I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 279 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to prohibit governmental discrimina-
tion against certain health care providers with certain objections to 
abortion. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 11, 2023 
Mr. CARTER of Georgia (for himself, Mrs. HARSHBARGER, Mr. MOORE of 
Utah, Mr. ADERHOLT, Mr. DUNCAN, Mr. BALDERSON, Mr. CLYDE, Mr. 
ELLZEY, Mr. WEBSTER of Florida, Mr. WENSTRUP, Mr. WILLIAMS of 
Texas, and Mr. FEENSTRA) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to prohibit govern-
mental discrimination against certain health care pro-
viders with certain objections to abortion. 
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 ‘‘Pharmacist Conscience 
Protection Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION AGAINST CERTAIN 
HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS WITH CERTAIN 
OBJECTIONS TO 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: 
‘‘SEC. 245A. PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION AGAINST CER-
TAIN HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS WITH CER-
TAIN OBJECTIONS TO ABORTION. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other pro-
vision of law, the Federal Government, and any person 
or entity that receives Federal grants, contracts, or finan-
cial assistance, including any State or local government, 
may not penalize, treat adversely, retaliate against, or oth-
erwise discriminate against a specified health care pro-
vider, or take any action that has such effect, on the basis 
that the specified health care provider does not or declines 
to store or fill a prescription, or make a referral, for a 
drug that is approved by the Food and Drug Administra-
tion to cause an abortion or that the specified health care 
provider in good faith believes may be used to cause an 
abortion. 
‘‘(b) PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A qualified party may, in a 
civil action, obtain appropriate relief, including dam-
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ages, with regard to a violation of subsection (a) or 
threat made in violation of subsection (a). 
‘‘(2) QUALIFIED PARTY.—The term ‘qualified 
party’ means, with respect to a violation of sub-
section (a) or threat made in violation of such sub-
section— 
‘‘(A) the Attorney General of the United 
States; or 
‘‘(B) any person or entity adversely af-
fected by such violation or threat without re-
gard to whether such person or entity is a 
health care provider. 
‘‘(c) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section: 
‘‘(1) SPECIFIED
HEALTH
CARE
PROVIDER.— 
The term ‘specified health care provider’ includes a 
pharmacist, pharmacy technician, pharmacy, or 
owner of a pharmacy that has an objection to any 
abortion or all abortions on moral, religious, con-
science, or medical judgment grounds. 
‘‘(2) 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. 
‘‘(3) STATE.—The term ‘State’ means any of 
the 50 States and the District of Columbia and in-
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cludes Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, 
American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Is-
lands. 
‘‘(d) RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this 
section shall be construed to— 
‘‘(1) require a specified health care provider to 
prescribe, fill, refer, or stock any drugs or devices; 
or 
‘‘(2) limit any State or Federal laws equally or 
more protective of conscience or religious freedom.’’. 
Æ 
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