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Conscience Protection Act of 2025

USA119th CongressS-1756| Senate 
| Updated: 5/14/2025
James Lankford

James Lankford

Republican Senator

Oklahoma

Cosponsors (23)
Joni Ernst (Republican)Markwayne Mullin (Republican)Jim Banks (Republican)Cindy Hyde-Smith (Republican)Mike Lee (Republican)James E. Risch (Republican)Cynthia M. Lummis (Republican)Marsha Blackburn (Republican)Todd Young (Republican)Ashley Moody (Republican)John Boozman (Republican)Mike Rounds (Republican)Kevin Cramer (Republican)John Kennedy (Republican)Deb Fischer (Republican)David McCormick (Republican)Josh Hawley (Republican)John Cornyn (Republican)Pete Ricketts (Republican)Steve Daines (Republican)John Hoeven (Republican)Ted Budd (Republican)Mike Crapo (Republican)

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
The " Conscience Protection Act of 2025 " aims to prevent discrimination against healthcare entities that choose not to participate in abortion-related activities. It explicitly prohibits the Federal Government and any recipient of Federal financial assistance , including State and local governments, from penalizing or retaliating against a health care entity for declining to provide, perform, refer for, pay for, or facilitate abortion services or coverage. This protection extends to a broad range of "health care entities," encompassing individual professionals, hospitals, insurers, and educational programs. The bill clarifies that it does not prevent voluntary participation in abortion where not legally prohibited, nor does it affect laws requiring emergency medical treatment. The legislation significantly strengthens the administrative enforcement of numerous existing federal conscience laws. It authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue regulations for over two dozen specified statutes, including the Church Amendments, Weldon Amendment, and provisions within the Affordable Care Act, which protect conscience rights in healthcare. The Director of the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) within HHS is designated to receive and promptly investigate complaints of violations, issue findings, and mandate corrective actions. To ensure compliance, the Secretary is empowered to terminate Federal financial assistance , in whole or in part, to any individual or entity, including State or local governments, that fails to adhere to these conscience protection laws. Additionally, the bill establishes a new " private right of action ," allowing the Attorney General or any adversely affected individual or entity to file a civil lawsuit for actual or threatened violations. This legal recourse permits plaintiffs to seek injunctive relief, declaratory relief, compensatory damages , and attorneys' fees , even against governmental entities, without first exhausting administrative remedies.
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Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

S 116-183
Conscience Protection Act of 2019

Bill from Previous Congress

S 117-401
Conscience Protection Act of 2021

Bill from Previous Congress

S 118-4524
Conscience Protection Act of 2024
May 14, 2025

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 119-3411
Introduced in House
May 14, 2025
Introduced in Senate
May 14, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 116-183
    Conscience Protection Act of 2019


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 117-401
    Conscience Protection Act of 2021


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 118-4524
    Conscience Protection Act of 2024


  • May 14, 2025

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 119-3411
    Introduced in House


  • May 14, 2025
    Introduced in Senate


  • May 14, 2025
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Health

Related Bills

  • HR 119-3411: Conscience Protection Act of 2025

Conscience Protection Act of 2025

USA119th CongressS-1756| Senate 
| Updated: 5/14/2025
The " Conscience Protection Act of 2025 " aims to prevent discrimination against healthcare entities that choose not to participate in abortion-related activities. It explicitly prohibits the Federal Government and any recipient of Federal financial assistance , including State and local governments, from penalizing or retaliating against a health care entity for declining to provide, perform, refer for, pay for, or facilitate abortion services or coverage. This protection extends to a broad range of "health care entities," encompassing individual professionals, hospitals, insurers, and educational programs. The bill clarifies that it does not prevent voluntary participation in abortion where not legally prohibited, nor does it affect laws requiring emergency medical treatment. The legislation significantly strengthens the administrative enforcement of numerous existing federal conscience laws. It authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue regulations for over two dozen specified statutes, including the Church Amendments, Weldon Amendment, and provisions within the Affordable Care Act, which protect conscience rights in healthcare. The Director of the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) within HHS is designated to receive and promptly investigate complaints of violations, issue findings, and mandate corrective actions. To ensure compliance, the Secretary is empowered to terminate Federal financial assistance , in whole or in part, to any individual or entity, including State or local governments, that fails to adhere to these conscience protection laws. Additionally, the bill establishes a new " private right of action ," allowing the Attorney General or any adversely affected individual or entity to file a civil lawsuit for actual or threatened violations. This legal recourse permits plaintiffs to seek injunctive relief, declaratory relief, compensatory damages , and attorneys' fees , even against governmental entities, without first exhausting administrative remedies.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

S 116-183
Conscience Protection Act of 2019

Bill from Previous Congress

S 117-401
Conscience Protection Act of 2021

Bill from Previous Congress

S 118-4524
Conscience Protection Act of 2024
May 14, 2025

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 119-3411
Introduced in House
May 14, 2025
Introduced in Senate
May 14, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 116-183
    Conscience Protection Act of 2019


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 117-401
    Conscience Protection Act of 2021


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 118-4524
    Conscience Protection Act of 2024


  • May 14, 2025

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 119-3411
    Introduced in House


  • May 14, 2025
    Introduced in Senate


  • May 14, 2025
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
James Lankford

James Lankford

Republican Senator

Oklahoma

Cosponsors (23)
Joni Ernst (Republican)Markwayne Mullin (Republican)Jim Banks (Republican)Cindy Hyde-Smith (Republican)Mike Lee (Republican)James E. Risch (Republican)Cynthia M. Lummis (Republican)Marsha Blackburn (Republican)Todd Young (Republican)Ashley Moody (Republican)John Boozman (Republican)Mike Rounds (Republican)Kevin Cramer (Republican)John Kennedy (Republican)Deb Fischer (Republican)David McCormick (Republican)Josh Hawley (Republican)John Cornyn (Republican)Pete Ricketts (Republican)Steve Daines (Republican)John Hoeven (Republican)Ted Budd (Republican)Mike Crapo (Republican)

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

Health

Related Bills

  • HR 119-3411: Conscience Protection Act of 2025
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted