Republicans Propose 'Natural Family Month' To Boost Birth Rate
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Ohio Republican lawmakers introduced a bill aiming to designate the weeks between Mother's Day and Father's Day as "Natural Family Month" to try to tackle America's falling birth rate.
Why It Matters
America's fertility rate is now projected to average 1.6 births per woman over the next three decades, according to the Congressional Budget Office's latest forecast released this year.
The number is well below the replacement level of 2.1 births per woman required to maintain a stable population without immigration.
The Ohio bill is one of several recent proposals nationwide that seek to boost birth rates by affirming the role of marriage and two-parent households.
Riley Walters, 7 months old from Traverse City, Michigan, watches her first National Cherry Festival Junior Royale Parade through downtown Traverse City on July 8, 2004.
Riley Walters, 7 months old from Traverse City, Michigan, watches her first National Cherry Festival Junior Royale Parade through downtown Traverse City on July 8, 2004.
AP
What To Know
The proposed legislation would create a "Natural Family Month" observance in Ohio each year between the second Sunday in May and the third Sunday in June.
State representatives Beth Lear, of the 61st District, and Josh Williams, of the 44th, introduced House Bill 262. It has 26 co-sponsors, including the Ron Ferguson, of the 96th District, who told WTOV News 9 that he does not expect the bill to be passed before the summer break, although he does expect it go through before the end of the General Assembly.
The bill is currently in the House committee and had its first hearing on Tuesday afternoon.
Newsweek has contacted Lear, Williams and Ferguson via email for comment.
Critics of the bill include Equality Ohio, which argues that it excludes families made up of same-sex couples.
"I think that's people really trying to stretch what we're focused on here," Ferguson said. "What we're really focused on is, again, recognizing that a mother and a father are very important for the development of a child."
President Donald Trump's administration has spoken out about the issue of declining birth rates multiple times, with Vice President JD Vance saying on January 24 that he wanted "more babies" to be born in the U.S.
Trump has signed an executive order expanding access to in vitro fertilization for Americans, and Transport Secretary Sean Duffy directed the Department of Transportation to give funding precedence to "communities with marriage and birth rates higher than the national average."
The White House is also reportedly exploring giving women a "baby bonus" of $5,000 to encourage Americans to have more children.
What People Are Saying
Ohio state Representative Ron Ferguson: "What we really need to see is an increase in population and creation of family, and so it was exciting to really support something that recognizes mothers and fathers."
Ohio state Representative Beth Lear, in a previous press release: "At a time when marriage is trending downward and young couples are often choosing to remain childless, it's important for the State of Ohio to make a statement that marriage and families are the cornerstone of civil society, and absolutely imperative if we want to maintain a healthy and stable Republic."
President Donald Trump, during a speech in December: "We want more babies, to put it nicely."
Vice President JD Vance, who is from Ohio, in January: "We failed a generation not only by permitting a culture of abortion on demand but also by neglecting to help young parents achieve the ingredients they need to lead a happy and meaningful life.
"Our society has failed to recognize the obligation that one generation has to another as a core part of living in a society. So let me say very simply, I want more babies in the United States of America."
What Happens Next
The bill needs to go through multiple steps before being voted on by the Ohio House, then Senate.
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