What This Bill Does
The HOPE Act creates programs to support pregnant women and new mothers with prenatal care, counseling, and resources. The bill establishes requirements for abortion providers regarding informed consent and parental notification. It also creates a federal website to direct pregnant women to support services and limits federal funding to certain organizations.
Who It Affects
Pregnant women and new mothers seeking prenatal and postnatal care; nonprofit organizations that provide pregnancy support services; abortion providers; physicians performing abortions on minors; Planned Parenthood Federation of America and its affiliates; parents of minors seeking abortions; the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Key Provisions
- The Secretary of Health and Human Services must award grants to eligible healthcare entities in rural, frontier, medically underserved areas and tribal jurisdictions to purchase equipment for at-home telehealth visits for prenatal and postnatal care (Sec. 101)
- The Secretary must award grants to nonprofit organizations that support women in carrying pregnancies to term, with requirements that organizations provide information on developmental characteristics of unborn children and maintain strict privacy protections (Sec. 102)
- Abortion providers must present a signed Informed Consent Authorization form to a woman at least 24 hours before performing an abortion, containing information about gestational age, medical risks, and fetal developmental characteristics (Sec. 103)
- The Secretary must create a public website called life.gov within one year that provides pregnant women with comprehensive lists of federal, state, local and private resources, including information on alternatives to abortion and abortion risks (Sec. 104)
- Physicians performing abortions on minors must provide at least 24 hours actual notice or 48 hours constructive notice to a parent before the procedure, with limited exceptions (Sec. 105)
What Changes
If this bill becomes law, pregnant women will have access to new telehealth equipment and services through grants to underserved areas. Nonprofit pregnancy support organizations will receive federal funding if they meet specific requirements. A new federal website will compile pregnancy support resources by ZIP code. Abortion providers will be required to obtain signed informed consent forms with specific information at least 24 hours before procedures. Physicians will be required to notify parents before performing abortions on minors. Planned Parenthood and its affiliates will lose federal funding for one year unless they certify they will not perform abortions (with exceptions for rape, incest, and life-threatening medical conditions).
Important Definitions
The bill defines "abortion" as using instruments, medicines, drugs, or devices to intentionally kill an unborn child or terminate pregnancy, excluding procedures after viability intended to produce live birth, removal of dead unborn children, or treatment of ectopic pregnancies (tubal pregnancies).
The bill defines "unborn child" as an individual human organism beginning at fertilization until born alive.
The bill defines "medically underserved area" as a health professional shortage area.
The bill defines "frontier county" by reference to federal Medicare rules.
The bill defines "prohibited entity" as any organization that performs abortions, induces abortions, refers for abortions, counsels in favor of abortions, or provides money to organizations that conduct these activities.
Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. 1126
To make improvements in prenatal and maternal care, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 21, 2023
Mrs. FISCHBACH introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce
A BILL
To make improvements in prenatal and maternal care, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Health, Opportunity,
4
Protecting life, Education Act’’ or the ‘‘HOPE Act’’.
5
SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.
6
The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
7
Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Table of contents.
TITLE I—ALTERNATIVES TO ABORTION
Sec. 101. Improving access to prenatal telehealth care.
Sec. 102. Positive alternatives for women.
Sec. 103. Educated decisions on maternal health.
Sec. 104. Life.Gov: awareness for expecting mothers.
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Sec. 105. Parental notification.
Sec. 106. Moratorium on Federal funding to Planned Parenthood Federation of
America, Inc.
Sec. 107. Funding.
TITLE II—GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 201. Rule of construction.
TITLE I—ALTERNATIVES TO
1
ABORTION
2
SEC. 101. IMPROVING ACCESS TO PRENATAL TELEHEALTH
3
CARE.
4
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and
5
Human Services shall award grants or cooperative agree-
6
ments to eligible entities to purchase equipment necessary
7
for carrying out at-home telehealth visits for screening,
8
monitoring, and management of prenatal and postnatal
9
care for the purpose of improving maternal and infant
10
health outcomes, and reducing maternal mortality, by im-
11
proving access to care in rural areas, frontier counties,
12
medically underserved areas, or jurisdictions of Indian
13
Tribes and Tribal organizations.
14
(b) USE OF FUNDS.—A recipient of a grant under
15
this section shall use the grant as described in subsection
16
(a), which may include purchasing or providing equipment
17
necessary for carrying out at-home telehealth visits (such
18
as remote physiologic devices and related services, includ-
19
ing pulse oximeters, blood pressure cuffs, scales, and blood
20
glucose monitors) to screen, monitor, and manage prenatal
21
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and postnatal care at home by means of telehealth visits
1
and services for the purpose described in subsection (a).
2
(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than Sep-
3
tember 30, 2028, the Secretary shall submit to the Con-
4
gress a report on activities supported through grants
5
under this section, including—
6
(1) a description of the activities conducted
7
pursuant to such grants; and
8
(2) an analysis of the effects of such grants on
9
improving prenatal and postnatal care in areas and
10
jurisdictions described in subsection (a).
11
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
12
(1) The term ‘‘eligible entity’’ means an entity
13
providing prenatal care, labor care, birthing, and
14
postpartum care services in a rural area, a frontier
15
county, a medically underserved area, or the juris-
16
diction of an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization.
17
(2) The term ‘‘frontier county’’ has the mean-
18
ing
given
such
term
in
section
19
1886(d)(3)(E)(iii)(III) of the Social Security Act
20
(42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(3)(E)(iii)(III)).
21
(3) The terms ‘‘Indian Tribe’’ and ‘‘Tribal or-
22
ganization’’ have the meanings given to such terms
23
in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and
24
Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
25
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(4) The term ‘‘medically underserved area’’
1
means a health professional shortage area des-
2
ignated under section 332 of the Public Health Serv-
3
ice Act (42 U.S.C. 254e).
4
(5) The term ‘‘rural area’’ has the meaning
5
given to such term in section 330J(e) of the Public
6
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c–15(e)).
7
(6) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary
8
of Health and Human Services.
9
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry
10
out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated
11
such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2024
12
through 2029.
13
SEC. 102. POSITIVE ALTERNATIVES FOR WOMEN.
14
(a) PROGRAM AUTHORITY.—
15
(1) PURPOSE.—The purpose of grants under
16
this section shall be to support, encourage, and as-
17
sist women—
18
(A) to carry their pregnancies to term; and
19
(B) to care for their babies after birth.
20
(2) GRANTS.—For the purpose described in
21
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall award grants to
22
eligible entities described in subsection (b) to provide
23
information on, referral to, and direct services as de-
24
scribed in subsection (c).
25
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(b) ELIGIBILITY.—
1
(1) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—To be eligible for a
2
grant under this section, an entity shall—
3
(A) be a nonprofit organization;
4
(B) support, encourage, and assist women
5
as described in subsection (a)(1);
6
(C) agree to be subject to such monitoring
7
and review as the Secretary may require under
8
subsection (g);
9
(D) agree to not charge women for services
10
provided through the grant;
11
(E) provide each pregnant woman coun-
12
seled through the grant with accurate informa-
13
tion on the developmental characteristics of ba-
14
bies and of unborn children, including offering
15
printed information; and
16
(F) have a privacy policy and procedures
17
in place to ensure that—
18
(i) the name, address, telephone num-
19
ber, or any other information that might
20
identify any woman seeking services sup-
21
ported through the grant is not made pub-
22
lic or shared with any other entity without
23
the written consent of the woman; and
24
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•HR 1126 IH
(ii) the grantee adheres to require-
1
ments comparable to those applicable
2
under the HIPAA privacy regulation (as
3
defined in section 1180(b)(3) of the Social
4
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320d–9)) to cov-
5
ered entities (as defined for purposes of
6
such regulation).
7
(2) INELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—An entity shall be
8
ineligible to receive a grant under this section if the
9
entity or any affiliate, subsidiary, successor, or clinic
10
thereof—
11
(A) performs, induces, refers for, or coun-
12
sels in favor of abortions; or
13
(B) provides financial support to any other
14
entity that conducts any activity described in
15
subparagraph (A).
16
(3) FINANCIAL RECORDS.—As a condition on
17
receipt of a grant under this section, an eligible enti-
18
ty shall agree to maintain and make available to the
19
Secretary records, including financial records, that
20
demonstrate that the entity satisfies the require-
21
ments of paragraph (1) and is not ineligible by oper-
22
ation of paragraph (2).
23
(c) COVERED SERVICES.—
24
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(1) REQUIRED
INFORMATION
AND
REFER-
1
RAL.—For the purpose described in subsection
2
(a)(1), an eligible entity receiving a grant under this
3
section shall use the grant to provide information
4
on, and referral to, each of the following services:
5
(A) Medical care.
6
(B) Nutritional services.
7
(C) Housing assistance.
8
(D) Adoption services.
9
(E) Education and employment assistance,
10
including services that support the continuation
11
and completion of high school.
12
(F) Child care assistance.
13
(G) Parenting education and support serv-
14
ices.
15
(H) Voluntary substance abuse counseling
16
and treatment.
17
(2) PERMISSIBLE DIRECT PROVISION OF SERV-
18
ICES.—For the purpose described in subsection
19
(a)(1), in addition to using a grant under this sec-
20
tion as described in paragraph (1), an eligible entity
21
receiving a grant under this section may use the
22
grant for the direct provision of one or more services
23
listed in paragraph (1).
24
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(d) PROHIBITED USES
OF FUNDS.—None of the
1
funds made available under this section shall be used—
2
(1) for health benefits coverage that includes
3
coverage of abortion;
4
(2) for providing or assisting a woman to obtain
5
adoption services from a provider of adoption serv-
6
ices that is not licensed; and
7
(3) for any of the activities described in sub-
8
section (b)(2).
9
(e) APPROVAL OF INFORMATION AS MEDICALLY AC-
10
CURATE.—As a condition on the receipt of a grant under
11
this section, an eligible entity shall refrain from providing
12
any information pursuant to the grant on the health risks
13
associated with abortions other than information that has
14
been approved by the Secretary as medically accurate.
15
(f) CONSIDERATION.—In selecting the recipients of
16
grants under this section, the Secretary shall consider
17
each applicant’s demonstrated capacity in providing serv-
18
ices to assist a pregnant woman in carrying her pregnancy
19
to term.
20
(g) MONITORING
AND
REVIEW.—The Secretary
21
shall—
22
(1) monitor and review each program funded
23
through a grant under this section to ensure that
24
the grantee carefully adheres to—
25
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•HR 1126 IH
(A) the purpose described in subsection
1
(a)(1); and
2
(B) the requirements of this section; and
3
(2) cease to fund a program under this section
4
if the grantee fails to adhere to such purpose and re-
5
quirements.
6
(h) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
7
(1) ABORTION.—The term ‘‘abortion’’ means
8
the use or prescription of any instrument, medicine,
9
drug, or any other substance or device to inten-
10
tionally—
11
(A) kill the unborn child of a woman
12
known to be pregnant; or
13
(B) terminate the pregnancy of a woman
14
known to be pregnant, with an intention other
15
than—
16
(i) after viability, to produce a live
17
birth and preserve the life and health of
18
the child born alive;
19
(ii) to remove a dead unborn child; or
20
(iii) to treat an ectopic pregnancy.
21
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
22
the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
23
(i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry
24
out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated
25
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•HR 1126 IH
such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2024
1
through 2029.
2
SEC. 103. EDUCATED DECISIONS ON MATERNAL HEALTH.
3
(a) IN GENERAL.—
4
(1) REQUIREMENT
OF
COMPLIANCE
BY
PRO-
5
VIDERS.—Any abortion provider, acting in or affect-
6
ing interstate or foreign commerce, who knowingly
7
performs, or attempts to perform, any abortion shall
8
comply with the requirements of this section.
9
(2) REVIEW OF MEDICAL RISKS AND UNBORN
10
HEALTH STATUS.—An abortion provider who intends
11
to perform, or attempt to perform, an abortion may
12
not perform any part of the abortion procedure with-
13
out first obtaining a signed Informed Consent Au-
14
thorization form in accordance with this subsection.
15
(3)
INFORMED
CONSENT
AUTHORIZATION
16
FORM.—
17
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Informed Consent
18
Authorization form required under this sub-
19
section shall—
20
(i) be presented in person by the abor-
21
tion provider 24 hours prior to performing,
22
or attempting to perform, the abortion to
23
the woman seeking the abortion; and
24
(ii) consist of—
25
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•HR 1126 IH
(I) a statement, in easily under-
1
standable common language, by the
2
abortion provider indicating—
3
(aa) the probable gestational
4
age, in completed days, of the
5
child;
6
(bb) all medical risks associ-
7
ated with the specific abortion
8
procedure; and
9
(cc) the major developmental
10
characteristics of unborn children
11
at such gestational age, including
12
the presence of a heartbeat, the
13
ability to react to painful stimuli,
14
and the development of organs,
15
fingers, and facial features;
16
(II) a statement, in easily under-
17
standable common language, that the
18
requirements of this subsection are
19
binding upon the abortion provider
20
and all other medical personnel, that
21
such abortion providers and medical
22
personnel are subject to criminal and
23
civil penalties for violations of these
24
requirements, and that a woman on
25
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•HR 1126 IH
whom an abortion has been performed
1
may take civil action if these require-
2
ments are not followed; and
3
(III) an affirmation that each in-
4
dividual signing the Informed Consent
5
Authorization form has filled out the
6
form to the best of his or her knowl-
7
edge and understands the information
8
contained in the form.
9
(B) SIGNATORIES
REQUIRED.—The In-
10
formed Consent Authorization form required
11
under this subsection shall be signed in person
12
by the woman seeking the abortion, the abor-
13
tion provider performing or attempting to per-
14
form the abortion, and a witness.
15
(C) RETENTION OF CONSENT FORM.—The
16
abortion provider performing or attempting to
17
perform an abortion shall retain the signed In-
18
formed Consent Authorization form required
19
under this subsection in the patient’s medical
20
file.
21
(D) REQUIREMENT
FOR
DATA
RETEN-
22
TION.—Paragraph (j)(2) of section 164.530 of
23
title 45, Code of Federal Regulations, shall
24
apply to the Informed Consent Authorization
25
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•HR 1126 IH
form required to be placed in a patient’s med-
1
ical file pursuant to subparagraph (C) in the
2
same manner
[Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]