WASHINGTON - A Louisiana Representative and a North Dakota Senator have introduced bicameral legislation that would make it possible for pregnant mothers to collect child support starting at the moment of conception.

H.R. 8362, also called the Unborn Child Support Act, was co-authored by Representative Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Senator Kevin Kramer (R-ND). It consists largely of amendments to previously established legislature wording to include unborn children, within the first month of conception, to be eligible for child support.

The bill's text, which can be read here, states that establishing child support payments will only ever be done in a court of law with the consent of the mother and will not be required if establishing paternity poses a threat to the mother or unborn child.

“Life begins at conception, and this bill is a straightforward first step towards updating our federal laws to reflect that fact. We are hopeful that Democrats will join this bicameral effort to provide mothers with child support payments while their child is in the womb,” said Johnson.