Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-110
§300a–7 Sterilization or Abortion
Title 42 › CHAPTER 6A — PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE › SUBCHAPTER VIII — POPULATION RESEARCH AND VOLUNTARY FAMILY PLANNING PROGRAMS › § 300a–7
Summary
If a person or organization gets federal health money under the Public Health Service Act, the Community Mental Health Centers Act, or the Developmental Disabilities laws, no court or public official may force them to perform or help with a sterilization or abortion when doing so would go against their religious or moral beliefs. An organization also cannot be forced to let such procedures happen in its facilities or to provide staff who object on those grounds. Organizations that got grants, contracts, loans, or loan guarantees after June 18, 1973 must not fire, refuse to hire or promote, or deny privileges to doctors or health workers just because they did or refused to do lawful sterilizations or abortions for religious or moral reasons. Organizations that got research grants or contracts after July 12, 1974 must not do the same for people who did or refused to do lawful health services or research for those reasons. No person can be required to take part in any part of a health program or research paid for by the Department of Health and Human Services if it conflicts with their religious or moral beliefs. Finally, organizations that receive grants, contracts, loans, loan guarantees, or interest subsidies after September 29, 1979 may not deny training or study spots (including internships and residencies) because an applicant is willing or unwilling to be involved in abortions or sterilizations for religious or moral reasons.
Full Legal Text
Title 42, §300a–7
The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Omitted
(b)Prohibition of public officials and public authorities from imposition of certain requirements contrary to religious beliefs or moral convictions
The receipt of any grant, contract, loan, or loan guarantee under the Public Health Service Act [42 U.S.C. 201 et seq.], the Community Mental Health Centers Act [42 U.S.C. 2689 et seq.], or the Developmental Disabilities Services and Facilities Construction Act [42 U.S.C. 6000 et seq.] by any individual or entity does not authorize any court or any public official or other public authority to require—
(1)such individual to perform or assist in the performance of any sterilization procedure or abortion if his performance or assistance in the performance of such procedure or abortion would be contrary to his religious beliefs or moral convictions; or
(2)such entity to—
(A)make its facilities available for the performance of any sterilization procedure or abortion if the performance of such procedure or abortion in such facilities is prohibited by the entity on the basis of religious beliefs or moral convictions, or
(B)provide any personnel for the performance or assistance in the performance of any sterilization procedure or abortion if the performance or assistance in the performance of such procedures or abortion by such personnel would be contrary to the religious beliefs or moral convictions of such personnel.
(c)Discrimination prohibition
(1)No entity which receives a grant, contract, loan, or loan guarantee under the Public Health Service Act [42 U.S.C. 201 et seq.], the Community Mental Health Centers Act [42 U.S.C. 2689 et seq.], or the Developmental Disabilities Services and Facilities Construction Act [42 U.S.C. 6000 et seq.] after June 18, 1973, may—
(A)discriminate in the employment, promotion, or termination of employment of any physician or other health care personnel, or
(B)discriminate in the extension of staff or other privileges to any physician or other health care personnel,
because he performed or assisted in the performance of a lawful sterilization procedure or abortion, because he refused to perform or assist in the performance of such a procedure or abortion on the grounds that his performance or assistance in the performance of the procedure or abortion would be contrary to his religious beliefs or moral convictions, or because of his religious beliefs or moral convictions respecting sterilization procedures or abortions.
(2)No entity which receives after July 12, 1974, a grant or contract for biomedical or behavioral research under any program administered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services may—
(A)discriminate in the employment, promotion, or termination of employment of any physician or other health care personnel, or
(B)discriminate in the extension of staff or other privileges to any physician or other health care personnel,
because he performed or assisted in the performance of any lawful health service or research activity, because he refused to perform or assist in the performance of any such service or activity on the grounds that his performance or assistance in the performance of such service or activity would be contrary to his religious beliefs or moral convictions, or because of his religious beliefs or moral convictions respecting any such service or activity.
(d)Individual rights respecting certain requirements contrary to religious beliefs or moral convictions
No individual shall be required to perform or assist in the performance of any part of a health service program or research activity funded in whole or in part under a program administered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services if his performance or assistance in the performance of such part of such program or activity would be contrary to his religious beliefs or moral convictions.
(e)Prohibition on entities receiving Federal grant, etc., from discriminating against applicants for training or study because of refusal of applicant to participate on religious or moral grounds
No entity which receives, after September 29, 1979, any grant, contract, loan, loan guarantee, or interest subsidy under the Public Health Service Act [42 U.S.C. 201 et seq.], the Community Mental Health Centers Act [42 U.S.C. 2689 et seq.], or the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 [42 U.S.C. 15001 et seq.] may deny admission or otherwise discriminate against any applicant (including applicants for internships and residencies) for training or study because of the applicant’s reluctance, or willingness, to counsel, suggest, recommend, assist, or in any way participate in the performance of abortions or sterilizations contrary to or consistent with the applicant’s religious beliefs or moral convictions.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The Public Health Service Act, referred to in subsecs. (b), (c)(1), and (e), is act July 1, 1944, ch. 373, 58 Stat. 682, which is classified generally to this chapter (§ 201 et seq.). For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see
Short Title
note set out under section 201 of this title and Tables. The Community Mental Health Centers Act, referred to in subsecs. (b), (c)(1), and (e), is title II of Pub. L. 88–164, as added Pub. L. 94–63, title III, § 303, July 29, 1975, 89 Stat. 309, and amended, which was classified principally to subchapter III (§ 2689 et seq.) of chapter 33 of this title prior to its repeal by Pub. L. 97–35, title IX, § 902(e)(2)(B), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 560. The Developmental Disabilities Services and Facilities
Construction
Act, referred to in subsecs. (b) and (c)(1), is title I of Pub. L. 88–164, Oct. 31, 1963, 77 Stat. 282, as renamed by Pub. L. 91–518, title II, § 207(a), Oct. 30, 1970, 84 Stat. 1327. Title I of Pub. L. 88–164, which was subsequently renamed the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act by Pub. L. 95–602, title V, § 502, Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 3003, and amended generally by Pub. L. 98–527, § 2, Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2662, was classified generally to chapter 75 (§ 6000 et seq.) of this title, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 106–402, title IV, § 401(a), Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1737. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables. The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000, referred to in subsec. (e), is Pub. L. 106–402, Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1677, which is classified principally to chapter 144 (§ 15001 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see
Short Title
note set out under section 15001 of this title and Tables. Codification Section was enacted as part of Health Programs Extension Act of 1973, and not as part of Public Health Services Act which comprises this chapter. Subsec. (a) of this section amended section 601 of Pub. L. 91–296, which is set out as an Availability of Appropriations note under section 201 of this title.
Amendments
2000—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 106–402 substituted “or the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 may deny” for “or the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act may deny”. 1979—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 96–76 added subsec. (e). 1974—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 93–348, § 214, designated existing provisions as par. (1), redesignated pars. (1) and (2) of such provisions as subpars. (A) and (B), and added par. (2). Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 93–348, § 214(b), added subsec. (d).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Change of Name
“Secretary of Health and Human Services” substituted for “Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare” in subsecs. (c)(2) and (d) pursuant to section 509(b) of Pub. L. 96–88, which is classified to section 3508(b) of Title 20, Education.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
42 U.S.C. § 300a–7
Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110