Let Pregnancy Centers Serve Act of 2025

Bill Number

H.R. 2226

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Health

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-03-18: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Last Updated

2025-12-03T09:06:27Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The "Let Pregnancy Centers Serve Act of 2025" aims to protect organizations, such as pregnancy centers, that provide support to pregnant individuals without offering or promoting abortions. It amends the Public Health Service Act to prevent discrimination against these entities by the federal government or recipients of federal funding, and it enhances enforcement of existing federal laws that protect individuals' and organizations' conscience-based objections to participating in abortions.

Key Provisions

• Findings (Section 2): Congress outlines the role of pregnancy centers as nonprofit organizations offering free services like pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, prenatal education, parenting classes, and material support (e.g., diapers, formula). It highlights their 2022 impact, including over 3 million client sessions, $367 million in goods and services, and reliance on volunteers and medical staff, with 97.4% of clients reporting positive experiences.

• Prohibition on Discrimination (Section 3, adding Sec. 245A to the Public Health Service Act):
• Bars the federal government, any entity receiving federal financial assistance (e.g., grants or loans for health activities), and state or local governments from discriminating against organizations that provide "life-affirming support" (e.g., counseling on pregnancy options without promoting abortion, prenatal resources, or care to potentially reverse abortion drugs) or alternatives to abortion (e.g., adoption assistance or maternity homes).
• Prohibits specific actions, such as requiring organizations to perform abortions, distribute abortion-inducing drugs, refer for abortions, counsel in favor of abortion, or post abortion-related materials. It also prevents denying services to organizations solely because they do not offer abortion-related support.
• Includes a "rule of construction" allowing voluntary participation in abortions where not otherwise prohibited by law, and clarifies it does not affect emergency care laws for pregnant individuals or their unborn children.
• Defines key terms: "Abortion" as intentionally ending a known pregnancy (excluding cases like live birth after viability, removing a dead fetus, or ectopic pregnancies); "federal financial assistance" as payments, grants, or loans for health services (excluding direct spending programs); and "life-affirming alternatives/support" as services promoting childbirth without involving abortions.

• Enforcement Through Civil Actions (Section 4, adding Sec. 245B):
• Allows the U.S. Attorney General or any affected individual/organization ("qualified party") to file civil lawsuits for violations without needing to exhaust administrative remedies.
• Lawsuits can target any recipient of federal funds, including state or local government entities ("state governmental entity").
• Remedies include injunctions (court orders to stop actions), declaratory relief (court statements clarifying rights), compensatory damages (money for losses), and reasonable attorneys' fees and costs for prevailing plaintiffs.

• Severability (Section 5): If any part of the act is ruled unconstitutional, the rest remains in effect.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Introduces explicit new protections in the Public Health Service Act against discrimination based on not participating in abortions, expanding beyond current federal "conscience laws" (which protect individuals from being forced to perform or assist in abortions against their beliefs).
• Creates a private right of action (ability to sue directly in court) for enforcement, including against government bodies, which was not previously specified in this context. This strengthens implementation by allowing damages and fees, even from governmental defendants, without prior administrative steps.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: Federal, state, and local agencies receiving health-related funding may face restrictions on conditioning grants or licenses on abortion provision, increasing lawsuit risks and potential financial liabilities (e.g., damages or legal fees). This could require policy reviews to comply.

• On Citizens: Pregnant individuals may gain continued access to free, non-abortion-focused support services from pregnancy centers, potentially expanding options for prenatal care and resources. Healthcare workers or organizations with moral objections to abortion could have stronger job protections.

• On International Relations: No direct impacts mentioned or implied in the legislation.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Pregnancy Centers and Similar Nonprofits: Primary beneficiaries, protected from funding denials or penalties for not offering abortions; includes the 2,750+ centers affiliated with national networks providing medical and social services.
• Women, Families, and Clients: Those seeking pregnancy-related support, with enhanced access to alternatives like ultrasounds, education, and material aid.
• Government Entities: Federal health agencies (e.g., under the Department of Health and Human Services), state/local governments receiving federal funds, potentially facing enforcement actions.
• Healthcare Providers and Workers: Individuals or entities offering conscience-based care, shielded from requirements to participate in abortions.
• U.S. Attorney General and Litigants: Empowered to enforce via lawsuits, affecting legal strategies in discrimination cases.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal Implications: Bolsters federal conscience protections by enabling direct court access and monetary remedies against governments, potentially increasing litigation over health funding conditions. The broad definitions (e.g., of "abortion" excluding certain medical procedures) aim to clarify scope but could lead to disputes over what qualifies as "life-affirming" services.

• Constitutional Implications: The severability clause preserves the act's overall structure if challenged (e.g., under the First Amendment for religious freedoms or equal protection concerns). It may intersect with emergency care mandates (e.g., under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act) but explicitly avoids conflict.

• Political Implications: Supports pro-life organizations by recognizing pregnancy centers' societal role, which could influence debates on reproductive health funding and state-level abortion policies post-Roe v. Wade overturn. As an introduced bill (H.R. 2226, 119th Congress), its passage would signal congressional priorities on conscience rights versus access to comprehensive reproductive care.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4]

Cosponsors (17)

Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24], Rep. Aderholt, Robert B. [R-AL-4], Rep. Fulcher, Russ [R-ID-1], Rep. Miller, Mary E. [R-IL-15], Rep. Biggs, Sheri [R-SC-3], Rep. Fischbach, Michelle [R-MN-7], Rep. Webster, Daniel [R-FL-11], Rep. Guest, Michael [R-MS-3], Rep. Harris, Andy [R-MD-1], Rep. Bost, Mike [R-IL-12], Rep. Van Drew, Jefferson [R-NJ-2], Rep. Onder, Robert F. [R-MO-3], Rep. Self, Keith [R-TX-3], Rep. Grothman, Glenn [R-WI-6], Rep. McGuire, John J. [R-VA-5], Rep. Crank, Jeff [R-CO-5], Rep. Yakym, Rudy [R-IN-2]

Recent Actions

• 2025-03-18: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
• 2025-03-18: Introduced in House
• 2025-03-18: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Let Pregnancy Centers Serve Act of 2025 — issued 2025-03-18 — PDF (10 pages)