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119-s-3667119th Congress

Life at Conception Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Senator Rounds, Mike [R-SD]

Introduced

Summary

Recognizes a constitutional right to life for every human being, including preborn persons from fertilization or cloning. This bill would say Congress can use its Article I powers and the 14th Amendment to extend equal protection to preborn people across the United States and its territories.

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  • Pregnant people: The bill would declare embryos and fetuses as "human persons" and say the constitutional right to life applies from fertilization or cloning.
  • Reproductive patients and providers: It expressly states it would not require prosecuting a woman for the death of her unborn child and would not ban in vitro fertilization or use of birth control or other means of preventing fertilization.
  • States and territories: The bill defines "State" to include the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and other territories and frames federal authority to apply the 14th Amendment's equal protection to preborn persons.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Protects IVF and contraception access

If enacted, the bill would say that nothing in the Act would be read to require prosecuting any woman for the death of her unborn child. It would also say the Act would not ban in vitro fertilization. The bill would say the Act would not ban birth control or other means of preventing fertilization. If enacted, these clauses would aim to reduce legal uncertainty for pregnant people, IVF providers, and contraception users.

Defines personhood and preborn rights

If enacted, the bill would declare that the Constitution's right to life is vested in every human being, including preborn persons. It would define "human person" to include a new human at fertilization, cloning, or any moment a human individual comes into being. The bill would treat the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and U.S. territories as "States" for applying this equal protection rule. If enacted, these changes would guide courts and agencies and could change how laws and prosecutions involving pregnancy and reproductive health are interpreted.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Rounds, Mike [R-SD]

SD • R

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]

    TN • R

    Sponsored 1/15/2026

  • Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA]

    LA • R

    Sponsored 1/15/2026

  • Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS]

    MS • R

    Sponsored 1/15/2026

  • Sen. Tuberville, Tommy [R-AL]

    AL • R

    Sponsored 1/15/2026

  • Sen. Cramer, Kevin [R-ND]

    ND • R

    Sponsored 1/15/2026

  • Sen. Hagerty, Bill [R-TN]

    TN • R

    Sponsored 1/15/2026

  • Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID]

    ID • R

    Sponsored 1/15/2026

  • Sen. Banks, Jim [R-IN]

    IN • R

    Sponsored 1/15/2026

  • Sen. Hoeven, John [R-ND]

    ND • R

    Sponsored 1/15/2026

  • Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT]

    MT • R

    Sponsored 1/15/2026

  • Sen. Boozman, John [R-AR]

    AR • R

    Sponsored 1/27/2026

  • Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA]

    IA • R

    Sponsored 1/27/2026

  • Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK]

    OK • R

    Sponsored 4/13/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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