Republican Lawmakers File 'Unborn Child Support Act'

Republican lawmakers filed a bill Wednesday that would require expecting fathers to pay child support beginning at conception.

The "Unborn Child Support Act" would "establish and enforce child support obligations of the biological father of an unborn child." With the mother's consent, once paternity is proven, fathers would be responsible for the payment amount determined by a court.

Yesterday we filed our “Unborn Child Support Act,” that would allow mothers to begin collecting child support payments during pregnancy & retroactive payments after the birth when a paternity test is used to establish the identity of the father.https://t.co/l1WfKRsr0D
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) July 21, 2022

The bill would amend the Social Security Act which outlines the existing state-enforced requirements for biological fathers to make child support payments to the mother of their child. Not only would the legislation expand the requirements and ensure state enforcement of mothers' child support claims, it would also allow mothers to retroactively claim payments equivalent to the amount she would have collected during her pregnancy and the child's birth once paternity is proven.

The bill also establishes that mothers do not need to seek child support nor paternity tests. This is beneficial for mothers who do not want the unborn child's father to be involved.

Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND), who spearheaded the the bicameral legislation with Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA), released a statement about the bill:

Caring for the well-being of our children begins long before a baby is born. It begins at the first moment of life – conception – and fathers have obligations, financial and otherwise, during pregnancy. Mothers should be able to access child support payments as soon as she is supporting a child. Our bill makes this possible.

In the new Dobbs era, our policies should reflect the science that life begins at conception and the reality that women and families start making plans well before the birth of a child. From the moment a woman learns she is pregnant, throughout her pregnancy, and after a child is born, she should receive the support she needs to care for herself and baby.

Johnson said he hopes Democrats will support the bill. It provides an answer to many pro-abortion Democrats' claims that pro-life Republicans don't care about children after they're born or for expectant mothers experiencing financial challenges

If the bill goes through Congress, it would take effect two years after the date of enactment.