This Week in Mom News: Childbirth Costs, Political Violence, Immigration Heartbreak, and a Bipartisan Win

Samantha Hall
Jun 19
4 min read

Welcome to Mom News by Welcome Mama your weekly breakdown of the headlines that matter most to moms. We’re here to help you cut through the noise and understand the political issues that impact our lives, our children, and our future.

This week’s stories cover recent news - a bipartisan win for maternal health, a devastating political shooting in Minnesota, heartbreaking immigration policies that are separating moms from their children, and a rare moment of unity on making childbirth affordable.

1. Bipartisan Breakthrough: The Bill That Could Make Childbirth Free

In a rare moment of cross-party unity, a new Senate proposal is making headlines for all the right reasons: it could eliminate out-of-pocket costs for childbirth in the United States.

The "Supporting Healthy Moms and Babies Act" is a bipartisan effort aimed at lifting the financial burden of pregnancy, labor, delivery, postpartum care, and maternal mental health services. With the average U.S. birth costing families nearly $3,000 out-of-pocket, this bill would offer substantial relief to millions of moms.

What’s In the Bill?

Prenatal appointments
Labor and delivery
Postpartum recovery services
Maternal mental health care

All with zero copays or deductibles.

Who’s Behind It? This legislation is the result of a truly bipartisan coalition:

Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) and Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) partnered with Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) to introduce the bill earlier this month.

It doesn’t involve new federal spending. Instead, it's funded by modest premium increases estimated to be about $30 annually per insured individual.

Why It Matters According to 2024 data from the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker (source), new parents would save an average of $2,854 per birth. The bill has gained support from groups like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, March of Dimes, and several faith-based organizations.

2. Political Violence in Minnesota: Moms and Lawmakers Targeted

On June 14, a politically motivated act of violence stunned Minnesota. Former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband were fatally shot in their Brooklyn Park home. Just hours later, State Senator John Hoffman and his wife were critically wounded in Champlin.

image from WCCO

The attacker, Vance Luther Boelter, impersonated a police officer, wearing tactical gear and using a replica law enforcement vehicle to gain entry. Investigators later discovered a detailed manifesto and a hit list with over 70 names, largely targeting Democrats and abortion-rights advocates.

Boelter was arrested after a 43-hour manhunt. Authorities confirmed links to extremist ideologies, including Christian nationalism and anti-abortion extremism (source, source).

Why It Matters This tragedy serves as a grim reminder of how political extremism is impacting public safety, especially for women in public life. For moms raising children in today’s volatile environment, it raises urgent concerns about safety, democracy, and division.

3. Immigration Crisis: Moms Deported, Children Left Behind

In Los Angeles in May, a nursing mother named Heidy Sanchez Tejeda was deported after showing up for a routine ICE check-in. Her daughter, a U.S. citizen, was left behind. This is not an isolated case.

Under Executive Order 14159, expedited deportations have increased without due process protections. In Southern California alone, over 300 families have reported similar separations in the past two weeks (source, source).

A separate case involved an 11-year-old U.S. citizen with a brain tumor who was deported alongside her undocumented parents. Her treatment has now been delayed indefinitely in rural Mexico (source).

Legal advocates are fighting back. The ACLU filed a lawsuit against the administration’s rollback of protections and is demanding restoration of legal aid for families facing separation.

Why It Matters These stories show how immigration policy isn't just a political debate, it has real, human consequences, especially for mothers and children. Whether or not you agree on the politics, the trauma of family separation leaves lasting scars.

4. The "One Big Beautiful Bill": Promises and Pitfalls for Families

The GOP-backed "One Big Beautiful Bill" is making headlines with big promises but also big consequences. It proposes expanded tax benefits and paid family leave, but critics warn that it comes at a steep cost.

Highlights:

Expands the Child Tax Credit to $2,500 per child.
Makes paid family leave tax credits permanent and expands them to part-time workers.
Allows employers to use short-term disability insurance as a paid leave solution.

Concerns:

The bill would add an estimated $2.6–$3 trillion to the national deficit over the next decade (source).
It slashes funding for Medicaid, SNAP, and other social safety net programs that many moms rely on.
It increases funding to ICE by $75 billion, raising concerns among immigration and human rights advocates.
Critics argue the benefits primarily help middle- and upper-income families while excluding the lowest-income households.

Why It Matters This bill is a mixed bag. While some moms could see tax relief or paid leave access, the long-term tradeoffs—like cuts to healthcare and food assistance—mean the moms who need support the most could end up with less.

Final Thoughts

This week showed the best and worst of what our political system can do for moms.

When lawmakers work together, moms win big, like with the childbirth coverage bill.
But rising extremism, harsh immigration policies, and imbalanced budget proposals show us that moms and families are still too often left unprotected.
And yet, communities are stepping up, showing us the power of collective care.

Here at Welcome Mama, we believe that moms deserve clear, honest information about what’s happening—and what we can do about it.

If you found this helpful, share it with another mom. Knowledge is power. And just moms deserve to be in the know.

Full list of sources and references cited in this article: