Pregnancy Resource Center Defense Act
Pregnancy Resource Center Defense Act would amend federal law to broaden and specify penalties for attacks on two kinds of targets: facilities that exclusively provide abortion-alternative counseling (often called pregnancy resource centers) and places of religious worship. The bill would (1) create a potential first-offense prison cap of up to 3 years in certain cases where the attack involved one of these facilities or a place of worship and was not an exclusively nonviolent obstruction, (2) increase civil damages in lawsuits arising from such conduct (up to $20,000 per violation, with higher amounts for a first violation under certain conditions), and (3) add a minimum 7-year prison term for destruction of buildings when the building is a targeted facility or a place of worship. The goal is to deter violence and property destruction against these facilities and to provide enhanced remedies for victims. The bill was introduced in the House on January 22, 2025 by Rep. Tenney. It relies on existing sections of title 18 (notably sections 248 and 844(i)) and adds targeted enhancements when the affected facility exclusively provides abortion-alternative services or when the target is a place of religious worship.
Key Points
- 1Short title: The act is titled the Pregnancy Resource Center Defense Act.
- 2Criminal penalties (Section 248): Creates a potential first-offense cap of up to 3 years imprisonment if the conduct involved a facility described as exclusively providing abortion-alternative services or a place of religious worship and did not involve exclusively a nonviolent physical obstruction.
- 3Civil remedies (Section 248): Increases damages for violations involving such facilities or places of worship to $20,000 per violation, and permits a higher amount ($25,000) for a first violation if the conduct involved the targeted facility or place and was not exclusively a nonviolent obstruction.
- 4Destruction of buildings, vehicles, and property (Section 844(i)): Adds a targeted enhancement so that destruction of a building that is an abortion-alternative facility or a place of religious worship carries a not-less-than 7-year prison term.
- 5Definitions and scope: The bill repeatedly references facilities that “exclusively provide abortion-alternative services” and “places of religious worship” as the categories receiving enhanced penalties and remedies.