Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) has reintroduced the Pregnancy Resource Center Defense Act, seeking to bolster protections for pro-life pregnancy centers and hold perpetrators of violent attacks accountable.
The bill comes in response to a surge in attacks on these centers following the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson decision in 2022. Among the targeted facilities was CompassCare Pregnancy Services in Amherst, New York, which was firebombed in 2022 and vandalized again in 2023.
Tenney’s legislation proposes several measures to address the violence, including elevating first-time offenses from misdemeanors to felonies with fines increasing from $10,000 to $25,000. The bill also raises mandatory minimum sentences for arson-related attacks from five to seven years and ensures successful lawsuits by victims result in no less than $20,000 in compensation, double the current minimum.
“Radical pro-abortion extremists have targeted pro-life pregnancy centers nationwide, attacking workers and vandalizing facilities,” Tenney said. “The Pregnancy Resource Center Defense Act is a critical measure to protect women and families who depend on these centers for compassionate care.”
Reverend Jim Harden, CEO of CompassCare, expressed gratitude for the legislation, highlighting the challenges pro-life organizations face. “From the terrorists to pro-abortion politicians, the goal of their attacks is the same: shut down all competition to the abortion industry,” Harden said, citing incidents of firebombing, cyberattacks, and alleged censorship by Big Tech.
Pro-life pregnancy centers, like CompassCare, provide free medical care and support to women facing unplanned pregnancies, a service Harden emphasized as vital for offering alternatives to abortion. “Rep. Tenney’s bill is a strong step in shutting down the unjust attacks and abuse of peaceful pro-life citizens.”
The proposed legislation underscores Tenney’s commitment to defending pro-life organizations and addressing what she describes as increasing hostility toward these centers.
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