{"id":285038,"date":"2023-02-09T10:38:15","date_gmt":"2023-02-09T16:38:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=285038"},"modified":"2023-02-08T22:49:37","modified_gmt":"2023-02-09T04:49:37","slug":"tennessee-governor-expansion-pro-life-assistance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/tennessee-governor-expansion-pro-life-assistance\/","title":{"rendered":"Tennessee governor proposes expansion of pro-life assistance for families"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Tennessee governor Bill Lee announced a plan to allocate $100 million to pregnancy resource centers during his State of the State address on Monday.<\/p>\n

Though nearly all preborn children in the state are protected from abortion, Lee pointed out that mothers and families need extra support to care for their children.\u00a0Lee’s proposal<\/a> would also expand Medicaid eligibility for pregnant women and parents, cover the cost of diapers for Medicaid-eligible parents, and increase paid parental leave for state employees.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a significant shift in this country last year when it comes to protecting the lives of the unborn,\u201d Lee said, referring to the overturn of Roe v. Wade<\/em>. \u201cWe now all have an opportunity, a moral obligation, to support strong Tennessee families.”<\/p>\n

\"Walgreens<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cPro-life is much more than defending the lives of the unborn. It\u2019s not a matter of politics; this is about human dignity,\u201d he said, as protestors in the gallery attempted to shout<\/a> over him. “I\u2019m talking about the dignity of the expecting mother working multiple jobs to make ends meet, the dignity of a baby born three months too early, the dignity of a father living with a disability, and the dignity of a family in crisis.”<\/p>\n

After outlining his ideas for the program, he noted<\/a>, “If approved, Tennessee will be the first Medicaid program in the nation to implement this kind of support. That\u2019s pro-life. That\u2019s pro-family.”<\/p>\n

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This year, TN has the opportunity to further strengthen postpartum care for mothers & extend @TennCare<\/a> services to more than 25,000 additional women, children & families in need.<\/p>\n

We are committed to supporting strong families & serving the most vulnerable. pic.twitter.com\/TCI7yxDkn7<\/a><\/p>\n

— Gov. Bill Lee (@GovBillLee) February 8, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n