Sponsors (18)
The bill expands and protects funding and legal enforcement for pregnancy‑support and conscience‑based providers—boosting prenatal and material supports for some—while increasing the risk that federally funded entities will limit abortion information and services, creating legal uncertainty and potential costs for providers and governments.
Hospitals, clinics, and other providers that object to performing or referring for abortions can keep federal funding and have stronger avenues to enforce conscience protections (private suits and DOJ actions), protecting their ability to operate consistent with religious or moral beliefs.
Pregnant people gain access to free prenatal services (tests, ultrasounds, prenatal education) that can improve prenatal care access and maternal health outcomes.
Low-income families receive material supports (diapers, formula, cribs, car seats) totaling at least $367M in value, reducing immediate childcare costs for parents and caregivers.
Women and people seeking abortions (especially in rural and underserved areas) may face reduced access to abortion services and information because federally funded providers could stop offering, advertising, or referring for abortion care.
Hospitals, health systems, state and local governments, and taxpayers face increased litigation exposure and compliance uncertainty from narrow definitions and broadened private enforcement, raising legal costs and diverting resources to lawsuits.
Labeling and funding emphasis on 'life-affirming' centers and alternative providers could steer public resources and attention away from comprehensive reproductive-health services (including contraception and abortion), potentially worsening access and health outcomes.
Based on analysis of 5 sections of legislative text.
Bars federal fund recipients from penalizing entities that provide "life-affirming" pregnancy services or refuse to participate in or refer for abortions, and creates a private right to sue.
Official title: To amend the Public Health Service Act to prohibit discrimination against entities that do not participate in abortion and to strengthen implementation and enforcement of Federal conscience laws.
Introduced March 18, 2025 by Christopher Henry Smith · Last progress March 18, 2025
Creates federal protections for pregnancy centers and similar organizations by prohibiting the federal government and any recipient of federal funds from discriminating against or penalizing entities that provide "life-affirming" pregnancy services or that decline to participate in, refer for, counsel for, or provide abortions or abortion-inducing drugs. It adds a new statutory civil-rights-style prohibition in the Public Health Service Act and establishes a private right of action allowing affected entities or the Attorney General to sue for injunctive relief, damages, and attorneys’ fees against federal fund recipients (including state or local governments) for violations. The law defines covered terms, preserves voluntary participation and emergency-treatment obligations, and includes a severability clause so the rest of the Act remains effective if one provision is struck down.