Sponsors (5)
The bill reduces federal criminal exposure and clarifies certain legal definitions—easing federal caseloads and legal uncertainty—but does so at the cost of reduced federal protections for clinic patients and providers, potential gaps in accountability, and shifted enforcement costs to state and local authorities.
People who oppose abortion (individual protesters) face reduced risk of federal criminal prosecution for obstructing access to abortion services.
Federal law enforcement (DOJ) and related courts may have fewer prosecutions, reducing federal caseloads and lowering legal costs for individuals involved in clinic protests.
Healthcare providers and other regulated parties gain clearer statutory definitions (e.g., of 'abortion'), which can reduce legal uncertainty for clinicians, hospitals, and courts.
Pregnant people seeking abortion care and the providers who serve them face reduced federal protection against obstruction, blockades, threats, or violent interference at clinics, increasing safety and access risks.
Narrowing the federal statute creates gaps in legal protection that may allow disruptive but nonviolent conduct (e.g., persistent blockades or obstruction) to go unpunished at the federal level, weakening accountability.
Localities and state or local law enforcement may need to absorb enforcement responsibility and related costs to address clinic obstruction, shifting financial and operational burdens to local governments.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Narrows 18 U.S.C. § 248 definitions and scope to exclude abortions from certain protections, reducing federal criminal penalties for obstructing abortion access.
Official title: To amend title 18, United States Code, to remove criminal penalties for obstructing access to abortion services, and for other purposes.
Introduced June 24, 2026 by Andy Ogles · Last progress June 24, 2026
Amends federal law to remove and narrow criminal protections against obstructing access to abortion services by changing the text and definitions of 18 U.S.C. § 248. The changes redefine “abortion,” limit which covered matters are protected, and revise terms so that the statute no longer criminalizes certain obstruction related to abortions. The bill updates the chapter table to reflect the amended section heading.