Expressing support for the recognition of March 10, 2025, as "Abortion Provider Appreciation Day".
- Bill Number
- H.Con.Res. 18
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Health
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-03-10: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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.
- Last Updated
- 2026-03-16T12:16:19Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 18) aims to express congressional support for designating March 10, 2025, as "Abortion Provider Appreciation Day." It honors the work of abortion providers and staff, recognizing their essential role in delivering care, especially after the 2022 Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization that overturned Roe v. Wade and led to increased state restrictions on abortion access.
Key Provisions
The resolution includes a detailed preamble (using "Whereas" clauses) outlining context and challenges, followed by a "Resolved" section with five main directives for Congress:
- Recognition of the Day: Congress recognizes "Abortion Provider Appreciation Day" to celebrate the courage, compassion, and high-quality care provided by abortion providers and staff to patients and families nationwide.
- Praise for Communities: It lauds U.S. communities that support and host abortion providers and staff.
- Affirmation of Commitments: Congress affirms its dedication to protecting the safety of providers, ensuring they can continue offering essential care, and guaranteeing patients' right to abortion access regardless of location, without fear of violence, criminalization, or stigma.
- Condemnation of Actions: It condemns the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision, actions by the current administration, and anti-abortion extremists for limiting and stigmatizing abortion care, which has harmed providers, threatened their work, and strained resources in states where abortion remains legal.
- Vision for the Future: Congress declares a goal of eliminating all abortion restrictions and bans, ensuring full access to care without penalty or stigma, and commits to partnering with providers, patients, advocates, and communities to achieve this.
The preamble highlights historical context (e.g., the 1993 murder of Dr. David Gunn, the first known killing of an abortion provider), the role of providers in reproductive justice, impacts of state bans (e.g., clinic closures, travel burdens), increased harassment and violence, and disproportionate effects on people of color and low-income individuals.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This is a non-binding concurrent resolution, meaning it expresses Congress's opinion but does not create, amend, or repeal any laws. It introduces no legal changes to existing statutes, regulations, or court precedents.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Minimal direct impact, as it is symbolic. It may encourage federal agencies (e.g., those involved in health or justice) to prioritize provider safety and access issues in policy discussions, but it lacks enforceable directives.
- On Citizens: Could raise public awareness about abortion access challenges, support providers emotionally and politically, and influence state-level debates. It highlights burdens like travel costs and health risks for those denied care, potentially mobilizing advocacy for patients, especially in underserved areas or "maternal health deserts" (regions with limited pregnancy-related services).
- On International Relations: No direct impact, as the resolution focuses on domestic U.S. issues.
Overall, the effects are primarily symbolic and rhetorical, fostering dialogue on reproductive rights without altering legal or operational frameworks.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Abortion Providers and Staff: Directly honored; the resolution addresses their safety, harassment, and role in care delivery.
- Patients Seeking Abortion Care: Emphasized as needing protection from barriers like bans, travel, and stigma; includes women of reproductive age, transgender, and nonbinary individuals (over 25 million affected by bans as of March 2025).
- Abortion Funds and Support Organizations: Recognized for aiding access amid rising demands post-Dobbs; they face strained resources from increased travel and costs.
- Communities and Clinics: Praised for hosting providers; affected by clinic closures and resource strains in restricted states.
- Anti-Abortion Groups and Extremists: Implicitly criticized for harassment and violence, which the resolution condemns.
- Broader Society: Includes Black, Indigenous, and people of color facing heightened threats; low-income families experiencing poverty and health inequities from restrictions.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal Implications: As a concurrent resolution, it has no force of law but critiques the Dobbs decision (a Supreme Court ruling that ended federal protection for abortion rights, returning regulation to states). It underscores ongoing debates about abortion as a right but does not challenge or alter court precedents.
- Constitutional Implications: Touches on bodily autonomy (personal control over one's body, including reproductive choices) and free speech/safety rights under the First and Fourteenth Amendments. It highlights tensions between state bans and federal commitments to provider protection, potentially informing future litigation on violence against clinics or access barriers.
- Political Implications: Introduced by Democratic representatives and referred to committees on Energy and Commerce and Judiciary, it reflects partisan divides on abortion. The resolution's condemnation of the Supreme Court and administration could energize pro-choice advocacy but provoke opposition from pro-life groups, influencing midterm or future election discourse. It aligns with the reproductive justice framework (a human rights approach emphasizing equity in family planning and parenting), signaling Congress's symbolic stance without binding action.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7]
Cosponsors (11)
Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5], Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10], Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3], Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2], Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7], Rep. Swalwell, Eric [D-CA-14], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1], Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Grijalva, Raúl M. [D-AZ-7]
Recent Actions
- 2025-03-10: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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.
- 2025-03-10: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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.
- 2025-03-10: Submitted in House
- 2025-03-10: Submitted in House
Bill Versions
- Expressing support for the recognition of March 10, 2025, as "Abortion Provider Appreciation Day". — issued 2025-03-10 — PDF (7 pages)