Fetuses would qualify for child tax credit under new GOP bill

Fetuses would qualify for a child tax credit under a new bill being pushed by House Republicans.

Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) last week introduced the Providing For Life Act to expand the federal benefit, including to cover parents during pregnancy.

“Providing for your child begins the second a woman finds out she is pregnant — from making doctor’s appointments, to stocking up on diapers, and searching for child care,” Hinson told The Post on Monday.

“Expanding the Child Tax Credit to cover the unborn and expanding tax relief for working and adoptive parents will help new families grow and thrive,” she said.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) introduced a companion version of the bill in the upper chamber of Congress in January.

The proposed boosted child tax credit would provide up to $4,500 for parents who are employed if their children are 5 years old or younger and $3,500 if their children are between the ages of 6 and 17.

Parents would also be able to claim the credit for any unborn children for the year before their birth. The benefits apply to households earning up to $400,000 and individuals earning up to $200,000.

The current version of the child tax credit allots $2,000 for each dependent, regardless of age.

Other provisions in the bill also would provide government benefits for postpartum women, enhanced paid parental leave coverage and work employment opportunities for parents paying child support, as well as funding for pregnancy resource centers and access to information about abortion alternatives for women on college campuses and at houses of worship.

The proposed legislation is likely to be controversial for Democrats, who have largely opposed efforts to federally fund such programs after the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling providing federal protection for abortion, last year.

But Rubio said in a statement backing his bill, “Supporting pregnant mothers and their unborn children is essential, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because America’s continued strength depends on the next generation.

“This comprehensive legislation will provide real assistance for American parents and children in need. We need policies like these to show America that conservatives are pro-life across the board,” the senator said.

Congressional Democrats supported an expanded child tax credit as part of President Biden’s $1.9 trillion stimulus package in 2021 but have yet to renew the legislation.

That package raised the credit for dependents to $3,600 for kids under 6 and $3,000 for children between 6 and 17.

Marilyn Musgrave, vice president of government affairs at Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, praised Hinson for authoring the House bill.

“From the moment a woman learns she is pregnant, throughout her pregnancy, and after her child is born, every mother deserves the support and critical resources she needs to care for herself and her baby,” Musgrave said in a statement.

“The Providing for Life Act both recognizes the humanity of unborn children and helps address the challenges moms and families face so they can make life-affirming decisions and thrive. We thank Congresswoman Hinson for reintroducing this comprehensive pro-life package and we hope to see it garner bipartisan support.”