[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2497 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2497
To amend the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of
Health and Human Services to conduct a public health education,
awareness, and outreach campaign to enhance access to abortion and
related health services.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 31, 2025
Ms. Crockett (for herself, Mr. Goldman of New York, Ms. McClellan, Mr.
Davis of Illinois, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Mr. Johnson of Georgia,
Ms. Velazquez, Ms. Norton, Ms. Tlaib, Mrs. Ramirez, Ms. Brownley, Mr.
Connolly, Ms. Ross, Mr. Veasey, Mr. Doggett, Mr. Swalwell, Mr.
Thanedar, Mr. Torres of New York, Mr. Latimer, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Nadler,
and Mr. Gottheimer) introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of
Health and Human Services to conduct a public health education,
awareness, and outreach campaign to enhance access to abortion and
related health services.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Abortion Care Awareness Act of
2025''.
SEC. 2. PUBLIC EDUCATION AND AWARENESS CAMPAIGN ON ACCESS TO ABORTION
AND RELATED HEALTH SERVICES.
Part P of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
280g et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 399V-8. PUBLIC EDUCATION AND AWARENESS CAMPAIGN ON ACCESS TO
ABORTION AND RELATED HEALTH SERVICES.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out a coordinated,
focused, national public health education, awareness, and outreach
campaign to enhance access to abortion and related health services.
``(b) Campaign Requirements.--The campaign under subsection (a)
shall--
``(1) include education, awareness, and outreach
regarding--
``(A) where and how to access abortion, including
medication abortion such as mifepristone and
misoprostol, and related health services, consistent
with applicable State and Federal laws, including
through--
``(i) in-person services; and
``(ii) telehealth;
``(B) the legality and availability of prescribing,
dispensing, and receiving abortion, medication abortion
such as mifepristone and misoprostol, and other related
health services, consistent with applicable State and
Federal laws;
``(C) medically accurate and complete information
about abortion, including medication abortion such as
mifepristone and misoprostol;
``(D) the rights of patients to legally travel
across State lines to obtain abortion and related
health services and information on organizations
available to help support patients needing to travel
for care;
``(E) how to differentiate facilities commonly
known as anti-abortion centers or crisis pregnancy
centers from facilities that actually provide abortion
and related health services, including how to
identify--
``(i) inaccurate or misleading claims by
such centers about reproductive health care;
and
``(ii) inaccurate, misleading, or
stigmatizing information disseminated by such
centers about abortion and contraception;
``(F) how to identify disinformation campaigns and
misinformation regarding abortion and related health
services, including medication abortion, intended to
deceive or discourage individuals from accessing such
services; and
``(G) how to protect sensitive personal and health
information from misuse and surveillance;
``(2) make the information required by paragraph (1)
available on the Department of Health and Human Services
website; and
``(3) be designed to ensure cultural competency, efficacy,
and accessibility for and within underserved communities,
including--
``(A) communities of color;
``(B) immigrants;
``(C) people with disabilities;
``(D) people with limited English proficiency;
``(E) people with low incomes;
``(F) young people;
``(G) LGBTQI+ people;
``(H) people living in rural or other medically
underserved areas; and
``(I) people living on Tribal land or receiving
care through the Indian Health Service.
``(c) Campaign Limitations.--In carrying out the campaign under
subsection (a), the Secretary shall not--
``(1) promote misinformation regarding the safety of
abortion and related health services, including medication
abortion;
``(2) promote misinformation regarding `abortion reversal';
``(3) promote abstinence-only-until-marriage programs, also
referred to as sexual risk avoidance education programs, or
other programs that are not comprehensive or medically
accurate; or
``(4) collect, retain, use, or disclose personal
information about visitors to any website, app, or other
educational or campaign resource.
``(d) Consultation.--In carrying out the campaign under subsection
(a), the Secretary shall consult with--
``(1) licensed health care professionals who are experts
in--
``(A) sexual and reproductive health; and
``(B) abortion and related health services,
including medication abortion;
``(2) nonprofit organizations whose missions are focused on
expanding reproductive rights, reproductive health, and
reproductive justice, including funds to access abortion;
``(3) State and local public health departments; and
``(4) nonprofit institutions of higher education.
``(e) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) The term `abortion and related health services' means
abortion and any services related to, and provided in
conjunction with, an abortion, whether or not provided at the
same time or on the same day as the abortion.
``(2) The term `medically accurate and complete
information' means information that is--
``(A) relevant to informed decision making based on
current scientific evidence;
``(B) derived from research using accepted
scientific methods;
``(C) consistent with generally recognized
scientific theory, as demonstrated by publication in
peer-reviewed journals (if available) or otherwise; and
``(D) recognized as accurate, objective, and
complete by mainstream professional medical
organizations such as the American Medical Association,
the American College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists, the American Public Health Association,
the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American
Psychological Association, and scientific advisory
groups such as the Institute of Medicine.''.
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