Federal

Expressing the sense of Congress condemning the recent attacks on pro-life facilities, groups, and churches.

Source: Congress.gov · 1,544 words in original text

What This Bill Does

This is a concurrent resolution (a statement of Congress's position that does not become law) that expresses Congress's disapproval of attacks on pro-life facilities, groups and churches. The bill describes numerous incidents of vandalism, arson and property damage that occurred at these locations and calls on the Biden Administration to use law enforcement to protect these organizations.

Who It Affects

Pro-life facilities, groups and churches that have experienced vandalism or attacks. The Biden Administration and its law enforcement authorities.

Key Provisions

• Congress condemns recent attacks involving vandalism, violence and destruction against pro-life facilities, groups and churches (Resolved section, paragraph 1) • Congress recognizes the importance of pro-life facilities, groups and churches in supporting pregnant women, infants and families (Resolved section, paragraph 2) • Congress calls on the Biden Administration to use all appropriate law enforcement authorities to protect public safety and the rights of pro-life facilities, groups and churches (Resolved section, paragraph 3)

What Changes

Concurrent resolutions express the sense of Congress but do not create new laws or binding requirements. This bill states Congress's position but does not mandate any specific action or change in law.

Important Definitions

None defined in bill text.

IIB 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 3 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES JANUARY 23 (legislative day, JANUARY 3), 2023 Received; referred to the Committee on the Judiciary CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress condemning the recent attacks on pro-life facilities, groups, and churches. Whereas since the May 2, 2022, leak of the Supreme Court’s draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Orga- nization, individuals professing anti-life views have tar- geted, destroyed, or vandalized numerous pro-life facili- ties, groups, and even churches to further their radical cause; VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:52 Jan 23, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HC3.RFS HC3 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 HCON 3 RFS Whereas, on June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court issued a final decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Orga- nization, which upheld Mississippi’s pro-life law and over- turned Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood of South- eastern Pennsylvania v. Casey; Whereas, following the leak of the draft Dobbs decision, rad- ical anti-life advocates initiated a pressure campaign de- signed to influence the Supreme Court’s opinion; Whereas, following the leak and issuance of the Dobbs deci- sion, radical anti-life advocates have defaced, vandalized, and caused destruction to over 100 pro-life facilities, groups, and churches; Whereas, on May 3, 2022, individuals vandalized the Care Net Pregnancy Center in Frederick, Maryland, with pro- abortion graffiti, including the messages, ‘‘not real clin- ic’’, ‘‘end forced motherhood’’, and ‘‘go to [Planned Par- enthood] instead’’; Whereas, on May 5, 2022, in Portland, Oregon, vandals smashed numerous windows and spray-painted graffiti on the Southeast Portland Pregnancy Resource Center; Whereas, on May 7, 2022, activists vandalized a crisis preg- nancy center in Denton, Texas, with the radical pro-abor- tion messages ‘‘not a clinic’’ and ‘‘forced birth is mur- der’’; Whereas, on May 7, 2022, in Fort Collins, Colorado, activists painted ‘‘my body my choice’’ on the doors of a Catholic parish; Whereas, on May 8, 2022, Mother’s Day, individuals at- tempted to break into the Oregon Right to Life office in Keizer, Oregon, reportedly igniting and throwing 2 Molo- tov cocktails at the building; VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:52 Jan 23, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HC3.RFS HC3 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 HCON 3 RFS Whereas, on May 8, 2022, vandals spray-painted pro-abortion messages such as ‘‘Abortion is a right’’, ‘‘Fake clinic’’, and ‘‘Liars’’ on the side of a pro-life pregnancy center in Manassas, Virginia; Whereas, on May 8, 2022, a pro-life nonprofit center in Madison, Wisconsin, was set ablaze and vandalized with the words, ‘‘If abortions aren’t safe, then you aren’t ei- ther’’; Whereas, on May 13, 2022, activists left ‘‘threatening mes- sages’’ on the front of the Alpha Pregnancy Center in Reisterstown, Maryland, including the messages, ‘‘if abortions aren’t safe, neither are you’’, ‘‘you’re anti choice not pro life’’, ‘‘not a clinic’’, and were signed ‘‘Jane’s revenge’’; Whereas, on May 18, 2022, vandals targeted a ‘‘women’s faith-based medical clinic’’ in Auburn, Alabama, defacing the clinic’s sign and staff members’ vehicles; Whereas, on May 25, 2022, in Lynnwood, Washington, anti- life activists smashed windows and vandalized the Next Step Pregnancy Center with the threat, ‘‘if abortion isn’t safe, you aren’t either’’; Whereas, on June 2, 2022, Jane’s Revenge claimed credit for an attack in which its members broke windows and scrawled messages including ‘‘God loves abortion’’ and ‘‘fake clinic’’ at Agape Pregnancy Resource Center in Des Moines, Iowa; Whereas, on June 3, 2022, the Capitol Hill Crisis Pregnancy Center in Washington, DC, was the target of left-wing abortion extremists who threw red paint on the door, threw eggs at the window, and spray-painted the building with ‘‘Jane Says Revenge’’; VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:52 Jan 23, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HC3.RFS HC3 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 4 HCON 3 RFS Whereas, on June 6, 2022, in Asheville, North Carolina, van- dals broke windows and left graffiti on the Mountain Area Pregnancy Services building, including the mes- sages, ‘‘If abortions aren’t safe, neither are you’’, ‘‘no forced birth’’, and an anarchist symbol; Whereas, on June 7, 2022, reports indicate that an ‘‘abortion terrorist group Jane’s Revenge’’ firebombed the CompassCare pro-life pregnancy center in Amherst, New York; Whereas, on June 10, 2022, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, vandals smashed the windows and graffitied the walls of HOPE Pregnancy Center; Whereas, on June 19, 2022, in Redford Township, Michigan, individuals smashed the windows of the Pregnancy Coun- seling Center; Whereas, on June 22, 2022, in Jackson, Michigan, vandals graffitied and smashed the windows of the office of Jack- son Right to Life; Whereas, on June 25, 2022, in Lynchburg, Virginia, anti-life activists vandalized the Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center; Whereas, on June 25, 2022, in Paso Robles, California, van- dals broke the windows and spray-painted the walls of Tree of Life Pregnancy Support Center; Whereas, on June 25, 2022, radical leftist rioters breached the Arizona State Capitol, forcing legislators to evacuate the building; Whereas, on June 25, 2022, in Cortez, Colorado, Heart to Heart Pregnancy Center was defaced with pro-abortion graffiti; VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:52 Jan 23, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HC3.RFS HC3 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 5 HCON 3 RFS Whereas, on June 25, 2022, in Longmont, Colorado, vandals graffitied and set fire to the Life Choices Free Pregnancy Services; Whereas, on June 26, 2022, in Winter Haven, Florida, anti- life activists destroyed security cameras and spray-paint- ed the LifeChoice Pregnancy Center with threatening messages, including ‘‘Your time is up’’, ‘‘We’re coming for U’’, and ‘‘Jane’s revenge’’; Whereas, on July 2, 2022, in Hialeah, Florida, individuals vandalized the Pregnancy Medical Clinics with spray- paint, writing ‘‘If abortions aren’t safe neither are you’’ on the walls; Whereas, on July 7, 2022, activists vandalized 2 pro-life pregnancy centers in Worcester, Massachusetts, hours after the State’s Attorney General issued a consumer ad- visory warning residents about such centers; Whereas, between July 8 and 9, 2022, in Bethesda, Mary- land, individuals either vandalized or set fire to 3 church- es, causing physical damage to the churches and their properties, where 1 church faces approximately $50,000 in damages because of the vandalism; Whereas, on July 11, 2022, activists vandalized the pro-life Women’s New Life Clinic in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, by spray-painting anti-life messages and ‘‘Jane’s Revenge’’ on its exterior walls; Whereas, on August 1, 2022, in St. Paul, Minnesota, vandals broke doors and graffitied a pregnancy center, leaving messages such as ‘‘if abortions aren’t safe, neither are you’’; VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:52 Jan 23, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HC3.RFS HC3 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 6 HCON 3 RFS Whereas, on August 1, 2022, a Douglas County Church in Kansas City was vandalized with messages such as ‘‘pro- tect choice’’; Whereas, on August 1, 2022, in Lawrence, Kansas, two churches were vandalized with spray painted messages such as ‘‘vote no’’, ‘‘protect choice’’, and ‘‘no forced birth’’ on their properties; Whereas, on August 9, 2022, in Pocatello, Idaho, the Com- passion and Hope Pregnancy Center was vandalized with messages including, ‘‘forced birth center’’, ‘‘God is a woman’’, and ‘‘beware’’; Whereas, on August 15, 2022, in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, a woman was accused of assault after throwing eggs and a dead raccoon at the Northeast Ohio Women’s Center; Whereas, on August 18, 2022, anti-life extremists vandalized a pregnancy center in western Massachusetts with mes- sages including ‘‘Jane’s Revenge’’ and ‘‘if abortion isn’t safe neither are you’’; Whereas, on September 16, 2022, in Southfield, Michigan, vandals broke a window and left graffitied messages in- cluding, ‘‘Jane was here’’ and ‘‘if abortions aren’t safe, neither are you’’ on a pregnancy counseling center; Whereas, on October 8, 2022, security camera footage showed anti-life activists spray-painting the sidewalk of the Church of the Resurrection in Lansing, Michigan, with ‘‘abort the court’’ and ‘‘death to Christian nation- alism’’; Whereas the Biden Administration has failed to take action to respond to the radical attacks on pro-life facilities, groups, and churches, or to protect the rights of these or- ganizations; and VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:52 Jan 23, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HC3.RFS HC3 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 7 HCON 3 RFS Whereas these attacks on pro-life facilities, groups, and churches have included vandalism, arson, incendiary graf- fiti, and other damage: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 1 concurring), That Congress— 2 (1) condemns recent attacks of vandalism, vio- 3 lence, and destruction against pro-life facilities, 4 groups, and churches; 5 (2) recognizes the sanctity of life and the im- 6 portant role pro-life facilities, groups, and churches 7 play in supporting pregnant women, infants, and 8 families; and 9 (3) calls upon the Biden Administration to use 10 all appropriate law enforcement authorities to up- 11 hold public safety and to protect the rights of pro- 12 life facilities, groups, and churches. 13 Passed the House of Representatives January 11, 2023. Attest: CHERYL L. JOHNSON, Clerk. VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:52 Jan 23, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HC3.RFS HC3 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS

Important: This plain English summary was generated by AI and is provided for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice. Always consult the official bill text on Congress.gov or a qualified attorney for legal matters.