WASHINGTON — Rep. LaMonica McIver became only the 15th member of Congress to give birth while in office, announcing the birth of her second daughter.
“Being a mom is one of the greatest joys of my life, and I feel deeply grateful to welcome this beautiful, healthy baby into the world,” said McIver (D-Newark). “There really aren’t words to describe how blessed my family feels to welcome a new life into the world.”
McIver also has a 10-year-old daughter.
“Bringing a child into the world is a reminder not only of why we fight for maternal healthcare and reproductive rights, but of why we fight for the rights and freedoms of our most vulnerable—they are someone’s babies too,” she said.
With the U.S. House not coming back into session until after Election Day, McIver won’t miss any votes this month. But she also has pushed for proxy voting for new mothers.
McIver has talked about her health issues, especially her multiple surgeries to remove uterine fibroids, and the fact that her new daughter was conceived using in vitro fertilization (IVF) as her fallopian tubes were damaged during one medical procedure.
“Getting the chance to raise a family is a priority and a delight for me, something I hope everyone who wants to gets the chance to do,” she said.
McIver still faces criminal charges stemming from a confrontation with law enforcement officers at the Delaney Hall immigration detention center. A federal appeals court upheld her indictment for allegedly assaulting and interfering with federal officers trying to arrest Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. The charges against Baraka later were dropped.