I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7270 

To prohibit fetal remains in publicly owned water systems, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 7, 2024 

Mr. BANKS (for himself, Mr. DUNCAN, Mrs. MILLER of Illinois, Mr. MOONEY, 

Mr. LAMALFA, and Mr. MCCORMICK) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To prohibit fetal remains in publicly owned water systems, 

and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Respectful Treatment 

5 of Unborn Remains Act of 2024’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PROHIBITION OF FETAL REMAINS IN PUBLICLY 

7 OWNED WATER SYSTEMS. 

8 Part H of title IV of the Public Health Service Act 

9 (42 U.S.C. 289 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 

10 the following: 


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1 ‘‘SEC. 498F. PROHIBITION OF FETAL REMAINS IN PUBLICLY 

2 OWNED WATER SYSTEMS. 

3 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—An abortion provider may not 

4 cause fetal remains to be placed into a publicly owned 

5 water system. 

6 ‘‘(b) PENALTIES FOR VIOLATION.—An abortion pro7 vider who violates subsection (a) shall be fined in accord8 ance with title 18, United States Code, imprisoned not 

9 more than 5 years, or both. 

10 ‘‘(c) NO LIABILITY FOR INDIVIDUAL UPON WHOM

11 ABORTION IS PERFORMED.—Notwithstanding any other 

12 provision of law, an individual upon whom an abortion is 

13 performed shall not be liable for any offense related to 

14 a violation of subsection (a) with respect to such abortion. 

15 ‘‘(d) RELATION TO OTHER LAW.—Nothing in this 

16 section may be construed to preempt a State or local re17 quirement that prohibits an abortion provider from caus18 ing fetal remains to be placed into a publicly owned water 

19 system. 

20 ‘‘(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

21 ‘‘(1) ABORTION.—The term ‘abortion’ means a 

22 procedure involving the use or prescription of a de23 vice or substance— 

24 ‘‘(A) to intentionally kill the unborn child 

25 of an individual known to be pregnant; or 


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1 ‘‘(B) to intentionally terminate the preg2 nancy of such an individual, unless such termi3 nation is conducted with the intent to— 

4 ‘‘(i) produce a live birth and preserve 

5 the life and health of such child; or 

6 ‘‘(ii) remove a dead unborn child from 

7 the body of such an individual. 

8 ‘‘(2) ABORTION PROVIDER.— 

9 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘abortion 

10 provider’ means an individual who performs an 

11 abortion. 

12 ‘‘(B) EXCLUSION.—The term ‘abortion 

13 provider’ does not include, with respect to an 

14 abortion, the individual upon whom the abor15 tion is performed. 

16 ‘‘(3) FETAL REMAINS.—The term ‘fetal re17 mains’ means— 

18 ‘‘(A) the remains of an aborted fetus (or a 

19 portion thereof); and 

20 ‘‘(B) any other medical waste associated 

21 with an abortion. 

22 ‘‘(4) PUBLICLY OWNED WATER SYSTEM.—The 

23 term ‘publicly owned water system’ means a system 

24 of facilities owned or controlled by a Federal, State, 

25 or local government entity, the purpose of which is 


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1 to provide, transport, or treat water, including the 

2 drains, pipes, and other devices that connect to such 

3 system.’’. 

Æ 


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