Abortion

Defense of Conscience in Health Care Act

This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to issue a final rule on protecting statutory conscience rights in health care that is identical or equivalent to the rule titled Protecting Statutory Conscience Rights in Health Care; Delegations of Authority, which was scheduled to take effect on July 22, 2019, but was vacated by courts.

Federal law generally prohibits discrimination based on conscience or religious beliefs with respect to federally funded health care programs, including prohibiting recipients of certain federal funding from requiring health care providers to take actions that they find religiously or morally objectionable (e.g., providing referrals for abortions).

In 2019, HHS issued a final rule revising the applicable regulations, including imposing certification and cooperation requirements, as well as establishing additional enforcement provisions and penalties. However, this rule was later vacated by federal courts and never took effect. In 2024, HHS issued another final rule that generally applied a pre-2019 enforcement framework while also maintaining certain aspects of the 2019 rule (e.g., specifically designating HHS' Office for Civil Rights as the entity with the authority to handle relevant complaints).

The bill requires HHS to reinstate the 2019 rule in its entirety.

Pregnancy Resource Center Defense Act

This bill increases criminal penalties and authorizes additional civil remedies for intentionally damaging or destroying property that is a place of religious worship or a facility that exclusively provides abortion-alternative services. The bill also increases the mandatory minimum prison term for maliciously damaging or destroying, by means of fire or explosives, a building that is a place of religious worship or a facility that exclusively provides abortion-alternative services.

Prescription Freedom Act of 2025

This bill generally eliminates the authority of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to require that a drug be dispensed only with a prescription. However, the FDA may continue to require a prescription for any drug intended for terminating a pregnancy.

End Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Providers Act

This bill prohibits federal funding for entities, or their affiliates, that perform abortions, provide referrals for abortions, or provide funding to others that perform abortions. It provides exceptions for abortions (1) in the case of rape or incest, or (2) when a physician certifies there is a danger of death to the woman without an abortion.

The bill’s prohibition applies to any federal statutory law adopted after the bill’s effective date, unless such law contains an explicit exemption.

Defense of Conscience in Health Care Act

This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to issue a final rule on protecting statutory conscience rights in health care that is identical or equivalent to the rule titled Protecting Statutory Conscience Rights in Health Care; Delegations of Authority, which was scheduled to take effect on July 22, 2019, but was vacated by courts.

Federal law generally prohibits discrimination based on conscience or religious beliefs with respect to federally funded health care programs, including prohibiting recipients of certain federal funding from requiring health care providers to take actions that they find religiously or morally objectionable (e.g., providing referrals for abortions).

In 2019, HHS issued a final rule revising the applicable regulations, including imposing certification and cooperation requirements, as well as establishing additional enforcement provisions and penalties. However, this rule was later vacated by federal courts and never took effect. In 2024, HHS issued another final rule that generally applied a pre-2019 enforcement framework while also maintaining certain aspects of the 2019 rule (e.g., specifically designating HHS' Office for Civil Rights as the entity with the authority to handle relevant complaints).

The bill requires HHS to reinstate the 2019 rule in its entirety.