‘‘(M) Section 113(a) of the Child Abuse 
Prevention and Treatment Act. 
‘‘(N) Section 301(d) of the United States 
Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, 
and Malaria Act of 2003 to the extent adminis-
tered by the Secretary. 
‘‘(O) 
The 
third 
sentence 
of 
section 
20(a)(5) of the Occupational Safety and Health 
Act of 1970. 
‘‘(P) Section 104(f)(1) of the Foreign As-
sistance Act of 1961 (commonly known as the 
‘Helms Amendment’), and any provision of an 
appropriations Act or other Federal law that re-
states or incorporates by reference the protec-
tions of such section, to the extent administered 
by the Secretary. 
‘‘(Q) The ninth proviso under the heading 
‘Global Health Programs’ under the heading 
‘Funds Appropriated to the President’ under 
title III of the Department of State, Foreign 
Operations, and Related Programs Appropria-
tions Act, 2023 (division K of the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2023 (Public Law 117– 
328)) and any subsequent substantially similar 
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provision in an appropriations Act to the extent 
administered by the Secretary. 
‘‘(R) Any other provision of law protecting 
the exercise of conscience or religious freedom 
under programs or activities funded, adminis-
tered, or conducted by the Department of 
Health and Human Services. 
‘‘(b) OFFICE
FOR CIVIL RIGHTS.—The Secretary 
shall designate the Director of the Office for Civil Rights 
of the Department of Health and Human Services— 
‘‘(1) to receive complaints alleging a violation of 
any provision of law described in subsection (a)(2); 
and 
‘‘(2) to promptly investigate such complaints, 
issue findings, and require corrective action in cases 
of such a violation. 
‘‘(c) ENFORCEMENT.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall, as 
permitted under law (including the Constitution of 
the United States), induce compliance of an indi-
vidual or entity, including a State or local govern-
ment, failing to comply with any provision of law de-
scribed in subsection (a)(2), by terminating, in whole 
or in part, any Federal financial assistance provided 
by the Secretary to such individual or entity. 
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‘‘(2) REFERRALS.—The Secretary shall, as the 
Secretary determines necessary for inducing compli-
ance with a provision described in paragraph (1), 
refer a violation of such a provision to the Attorney 
General for a civil action in accordance with section 
245C. 
‘‘SEC. 245C. CIVIL ACTION FOR VIOLATIONS OF FEDERAL 
CONSCIENCE LAWS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—A qualified party may, in a civil 
action, obtain relief described in subsection (e) with re-
spect to a designated violation. 
‘‘(b) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section: 
‘‘(1) DESIGNATED VIOLATION.—The term ‘des-
ignated violation’ means an actual or threatened vio-
lation of any provision of law described in section 
245B(a)(2). 
‘‘(2) QUALIFIED PARTY.—The term ‘qualified 
party’ means— 
‘‘(A) the Attorney General; or 
‘‘(B) any individual or entity adversely af-
fected by the designated violation without re-
gard to whether such individual or entity is a 
health care entity as defined in section 245A(c). 
‘‘(c) ADMINISTRATIVE REMEDIES NOT REQUIRED.— 
An action under this section may be commenced, and relief 
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may be granted, without regard to whether the party com-
mencing the action has sought or exhausted any available 
administrative remedies. 
‘‘(d) DEFENDANTS IN ACTIONS UNDER THIS SEC-
TION MAY INCLUDE GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES AS WELL 
AS OTHERS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—An action under this sec-
tion may be maintained against any individual or en-
tity receiving Federal financial assistance (as defined 
in section 245A(c)), including a State governmental 
entity. Relief in an action under this section may in-
clude money damages even if the defendant is a gov-
ernmental entity. 
‘‘(2) DEFINITION.—For the purposes of this 
subsection, the term ‘State governmental entity’ 
means a State, a local government within a State, 
and any agency or other governmental unit or sub-
division of a State, or of such a local government. 
‘‘(e) NATURE OF RELIEF.—In an action under this 
section, the court shall grant— 
‘‘(1) all appropriate relief, including injunctive 
relief, declaratory relief, and compensatory damages 
to prevent the occurrence, continuance, or repetition 
of the designated violation and to compensate for 
losses resulting from the designated violation; and 
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‘‘(2) to a prevailing plaintiff, reasonable attor-
neys’ fees and litigation costs.’’. 
SEC. 5. SEVERABILITY. 
If any provision of this Act or an amendment made 
by this Act, or the application of such a provision or 
amendment to any individual, entity, government, or cir-
cumstance, is held to be unconstitutional, the remainder 
of this Act and the amendments made by this Act, and 
the application of such provision or amendment to any 
other individual, entity, government, or circumstance, 
shall not be affected. 
Æ 
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