Conscience Protections for Medical Residents Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 6219
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Health
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-11-20: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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
- 2026-05-22T08:07:45Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The "Conscience Protections for Medical Residents Act" (H.R. 6219) aims to safeguard the rights of medical residents by preventing federally funded residency programs from mandating training related to abortions unless participants voluntarily choose to participate. It focuses on protecting individuals' moral or religious objections to such procedures.
Key Provisions
- Amendment to the Social Security Act: The bill modifies Section 1886(h)(5)(A) of the Social Security Act, which governs Medicare payments for graduate medical education.
- Prohibition on Mandatory Training: Approved residency programs under Medicare cannot receive funding if they:
- Require or provide training in performing, assisting with, counseling for, or referring patients for induced abortions without the resident's voluntary opt-in.
- Discriminate against residents (e.g., through penalties or exclusion) for declining to opt-in or for refusing to participate in abortion-related activities.
- Effective Date: The changes apply starting from the date of enactment.
- Short Title: The legislation is formally titled the "Conscience Protections for Medical Residents Act."
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Prior to this bill, Medicare-funded residency programs could require abortion-related training, with residents potentially needing to "opt out" to avoid it. This amendment shifts the framework to require voluntary "opt-in" for such training, effectively banning mandatory participation or penalties for opting out.
- It introduces a new exclusion criterion for Medicare approval, tying federal funding directly to respect for residents' conscience rights in abortion contexts.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) would need to enforce these rules during program approvals and audits, potentially increasing administrative oversight of residency training compliance.
- On Citizens: Medical residents, particularly those with ethical or religious objections to abortion, gain stronger protections against coerced training, which could improve training access for diverse applicants and reduce dropout rates due to moral conflicts.
- On Healthcare Training: Residency programs may need to revise curricula to offer optional abortion training modules, possibly affecting how comprehensive medical education is delivered in obstetrics and gynecology fields.
- International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill is domestic and focused on U.S. healthcare funding.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Medical Residents and Trainees: Primary beneficiaries, as they receive explicit protections for personal beliefs.
- Residency Programs and Hospitals: Must comply to maintain Medicare funding for graduate medical education, facing potential loss of reimbursements if non-compliant.
- Healthcare Providers and Professional Organizations: Groups like the American Medical Association or accreditation bodies (e.g., Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education) may need to adapt policies.
- Federal Government (Medicare): Responsible for implementing and monitoring the changes through funding decisions.
- Patients: Indirectly affected, as training adjustments could influence the availability of abortion services in certain healthcare settings over time.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal Implications: Strengthens existing federal conscience protections (e.g., under the Church Amendments), providing a statutory basis to challenge programs that violate residents' rights through lawsuits or funding denials. It may lead to litigation over what constitutes "discrimination" in training contexts.
- Constitutional Implications: Aligns with First Amendment protections for religious freedom and free exercise of beliefs by preventing government-funded coercion into activities conflicting with personal convictions. However, it could raise debates on whether it unduly burdens comprehensive medical training.
- Political Implications: Reflects ongoing U.S. debates on abortion access and religious liberty, potentially polarizing discussions in Congress and among healthcare advocates. As a targeted amendment, it could influence broader reproductive rights legislation without directly affecting abortion legality post-Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization (2022).
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Murphy, Gregory F. [R-NC-3]
Cosponsors (26)
Rep. Onder, Robert F. [R-MO-3], Rep. Kelly, Mike [R-PA-16], Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24], Rep. Aderholt, Robert B. [R-AL-4], Rep. Cloud, Michael [R-TX-27], Rep. Self, Keith [R-TX-3], Rep. Harris, Andy [R-MD-1], Rep. Kennedy, Mike [R-UT-3], Rep. Biggs, Sheri [R-SC-3], Rep. Kustoff, David [R-TN-8], Rep. Bost, Mike [R-IL-12], Rep. Fitzgerald, Scott [R-WI-5], Rep. Clyde, Andrew S. [R-GA-9], Rep. Harrigan, Pat [R-NC-10], Rep. Joyce, John [R-PA-13], Rep. Fedorchak, Julie [R-ND-At Large], Rep. Bice, Stephanie I. [R-OK-5], Rep. Moore, Barry [R-AL-1], Rep. Gosar, Paul A. [R-AZ-9], Rep. Miller, Mary E. [R-IL-15], Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4], Rep. McGuire, John J. [R-VA-5], Rep. Smith, Adrian [R-NE-3], Rep. Moore, Riley M. [R-WV-2], Rep. Letlow, Julia [R-LA-5], Rep. Cammack, Kat [R-FL-3]
Recent Actions
- 2025-11-20: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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.
- 2025-11-20: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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.
- 2025-11-20: Introduced in House
- 2025-11-20: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Conscience Protections for Medical Residents Act — issued 2025-11-20 — PDF (3 pages)