I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2527
To provide for the provision by hospitals of emergency contraceptives to 
women who are survivors of sexual assault. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 19, 2003
Mr. GREENWOOD (for himself, Mr. ROTHMAN, Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut, 
Ms. DEGETTE, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. OLVER, Mrs. DAVIS 
of California, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. EVANS, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of 
California, Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida, Ms. LEE, Mr. INSLEE, Mr. 
CASE, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. TIERNEY, Mr. BACA, Mrs. JONES of Ohio, Mr. 
BLUMENAUER, Mr. LARSON of Connecticut, Mr. NADLER, Mr. DINGELL, 
Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON 
of Texas, Ms. HARMAN, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. MATSUI, Mr. BRADY of 
Pennsylvania, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. STARK, Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA, Mr. 
GRIJALVA, Ms. BERKLEY, Ms. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. FARR, Mr. JACK-
SON of Illinois, Mr. OWENS, Mrs. MALONEY, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. WU, and 
Ms. WOOLSEY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee 
on Ways and Means, 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 provide for the provision by hospitals of emergency 
contraceptives to women who are survivors of sexual assault.
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 ‘‘Compassionate Assist-
ance for Rape Emergencies Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds as follows: 
(1) It is estimated that 25,000 to 32,000 
women become pregnant each year as a result of 
rape or incest. An estimated 22,000 of these preg-
nancies could be prevented if rape survivors had 
timely access to emergency contraception. 
(2) A 1996 study of rape-related pregnancies 
(published in the American Journal of Obstetrics 
and Gynecology) found that 50 percent of the preg-
nancies described in paragraph (1) ended in abor-
tion. 
(3) Surveys have shown that many hospitals do 
not routinely provide emergency contraception to 
women seeking treatment after being sexually as-
saulted. 
(4) The risk of pregnancy after sexual assault 
has been estimated to be 4.7 percent in survivors 
who were not protected by some form of contracep-
tion at the time of the attack. 
(5) The Food and Drug Administration has de-
clared emergency contraception to be safe and effec-
tive in preventing unintended pregnancy, reducing 
the risk by as much as 89 percent. 
(6) Medical research strongly indicates that the 
sooner emergency contraception is administered, the 
greater the likelihood of preventing unintended preg-
nancy. 
(7) In light of the safety and effectiveness of 
emergency contraceptive pills, both the American 
Medical Association and the American College of 
Obstetricians and Gynecologists have endorsed more 
widespread availability of such pills. 
(8) The American College of Emergency Physi-
cians and the American College of Obstetricians and 
Gynecologists agree that offering emergency contra-
ception to female patients after a sexual assault 
should be considered the standard of care. 
(9) Nine out of ten women of reproductive age 
remain unaware of emergency contraception. There-
fore, women who have been sexually assaulted are 
unlikely to ask for emergency contraception. 
(10) New data from a survey of women having 
abortions estimates that 51,000 abortions were pre-
vented by use of emergency contraception in 2000 
and that increased use of emergency contraception
accounted for 43 percent of the decrease in total 
abortions between 1994 and 2000. 
(11) It is essential that all hospitals that pro-
vide emergency medical treatment provide emergency 
contraception as a treatment option to any woman 
who has been sexually assaulted, so that she may 
prevent an unintended pregnancy. 
SEC. 3. SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT; PROVISION BY 
HOSPITALS 
OF 
EMERGENCY 
CONTRACEP-
TIVES WITHOUT CHARGE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Federal funds may not be pro-
vided to a hospital under any health-related program, un-
less the hospital meets the conditions specified in sub-
section (b) in the case of—
(1) any woman who presents at the hospital 
and states that she is a victim of sexual assault, or 
is accompanied by someone who states she is a vic-
tim of sexual assault; and 
(2) any woman who presents at the hospital 
whom hospital personnel have reason to believe is a 
victim of sexual assault. 
(b) ASSISTANCE FOR VICTIMS.—The conditions spec-
ified in this subsection regarding a hospital and a woman 
described in subsection (a) are as follows:
(1) The hospital promptly provides the woman 
with medically and factually accurate and unbiased 
written and oral information about emergency con-
traception, including information explaining that—
(A) emergency contraception does not 
cause an abortion; and 
(B) emergency contraception is effective in 
most cases in preventing pregnancy after un-
protected sex. 
(2) The hospital promptly offers emergency 
contraception to the woman, and promptly provides 
such contraception to her on her request. 
(3) The information provided pursuant to para-
graph (1) is in clear and concise language, is readily 
comprehensible, and meets such conditions regarding 
the provision of the information in languages other 
than English as the Secretary may establish. 
(4) The services described in paragraphs (1) 
through (3) are not denied because of the inability 
of the woman or her family to pay for the services. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘emergency contraception’’ means 
a drug, drug regimen, or device that is—
(A) used postcoitally;
(B) prevents pregnancy by delaying ovula-
tion, preventing fertilization of an egg, or pre-
venting implantation of an egg in a uterus; and 
(C) is approved by the Food and Drug Ad-
ministration. 
(2) The term ‘‘hospital’’ has the meanings given 
such term in title XVIII of the Social Security Act, 
including the meaning applicable in such title for 
purposes of making payments for emergency services 
to hospitals that do not have agreements in effect 
under such title. 
(3) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 
of Health and Human Services. 
(4) The term ‘‘sexual assault’’ means coitus in 
which the woman involved does not consent or lacks 
the legal capacity to consent. 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE; AGENCY CRITERIA.—This sec-
tion takes effect upon the expiration of the 180-day period 
beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act. Not 
later than 30 days prior to the expiration of such period, 
the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register criteria 
for carrying out this section.
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