I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 28 

To prohibit the expenditure for an abortion of Federal funds authorized 

or appropriated for preventing, preparing for, or responding to the 

COVID–19 pandemic, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 4, 2021 

Mr. BABIN (for himself, Mr. ADERHOLT, Mr. ALLEN, Mr. BAIRD, Mr. 

BERGMAN, Mr. BISHOP of North Carolina, Mr. BOST, Mr. BUDD, Mr. 

CALVERT, Mr. CLINE, Mr. CURTIS, Mr. DUNCAN, Mr. DUNN, Mr. 

FULCHER, Mr. GAETZ, Mr. GALLAGHER, Mr. GARCIA of California, Mr. 

GONZALEZ of Ohio, Mr. GOSAR, Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana, Mr. GRIFFITH, Mr. GUEST, Mr. HERN, Mr. HILL, Mr. HUDSON, Mr. HUIZENGA, 

Mr. JOHNSON of Ohio, Mr. KELLY of Pennsylvania, Mr. KUSTOFF, Mr. 

LAMBORN, Mr. LONG, Mr. MCCLINTOCK, Mr. MCKINLEY, Mr. MEIJER, 

Mr. MOONEY, Mr. NORMAN, Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia, Ms. 

STEFANIK, Mr. TAYLOR, Mr. TIMMONS, Mrs. WALORSKI, Mr. WEBER of 

Texas, Mr. WESTERMAN, Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas, and Mr. WILSON of 

South Carolina) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees 

on Ways and Means, and Education and Labor, 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 

A BILL 

To prohibit the expenditure for an abortion of Federal funds 

authorized or appropriated for preventing, preparing for, 

or responding to the COVID–19 pandemic, and for other 

purposes. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 28 IH

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 ‘‘Protecting Life in Cri5 sis Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PROHIBITING THE EXPENDITURE OF COVID–19 

7 FUNDING FOR ANY ABORTION. 

8 (a) PROHIBITIONS.— 

9 (1) IN GENERAL.—No funds authorized or ap10 propriated by Federal law for the purpose of pre11 venting, preparing for, or responding to the COVID– 

12 19 pandemic, domestically or internationally, and 

13 none of the funds in any trust fund to which funds 

14 are authorized or appropriated by Federal law for 

15 such purpose, shall be expended for any abortion. 

16 (2) SPECIFIED HEALTH BENEFITS COV17 ERAGE.—None of the funds authorized or appro18 priated by Federal law for the purpose described in 

19 subsection (a), and none of the funds in any trust 

20 fund to which funds are authorized or appropriated 

21 by Federal law for such purpose, shall be expended 

22 for, nor shall any credit for such purpose be allowed 

23 under the internal revenue laws with respect to, cov24 erage under a qualified health plan offered through 

25 an Exchange established pursuant to title I of the 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 28 IH

1 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, 

2 COBRA continuation coverage, or any other cov3 erage, if such coverage includes coverage of abortion. 

4 (3) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term 

5 ‘‘COBRA continuation coverage’’ means continu6 ation coverage provided pursuant to part 6 of sub7 title B of title I of the Employee Retirement Income 

8 Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1161 et seq.) 

9 (other than under section 609 of such Act), title 

10 XXII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 

11 300bb–1 et seq.), section 4980B of the Internal Rev12 enue Code of 1986 (other than subsection (f)(1) of 

13 such section insofar as it relates to pediatric vac14 cines), or section 8905a of title 5, United States 

15 Code, or under a State program that provides com16 parable continuation coverage. Such term does not 

17 include coverage under a health flexible spending ar18 rangement under a cafeteria plan within the mean19 ing of section 125 of the Internal Revenue Code of 

20 1986. 

21 (b) TREATMENT OF ABORTIONS RELATED TO RAPE, 

22 INCEST, OR PRESERVING THE LIFE OF THE MOTHER.— 

23 The limitations established in subsection (a) shall not 

24 apply to an abortion— 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 28 IH

1 (1) if the pregnancy is the result of an act of 

2 rape or incest; or 

3 (2) in the case where a woman suffers from a 

4 physical disorder, physical injury, or physical illness, 

5 including a life-endangering physical condition 

6 caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself, that 

7 would, as certified by a physician, place the woman 

8 in danger of death unless an abortion is performed. 

9 (c) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this Act 

10 may be construed to require a plan or coverage described 

11 in subsection (a) to provide coverage of any abortion. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS