Conscience Protection Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Senator James Lankford
Introduced
Summary
strengthen federal conscience protections for health care entities that decline to participate in or cover abortion. It would bar federal discrimination against those entities and create centralized administrative enforcement and private lawsuits to protect those choices.
Show full summary
- Health care entities and providers: Would be protected from federal discrimination if they refuse to perform, facilitate, or cover abortions and could file complaints with the Office for Civil Rights to seek corrective action.
- State and local governments and programs: Would face possible loss of federal funds for failing to respect those conscience protections and could be sued in federal court.
- Private individuals and organizations harmed by violations: Would be able to sue for injunctions, declaratory relief, compensatory damages, and reasonable attorneys' fees without first completing administrative remedies.
- Federal enforcement and agencies: The Secretary would be required to issue implementing regulations, designate the Office for Civil Rights to investigate complaints, and could refer violations to the Attorney General for civil action.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
New private lawsuits for conscience violations
If enacted, the bill would let the Attorney General or any person or entity harmed by a conscience violation sue in court for actual or threatened violations. Plaintiffs could seek injunctions, declaratory relief, compensatory money damages, and reasonable attorneys' fees and costs. Suits could be filed without waiting for or exhausting administrative remedies and could be brought against any recipient of federal health funds, including states.
Stronger conscience rules for health providers
If enacted, the bill would bar the federal government and any recipient of federal health money from punishing health care entities that refuse to provide, refer for, pay for, or arrange abortions. It would define broadly which providers, plans, and government units are covered. The bill would preserve voluntary choices to provide abortions and keep EMTALA emergency stabilizing-treatment rules. State insurance rules would remain in place except where the bill says otherwise.
HHS civil rights enforcement powers
If enacted, the Secretary of Health and Human Services would direct the civil rights office to take and investigate conscience complaints and require corrective action. The Secretary could issue implementing rules and refer violations to the Attorney General for civil suits. Where allowed by law and the Constitution, HHS could also stop or reduce federal funds to recipients that fail to comply.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
James Lankford
OK • R
Cosponsors
Jim Banks
IN • R
Sponsored 5/14/2025
John Kennedy
LA • R
Sponsored 7/29/2025
Marsha Blackburn
TN • R
Sponsored 10/8/2025
Markwayne Mullin
OK • R
Sponsored 10/8/2025
Kevin Cramer
ND • R
Sponsored 5/14/2025
Mike Rounds
SD • R
Sponsored 5/14/2025
James Risch
ID • R
Sponsored 5/14/2025
Cynthia Lummis
WY • R
Sponsored 5/14/2025
Steve Daines
MT • R
Sponsored 5/14/2025
Cindy Hyde-Smith
MS • R
Sponsored 5/14/2025
Ted Budd
NC • R
Sponsored 5/14/2025
Josh Hawley
MO • R
Sponsored 5/14/2025
Todd Young
IN • R
Sponsored 5/14/2025
Pete Ricketts
NE • R
Sponsored 5/14/2025
Joni Ernst
IA • R
Sponsored 5/14/2025
Deb Fischer
NE • R
Sponsored 5/14/2025
Mike Lee
UT • R
Sponsored 5/14/2025
Mike Crapo
ID • R
Sponsored 5/14/2025
John Boozman
AR • R
Sponsored 10/21/2025
John Cornyn
TX • R
Sponsored 10/21/2025
John Hoeven
ND • R
Sponsored 10/21/2025
Ashley Moody
FL • R
Sponsored 12/17/2025
David McCormick
PA • R
Sponsored 1/28/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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