Pregnancy.Gov Act
- Sponsor
- Rep. Harshbarger, Diana [R-TN-1]
- Committees
- Energy and Commerce Committee (primary)
- Last action
- May 8, 2025
Bottom line
A federal website and grant program would be established to connect pregnant and postpartum women with local resources, explicitly excluding entities involved in abortion services and reallocating existing federal funds for its operation.
What it actually does
This bill mandates the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to create a public website, 'pregnancy.gov,' within one year. This website will serve as a clearinghouse for ZIP-code based resources for pregnant and postpartum women, and women parenting young children. It also establishes a grant program for states to aggregate these resources, explicitly prohibiting any entity that performs, induces, refers for, or counsels in favor of abortions from being listed or receiving grants.
Proponents argue
Supporters argue this bill provides a vital, centralized, and accessible platform for expecting and new mothers to find comprehensive support, empowering them with choices and resources for pregnancy and parenting. They contend it ensures federal funds and platforms are not used to promote or support abortion services, aligning with pro-life values and directing resources towards life-affirming options.
Opponents contend
Critics contend that the bill's explicit exclusion of certain healthcare providers and the broad definition of 'prohibited entity' will limit access to a full spectrum of reproductive healthcare information and services. They also argue that reallocating funds from established programs like Title X could undermine critical public health infrastructure and reduce access to care for vulnerable populations.
The bill is relatively short and straightforward, allowing for a quick and informed review of its provisions.
Section 1
Short Title: 'Pregnancy.Gov Act'
This section establishes the official short title of the legislation as the 'Pregnancy.Gov Act.' This is the common name by which the bill would be known if enacted into law, providing a clear and concise reference for the public and policymakers.
Supporters argue
Proponents argue that establishing a clear short title is standard legislative practice, making the bill easily identifiable and referable.
Critics contend
No specific opposition is typically raised against this provision as it is a procedural element of legislative drafting.
Tradeoffs
None, this is a standard procedural provision.
Section 3401(a) of the Public Health Service Act
Establishment and Features of Pregnancy.gov Website
This provision mandates the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to launch a public website, 'pregnancy.gov,' within one year of the bill's enactment. The website must include a clearinghouse of relevant resources for pregnant women, a ZIP-code based search function to tailor resource lists, options to filter resources by distance (1, 5, 10, 50, 100 miles), a user feedback mechanism, and an assessment portal for potential follow-up outreach by HHS.
Section 3401(b)
State Resource Aggregation and Grant Program
This section requires the Secretary of HHS to invite states to recommend relevant resources for the website and to develop criteria for their inclusion. These criteria must ensure that resources are not from 'prohibited entities' and have been providing services for at least three consecutive years. Additionally, the bill establishes a grant program to provide funding to states to help them create or support systems for aggregating these local resources, with a focus on outreach and awareness activities.
Section 3401(c) and 3401(g)(3)
Prohibition on 'Prohibited Entities'
This provision explicitly prohibits any 'prohibited entity' from being listed as a relevant resource on the Pregnancy.gov website or from receiving any grants under the state aggregation program. A 'prohibited entity' is broadly defined as an entity, including its affiliates, subsidiaries, successors, and clinics, that performs, induces, refers for, or counsels in favor of abortions, or provides financial support to any other organization that conducts such activities.
Section 3401(f)
Funding Mechanisms for Website and Grant Program
This section outlines how the Pregnancy.gov website and the state grant program will be funded. The website's operational costs are to be covered by existing appropriations under 'General Departmental Management—Office of the Secretary—Department of Health and Human Services.' The grant program, however, is authorized to use up to $50,000,000 for fiscal years 2026 through 2030, by reallocating funds from either the State Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) or Title X of the Public Health Service Act, or a combination of both.
This subsection defines 'prohibited entity' as any entity, including its affiliates, subsidiaries, successors, and clinics, that performs, induces, refers for, or counsels in favor of abortions, or provides financial support to any other organization that conducts such activities. This definition dictates which organizations are explicitly excluded from being listed on Pregnancy.gov or receiving state grants.
Section 3401(g)(3)
Why it matters:Placing definitions at the end of a bill is standard legislative practice. However, the broadness and critical importance of this particular definition, which significantly shapes the entire bill's scope, make its placement in a definitions section particularly impactful for those who do not read the bill in its entirety.
Case for: Proponents argue that this precise definition is necessary to ensure the Pregnancy.gov website and associated grant programs strictly adhere to the bill's intent to support alternatives to abortion and prevent any direct or indirect federal funding or promotion of abortion-related activities.
Case against: Opponents contend that this definition is overly broad and potentially discriminatory, as it could exclude a wide range of mainstream healthcare providers who offer comprehensive services, including family planning, even if they do not directly perform abortions. This could limit the utility and neutrality of the federal resource.
Estimated impact: This definition significantly shapes the content and scope of the Pregnancy.gov website and the types of organizations eligible for state grants, potentially excluding major healthcare networks and a broad array of reproductive health service providers nationwide.
This subsection specifies that the grant program for states (established under 3401(b)(3)) will be funded by reallocating up to $50,000,000 for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 from existing appropriations for the State Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) under the Social Security Act or Title X of the Public Health Service Act.
Section 3401(f)(2)
Why it matters:It is standard practice to specify funding sources within a dedicated section. However, the choice to reallocate funds from specific, often controversial, existing programs rather than seeking new appropriations has significant policy implications that could be easily overlooked if not carefully examined.
Case for: Proponents argue that this approach demonstrates fiscal responsibility by repurposing existing federal funds for a new, vital program without requiring additional taxpayer money. They believe it aligns federal spending with the bill's objectives of supporting pregnancy and alternatives to abortion.
Case against: Opponents contend that diverting funds from established programs like Title X, which provides essential family planning, contraception, and preventative health services, could weaken critical public health infrastructure and reduce access to care, particularly for low-income individuals who rely on these services.
Estimated impact: Up to $50 million could be shifted from existing sexual health and education programs (PREP and Title X) over five years (FY2026-2030), potentially impacting the scope and availability of services currently funded by those programs nationwide.