119-hr5397

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5397 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 5397

To amend the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to provide leave for 
 the spontaneous loss of an unborn child, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 September 16, 2025

 Mrs. Hinson introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committees 
on Oversight and Government Reform, House Administration, and Ways and 
 Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
 each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
 jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To amend the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to provide leave for 
 the spontaneous loss of an unborn child, and for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Helping with Equal Access to Leave 
and Investing in Needs for Grieving Mothers and Fathers Act'' or the 
``HEALING Mothers and Fathers Act''.

SEC. 2. LEAVE FOR SPONTANEOUS LOSS OF AN UNBORN CHILD.

    (a) Definition of Spontaneous Loss of an Unborn Child.--

Section 101 
of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. 2611) is 
amended--

    (1) by redesignating paragraphs

    (13) through

    (19) as 
 paragraphs

    (14) through

    (20) , respectively;

    (2) by inserting after paragraph

    (12) the following:
 ``

    (13) Spontaneous loss of an unborn child.--The term 
 `spontaneous loss of an unborn child' means the loss of a child 
 in the womb that does not result from a purposeful act and is 
 unplanned.''; and

    (3) in paragraph

    (19)
        (B) , as redesignated, by striking 
 ``paragraph

    (15)
        (B) '' and inserting ``paragraph

    (16)
        (B) ''.

    (b) Entitlement to Leave.--

Section 102

    (a)

    (1) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 
2612

    (a)

    (1) ) is amended by adding at the end the following:
 ``
        (G) Because of the spontaneous loss of an unborn 
 child of the employee or spouse of the employee.''.
            (c) Schedule.--

Section 102

    (b)

    (1) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2612

    (b)

    (1) ) 
is amended by inserting after the third sentence the following: 
``Subject to subsection

    (e)

    (4) and 

section 103

    (g) , leave under 
subsection

    (a)

    (1)
        (G) may be taken intermittently or on a reduced leave 
schedule when medically necessary.''.
            (d) Substitution of Paid Leave.--

Section 102
            (d) (2)
        (B) of such Act 
(29 U.S.C. 2612
            (d) (2)
        (B) ) is amended in the first sentence by striking 
``
            (C) or
            (D) '' and inserting ``
            (C) ,
            (D) , or
        (G) ''.

    (e) Notice.--

Section 102
            (c) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2612
            (c) ) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
 ``

    (4) Notice for leave due to spontaneous loss of an unborn 
 child.--For leave under subsection

    (a)

    (1)
        (G) , the employee 
 shall provide such notice to the employer as is reasonable and 
 practicable.''.

    (f) Certification.--

Section 103 of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2613) is 
amended--

    (1) in subsection
            (c) (1) --
        (A) by inserting ``or subsection

    (g)

    (1) for leave 
 under 

section 102

    (a)

    (1)
        (G) '' after ``

section 102

    (a)

    (1) ''; and
        (B) by striking ``under subsection

    (b) for such 
 leave'' and inserting ``under subsection

    (b) for leave 
 under subparagraph
            (C) or
            (D) of 

section 102

    (a)

    (1) or 
 subsection

    (g)

    (2) for leave under 

section 102

    (a)

    (1)
        (G) , 
 respectively'';

    (2) in subsection
            (d) --
        (A) in paragraph

    (1) --
            (i) by inserting ``or subsection

    (g)

    (1) '' 
 after ``under subsection

    (a) ''; and
            (ii) by inserting ``or subsection

    (g)

    (2) , 
 respectively'' after ``under subsection

    (b) ''; 
 and
        (B) in paragraph

    (2) , by inserting ``or subsection

    (g)

    (2) '' after ``under subsection

    (b) ''; and

    (3) by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (g) Certification for Leave Due to Spontaneous Loss of an Unborn 
Child.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--An employer may require that a request 
 for leave under 

section 102

    (a)

    (1)
        (G) be supported by a 
 certification issued by the health care provider of the 
 eligible employee or of the spouse of the eligible employee, as 
 appropriate. The employee shall provide, in a timely manner, a 
 copy of such certification to the employer.
 ``

    (2) Sufficient certification.--Certification provided 
 under paragraph

    (1) shall be sufficient if it includes the 
 information described in paragraphs

    (1) ,

    (2) ,

    (3) , and

    (5) of 
 subsection

    (b) , with respect to spontaneous loss of an unborn 
 child or bodily side effects of that loss, as appropriate.''.

SEC. 3. LEAVE FOR SPONTANEOUS LOSS OF AN UNBORN CHILD, FOR CIVIL 
 SERVICE EMPLOYEES.

    (a) 

=== Definitions. ===
-

Section 6381 of title 5, United States Code, is 
amended--

    (1) by redesignating paragraphs

    (7) through

    (12) as 
 paragraphs

    (8) through

    (13) , respectively;

    (2) by inserting after paragraph

    (6) the following:
 ``

    (7) the term `spontaneous loss of an unborn child' means 
 the loss of a child in the womb that does not result from a 
 purposeful act and is unplanned;''; and

    (3) in paragraph

    (12)
        (B) , as redesignated, by striking 
 ``paragraph

    (8)
        (B) '' and inserting ``paragraph

    (9)
        (B) ''.

    (b) Entitlement to Leave.--

Section 6382

    (a)

    (1) of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
 ``
        (F) Because of the spontaneous loss of an unborn child of 
 the employee or spouse of the employee.''.
            (c) Schedule.--

Section 6382

    (b)

    (1) of title 5, United States Code, 
is amended by inserting after the third sentence the following: 
``Subject to subsection

    (e)

    (4) , and 

section 103

    (g) , leave under 
subsection

    (a)

    (1)
        (G) may be taken intermittently or on a reduced leave 
schedule when medically necessary.''.
            (d) Substitution of Paid Leave.--

Section 6382
            (d) (1) of title 5, 
United States Code, is amended in the first sentence by striking ``or
        (E) '' and inserting ``
        (E) , or
        (F) ''.

    (e) Notice.--

Section 6382

    (e) of title 5, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (4) For leave under subsection

    (a)

    (1)
        (F) , the employee shall 
provide such notice to the employing agency as is reasonable and 
practicable.''.

    (f) Certification.--

Section 6383 of title 5, United States Code, is 
amended--

    (1) in subsection
            (c) (1) --
        (A) by inserting ``or subsection

    (g)

    (1) for leave 
 under 

section 6382

    (a)

    (1)
        (F) '' after ``

section 6382

    (a)

    (1) ''; and
        (B) by striking ``under subsection

    (b) for such 
 leave'' and inserting ``under subsection

    (b) for leave 
 under subparagraph
            (C) or
            (D) of 

section 6382

    (a)

    (1) or 
 subsection

    (g)

    (2) for leave under 

section 6382

    (a)

    (1)
        (F) , respectively'';

    (2) in subsection
            (d) --
        (A) in paragraph

    (1) --
            (i) by inserting ``or subsection

    (g)

    (1) '' 
 after ``under subsection

    (a) ''; and
            (ii) by inserting ``or subsection

    (g)

    (2) , 
 respectively'' after ``under subsection

    (b) ''; 
 and
        (B) in paragraph

    (2) , by inserting ``or subsection

    (g)

    (2) '' after ``under subsection

    (b) ''; and

    (3) by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (g)

    (1) An employing agency may require that a request for leave 
under 

section 6382

    (a)

    (1)
        (F) be supported by a certification issued by 
the health care provider of the employee or of the spouse of the 
employee, as appropriate. The employee shall provide, in a timely 
manner, a copy of such certification to the employing agency.
 ``

    (2) Certification provided under paragraph

    (1) shall be 
sufficient if it includes the information described in paragraphs

    (1) ,

    (2) ,

    (3) , and

    (5) of subsection

    (b) , with respect to spontaneous loss 
of an unborn child or bodily side effects of that loss, as 
appropriate.''.

SEC. 4. REFUNDABLE PERSONAL CREDIT FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE SUFFERED A 
 STILLBIRTH.

    (a) In General.--Subpart C of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting after 

section 36B the following new section:

``

SEC. 36C. STILLBIRTHS.

 ``

    (a) Allowance of Credit.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--In the case of an eligible individual, 
 there shall be allowed as a credit against the tax imposed by 
 this subtitle for the taxable year an amount equal to the 
 applicable amount.
 ``

    (2) Applicable amount.--For purposes of paragraph

    (1) , 
 the applicable amount shall be equal to the dollar amount in 
 effect for such taxable year under subsection

    (a) of 

section 24.
 ``

    (b) Eligible Individual.--For purposes of this section, the term 
`eligible individual' means any individual--
 ``

    (1) who suffered during the taxable year the stillbirth 
 of a child who would have been a qualifying child of the 
 taxpayer (within the meaning of 

section 152) for the taxable 
 year if such child had been born live, and
 ``

    (2) for whom a certificate of birth resulting in 
 stillbirth has been issued under applicable State law.
 ``
            (c) Stillbirth.--For purposes of this section, the term 
`stillbirth' means the delivery of a child where there was a 
spontaneous death of the child, not induced by any purposeful act, 
before the complete delivery from the child's mother.
 ``
            (d) Identification Requirement.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--No credit shall be allowed under this 
 section to a taxpayer unless the taxpayer includes the social 
 security number of such taxpayer on the return of tax for the 
 taxable year. In the case of a joint return, the requirements 
 of this subsection shall be treated as met as long as 1 spouse 
 includes a social security number on the return of tax for the 
 taxable year.
 ``

    (2) Social security number.--For purposes of this 
 subsection, the term `social security number' means a social 
 security number issued to an individual by the Social Security 
 Administration, but only if the social security number is 
 issued--
 ``
        (A) to a citizen of the United States or pursuant 
 to subclause
            (I) (or that portion of subclause
            (III) that relates to subclause
            (I) ) of 

section 205
            (c) (2)
        (B)
            (i) of the Social Security Act, and
 ``
        (B) before the due date for such return.''.

    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for subpart C of 
part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 of such Code is amended by 
inserting after the item relating to 

section 36B the following new 
item:

``

Sec. 36C. Stillbirths.''.
            (c) Conforming Amendments.--

    (1) Internal revenue code of 1986.--

Section 6211

    (b)

    (4)
        (A) of such Code is amended by inserting ``36C,'' after ``36B,''.

    (2) Refunds.--Paragraph

    (2) of 

section 1324

    (b) of title 31, 
 United States Code, is amended by inserting ``, 36C'' after 
 ``36B''.
            (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to taxable years beginning after the date of the enactment of 
this Act.
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