II 112th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1484 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES August 2, 2011 Mr. Nelson of Nebraska introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To prohibit taxpayer funded abortions and to provide for conscience protections, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Hyde and Related Amendments Codification Act.

2.

Prohibiting taxpayer funded abortions and providing for conscience protections

(a)

In general

Title 1, United States Code is amended by adding at the end the following new chapter: 4

Prohibiting taxpayer funded abortions and providing for conscience protections

Sec. 301. Prohibition on funding for abortions. 302. Prohibition on funding for health benefits plans that cover abortion. 303. Limitation on Federal facilities and employees. 304. Construction relating to separate coverage. 305. Construction relating to the use of non-Federal funds for health coverage. 306. Non-preemption of other Federal laws. 307. Construction relating to complications arising from abortion. 308. Treatment of abortions related to rape, incest, or preserving the life of the mother. 309. Application to District of Columbia. 310. No government discrimination against certain health care entities.

301.

Prohibition on funding for abortions

No funds authorized or appropriated by Federal law, and none of the funds in any trust fund to which funds are authorized or appropriated by Federal law, shall be expended for any abortion.

302.

Prohibition on funding for health benefits plans that cover abortion

None of the funds authorized or appropriated by Federal law, and none of the funds in any trust fund to which funds are authorized or appropriated by Federal law, shall be expended for health benefits coverage that includes coverage of abortion.

303.

Limitation on Federal facilities and employees

No health care service furnished— (1)by or in a health care facility owned or operated by the Federal Government; or (2)by any physician or other individual employed by the Federal Government to provide health care services within the scope of the physician’s or individual’s employment, may include abortion.

304.

Construction relating to separate coverage

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as prohibiting any individual, entity, or State or locality from purchasing separate abortion coverage or health benefits coverage that includes abortion so long as such coverage is paid for entirely using only funds not authorized or appropriated by Federal law and such coverage shall not be purchased using matching funds required for a federally subsidized program, including a State’s or locality’s contribution of Medicaid matching funds.

305.

Construction relating to the use of non-Federal funds for health coverage

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as restricting the ability of any non-Federal health benefits coverage provider from offering abortion coverage, or the ability of a State or locality to contract separately with such a provider for such coverage, so long as only funds not authorized or appropriated by Federal law are used and such coverage shall not be purchased using matching funds required for a federally subsidized program, including a State’s or locality’s contribution of Medicaid matching funds.

306.

Non-preemption of other Federal laws

Nothing in this chapter shall repeal, amend, or have any effect on any other Federal law to the extent such law imposes any limitation on the use of funds for abortion or for health benefits coverage that includes coverage of abortion, beyond the limitations set forth in this chapter.  

307.

Construction relating to complications arising from abortion

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to apply to the treatment of any infection, injury, disease, or disorder that has been caused by or exacerbated by the performance of an abortion. This rule of construction shall be applicable without regard to whether the abortion was performed in accord with Federal or State law, and without regard to whether funding for the abortion is permissible under section 308.

308.

Treatment of abortions related to rape, incest, or preserving the life of the mother

The limitations established in sections 301, 302, and 303 shall not apply to an abortion— (1)if the pregnancy is the result of an act of rape or incest; or (2)in the case where a woman suffers from a physical disorder, physical injury, or physical illness that would, as certified by a physician, place the woman in danger of death unless an abortion is performed, including a life-endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself.

309.

Application to District of Columbia

In this chapter: (1)Any reference to funds appropriated by Federal law shall be treated as including any amounts within the budget of the District of Columbia that have been approved by Act of Congress pursuant to section 446 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act (or any applicable successor Federal law). (2)The term Federal Government includes the government of the District of Columbia.

310.

No government discrimination against certain health care entities

(a)

Nondiscrimination

A Federal agency or program, and any State or local government that receives Federal financial assistance (either directly or indirectly), may not subject any individual or institutional health care entity to discrimination on the basis that the health care entity does not provide, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer for abortions. (b)

Health care entity defined

For purposes of this section, the term health care entity includes an individual physician or other health care professional, a hospital, a provider-sponsored organization, a health maintenance organization, a health insurance plan, or any other kind of health care facility, organization, or plan. (c)

Remedies

(1)

In general

The courts of the United States shall have jurisdiction to prevent and redress actual or threatened violations of this section by issuing any form of legal or equitable relief, including— (A)injunctions prohibiting conduct that violates this section; and (B)orders preventing the disbursement of all or a portion of Federal financial assistance to a State or local government, or to a specific offending agency or program of a State or local government, until such time as the conduct prohibited by this section has ceased. (2)

Commencement of action

An action under this subsection may be instituted by— (A)any health care entity that has standing to complain of an actual or threatened violation of this section; or (B)the Attorney General of the United States. (d)

Administration

The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall designate the Director of the Office for Civil Rights of the Department of Health and Human Services— (1)to receive complaints alleging a violation of this section; (2)subject to paragraph (3), to pursue the investigation of such complaints in coordination with the Attorney General; and (3)in the case of a complaint related to a Federal agency (other than with respect to the Department of Health and Human Services) or program administered through such other agency or any State or local government receiving Federal financial assistance through such other agency, to refer the complaint to the appropriate office of such other agency.

. (b)

Amendment to table of chapters

The table of chapters for title 1, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new item: 4.Prohibiting taxpayer funded abortions and providing for conscience protections301 .