth prevention, as well as increase midwifery services and freestanding birth centers in rural areas and maternity care deserts. This will help moms have healthy pregnancies and deliver healthy babies, regardless of socioeconomic status or zip code.

Working parents contribute greatly to our society and should be able to keep more of their hard-earned money to care for their family. A central part of the Providing for Life Act expands the child tax credit — with a work requirement — giving parents an annual credit of up to $4,500 for children under 6 and up to $3,500 for children 6 to 17 based on income level. This will provide financial stability for families and give parents the means to provide a better future for their children.

Additionally, pregnant women should be able to collect this tax credit for their unborn child. Providing for your baby starts the second you learn you’re pregnant — whether that’s going to doctor appointments, stocking up on diapers, or searching for child care. Unborn babies are human lives and deserve both protection and support through our policies.

Caring for children is expensive — we can help new parents by enhancing paid parental leave and expanding nutrition assistance for postpartum women, offsetting the cost of a newborn and ensuring no baby or mom goes hungry. However, some women bravely parent alone. While children with two engaged parents benefit physically, socially, and mentally — at a minimum fathers should be financially responsible for their child. Our legislation mandates cooperation for child support for SNAP recipients and strengthens child support enforcement to give children the best shot at success and a healthy childhood.

The phrase “it takes a village to raise a child” is true — even more so for single moms and low-income families who greatly benefit from increased access to social services. The Providing for Life Act puts resources toward faith and community-based programs that uplift mothers and empowers pregnancy resource centers and religious organizations to expand their offerings to those in need. Improving access to these vital, effective programs will better the mental and physical health of vulnerable families, helping break the cycle of poverty and promoting upward mobility.

America's future will be determined by the strength of our families. These provisions — as well as others included in the Providing for Life Act and championed by the pro-life community — lay the foundation for a whole of society effort that protects the most vulnerable and makes critical investments in the long-term well-being of our families.

Ashley Hinson represents Iowa's 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Opinion: Support families to help create a culture of life in America