I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2226 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to prohibit discrimination against 
entities that do not participate in abortion and to strengthen implementa-
tion and enforcement of Federal conscience laws. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 18, 2025 
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey (for himself, Ms. TENNEY, and Mr. ADERHOLT) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on En-
ergy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to prohibit discrimi-
nation against entities that do not participate in abortion 
and to strengthen implementation and enforcement of 
Federal conscience laws. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Let Pregnancy Centers 
Serve Act of 2025’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
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(1) Pregnancy centers are community-based, 
nonprofit organizations that provide free compas-
sionate care, support, and resources to help meet the 
physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual 
needs of women, girls, couples, and families navi-
gating pregnancy and offer life-affirming alter-
natives to abortion. These services can include preg-
nancy tests, ultrasounds, STD/STI tests, prenatal 
education programs, parenting education programs, 
after-abortion support, lactation consultations, cer-
tified dietician and nutritionist consultations, and 
well-women exams. 
(2) Pregnancy care centers are committed to 
providing clients with complete and accurate infor-
mation regarding their pregnancy options and the 
development of an unborn baby. Most pregnancy 
centers are affiliated with at least one of three na-
tional networks. These networks require their affili-
ates to adopt a Commitment of Care and Com-
petence, setting ethical, legal, and regulatory stand-
ards. 
(3) In 2022 alone, 2,750 pregnancy centers 
across the United States provided an estimated 
3,255,856 total client sessions, including in-person 
and virtual sessions. 97.4 percent of clients seen by 
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pregnancy centers reported having a positive experi-
ence with pregnancy centers. 
(4) The total values of the material goods and 
services provided by pregnancy centers in 2022 was 
at least $367 million. 808,737 clients received mate-
rial resources, which included packs of diapers and 
wipes, baby formula, baby clothes, new cribs, new 
car seats, and strollers. 
(5) Out of the 62,576 individuals who worked 
at pregnancy centers in 2022, 44,930 (7 in 10 work-
ers) were volunteers. 
(6) Many pregnancy centers offer medical serv-
ices. In 2022, 10,175 medical staff and volunteers 
provided care to clients across the Nation. Preg-
nancy centers performed 546,683 free ultrasounds, 
at an estimated total value of $136 million. 
SEC. 3. PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION AGAINST ENTITIES 
THAT DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN ABORTION. 
Title II of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
202 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 245 the 
following: 
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‘‘SEC. 245A. PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION AGAINST ENTI-
TIES THAT DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN ABOR-
TION. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other law, 
the Federal Government, and any individual or entity that 
receives Federal financial assistance, including any State 
or local government, may not discriminate against, penal-
ize, or retaliate against an entity because the entity offers 
life-affirming support and resources to women facing un-
expected pregnancy, offers life-affirming alternatives to 
abortion, or refrains from actions that counsel in favor 
of, suggest, recommend, assist, provide, promote, or in any 
way participate in the performance of abortions. 
‘‘(b) PROHIBITED ACTIONS.—The actions that are 
prohibited under subsection (a) include, at a minimum— 
‘‘(1) requiring an entity to offer or perform an 
abortion; 
‘‘(2) requiring an entity to offer, provide, or 
distribute an abortion-inducing drug; 
‘‘(3) requiring an entity to refer a person for an 
abortion or an abortion-inducing drug; 
‘‘(4) requiring an entity to counsel in favor of 
an abortion or an abortion-inducing drug; 
‘‘(5) requiring an entity to post any advertise-
ment, sign, flyer, or similar material that promotes 
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or provides information about obtaining an abortion 
or an abortion-inducing drug; and 
‘‘(6) prohibiting an entity from providing infor-
mation, care, counseling, classes, or other services 
related to pregnancy, childbirth, or parenting be-
cause the entity does not perform, refer, or counsel 
in favor of an abortion or an abortion-inducing drug. 
‘‘(c) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion shall be construed— 
‘‘(1) to prevent any entity from voluntarily 
electing to participate in abortions or abortion refer-
rals where not prohibited by any other law; or 
‘‘(2) to affect, or be affected by, any Federal 
law that requires stabilizing treatment for a preg-
nant woman or her unborn child when either needs 
emergency care. 
‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section: 
‘‘(1) ABORTION.—The term ‘abortion’ means 
the use or prescription of any instrument, medicine, 
drug, or any other substance or device— 
‘‘(A) to intentionally kill the unborn child 
of a woman known to be pregnant; or 
‘‘(B) to intentionally terminate the preg-
nancy of a woman known to be pregnant, with 
an intention other than— 
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‘‘(i) after viability to produce a live 
birth and preserve the life and health of 
the child born alive; 
‘‘(ii) to remove a dead unborn child; 
or 
‘‘(iii) to remove an ectopic pregnancy 
or other pregnancy implanted outside the 
uterus. 
‘‘(2) FEDERAL
FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE.—The 
term ‘Federal financial assistance’ means Federal 
payments to cover the cost of health care services or 
benefits, or other Federal payments, grants, or loans 
to promote or otherwise facilitate health-related ac-
tivities. Such term does not include expenditures 
made under direct spending programs. 
‘‘(3) LIFE-AFFIRMING ALTERNATIVES TO ABOR-
TION.—The term ‘life-affirming alternatives to abor-
tion’ means one or more programs that promote 
childbirth as an alternative to abortion, through life- 
affirming social services providers, which may in-
clude pregnancy centers, adoption assistance pro-
viders, and maternity homes. For purposes of the 
preceding sentence, the term ‘life-affirming social 
services providers’ does not include entities that pro-
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vide, facilitate, counsel in favor of, or refer for abor-
tions. 
‘‘(4) 
LIFE-AFFIRMING
SUPPORT
AND
RE-
SOURCES TO WOMEN FACING UNEXPECTED PREG-
NANCY.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘life-affirm-
ing support and resources to women facing un-
expected pregnancy’ means one or more of the 
following: 
‘‘(i) 
Providing 
information, 
care, 
counseling, classes, or other services re-
lated to pregnancy, childbirth, or parenting 
without providing, referring, or counseling 
in favor of abortion or abortion-inducing 
drugs. 
‘‘(ii) Providing prenatal and postnatal 
resources, such as diapers, baby clothes, 
baby furniture, formula, and similar items. 
‘‘(iii) Providing medical testing, coun-
seling, and care related to pregnancy or 
childbirth. 
‘‘(iv) Counseling a woman on preg-
nancy-related care or treatment, including 
care or treatment that may reverse the ef-
fects of abortion-inducing drugs. 
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‘‘(B) LIMITATION.—The term ‘life-affirm-
ing support and resources to women facing un-
expected pregnancy’ does not include per-
forming, referring, or counseling in favor of 
abortion or abortion-inducing drugs. 
‘‘(5) STATE
OR
LOCAL
GOVERNMENT.—The 
term ‘State or local government’ includes every 
agency and other governmental unit and subdivision 
of a State or local government, if such State or local 
government, or any agency or governmental unit or 
subdivision thereof, receives Federal financial assist-
ance.’’. 
SEC. 4. STRENGTHENING ENFORCEMENT OF FEDERAL 
CONSCIENCE LAWS. 
Title II of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
202 et seq.), as amended by section 3, is further amended 
by inserting after section 245A the following: 
‘‘SEC. 245B. CIVIL ACTION FOR DISCRIMINATION AGAINST 
ENTITIES 
OFFERING 
ABORTION 
ALTER-
NATIVES. 
‘‘(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: 
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‘‘(1) DESIGNATED VIOLATION.—The term ‘des-
ignated violation’ means an actual or threatened vio-
lation of any provision of law described in section 
245A. 
‘‘(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. 
‘‘(c) ADMINISTRATIVE REMEDIES NOT REQUIRED.— 
An action under this section may be commenced, and relief 
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. 
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‘‘(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 
‘‘(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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