The Republican National Convention’s (RNC) 2024 platform adopted this week affirms its commitment to “families and Life,” the ability for states to pass life-protecting laws, and the support of mothers. While the words are few, these pledges closely align with the work of the nearly 3,000 pregnancy resource centers (PRCs) across the nation.
Pregnancy centers have existed since the late 1960s and were established to offer support and information for women who found themselves facing difficult pregnancy decisions. The centers are nonprofit organizations, and their services are typically provided at no cost. Many of these PRCs employ a small number of staff, rely on the help of capable volunteers, and operate on low budgets through thoughtful financial gifts from donors. A study, compiled by the Charlotte Lozier Institute and a group of national organizations whose membership is comprised of pregnancy centers, found that nearly 2 million individuals received assistance from PRCs in 2019 at a value of more than $266 million.
Despite the praiseworthy effort of PRCs, many government and elected officials are making it their mission to halt all efforts put forth by life-affirming organizations. PRCs have been under attack for years but the threats have become more volatile since the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The Biden Administration proposed a rule change last year to redirect Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds from PRCs to other programs including sex education and family planning services.
Several bills were also introduced during recent legislative sessions that accuse PRCs of “false and deceptive advertising,” ban abortion pill reversal, require licensing and certifications to dictate PRC activity, terminate funding, and order studies to investigate PRCs. If a PRC violates even one of these laws, they could face thousands of dollars in fines and even Class A misdemeanors. These bills place an undue burden on PRCs and present potential financial hardships. States should protect PRCs from these heavy-handed tactics by passing pro-life laws as proposed by the RNC.
Pregnancy centers offer support to mothers, but they go even further by offering support for fathers too. PRCs provide many services including pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, material goods, abstinence education, STI and STD testing, parenting classes, abortion recovery and care support, referrals for medical care and other resources, and perhaps most importantly, compassion and a listening ear.
There is no denying that PRCs are making a positive impact across the country. While proponents of the anti-PRC legislation rally together over their desire to “protect women,” implementing these bills will only harm the millions of clients who receive services from PRCs.
It is imperative that the RNC, and any actor with a national platform, be committed to protecting the right to life for all of humanity including the unborn. The RNC’s pledge to support families and life must be put into action by promoting and encouraging the dedicated efforts of PRC staff and volunteers so that live-saving work will continue to move forward.
