[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6914 Placed on Calendar Senate (PCS)]

<DOC>





                                                       Calendar No. 310
118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6914


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 22, 2024

                     Received; read the first time

                            January 23, 2024

            Read the second time and placed on the calendar

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
To require institutions of higher education to disseminate information 
   on the rights of, and accommodations and resources for, pregnant 
                   students, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Pregnant Students' Rights Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Female students enrolled at institutions of higher 
        education and experiencing an unplanned pregnancy may face 
        pressure that their only option is to receive an abortion or 
        risk academic failure.
            (2) Almost 30 percent of all abortions in the United States 
        are performed on women of college age, between the ages of 20 
        and 24, according to a 2021 report by the Centers for Disease 
        Control and Prevention.
            (3) Scientific evidence and personal testimonies document 
        that women who have abortions can be at risk of mental health 
        issues. Studies show that after an abortion, women are 34 
        percent more likely to develop anxiety disorders, 37 percent 
        more likely to develop depression, 110 percent more likely to 
        rely on alcohol use or abuse, 115 percent more likely to 
        develop suicidal behavior, and 220 percent more likely to take 
        on marijuana use or abuse. As many as 60 percent of women 
        having an abortion experience some level of emotional distress 
        afterwards, with 30 percent being classified as severe 
        distress. Potential complications of abortions include heavy or 
        persistent bleeding, damage to cervix, abdominal pain or 
        cramping, scarring of uterine lining, breast cancer, future 
        premature births or miscarriages, infection or sepsis, placenta 
        previa, perforation of uterus, damage to other organs, and even 
        death.
            (4) A significant proportion of abortions in the United 
        States are performed on women of college age who may be unaware 
        of their rights to accommodation and prohibitions against 
        discrimination due to pregnancy under title IX of the Education 
        Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.) or deprived of 
        information about abortion alternatives.
            (5) Additionally, women on college campuses may fear 
        institutional reprisal, loss of athletic scholarship, and 
        possible negative impact on academic opportunities during the 
        pregnancy and after childbirth.
            (6) An academic disparity exists because of the lack of 
        resources, support, and notifications available for female 
        college students who do not wish to receive an abortion or who 
        carry their unborn babies to term.

SEC. 3. NOTICE OF PREGNANT STUDENT RIGHTS, ACCOMMODATIONS, AND 
              RESOURCES.

    Section 485 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1092) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(n) Pregnant Students' Rights, Accommodations, and Resources.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each institution of higher education 
        participating in any program under this title shall carry out 
        the information dissemination activities described in paragraph 
        (3) for prospective and enrolled students (including those 
        attending or planning to attend less than full time) regarding 
        the information described in paragraph (2) on the rights to, 
        and resources (including protections and accommodations) for, 
        pregnant students to carry a baby to term and students who may 
        become pregnant while enrolled at such institution of higher 
        education to carry a baby to term.
            ``(2) Information content.--The information described in 
        this paragraph is the following:
                    ``(A) A list of resources on campus and in the 
                community that exist to help a pregnant student in 
                carrying the baby to term and caring for the baby after 
                birth.
                    ``(B) Information about the accommodations 
                available to help a pregnant student carry the baby to 
                term and parent the baby after birth.
                    ``(C) Information on how to file a complaint with--
                            ``(i) the Department of Education, if a 
                        student believes there was a violation by the 
                        institution of title IX of the Education 
                        Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.) on 
                        account of such student's determination to 
                        carry a baby to term; and
                            ``(ii) the institution, if a student 
                        believes the student has been discriminated 
                        against in violation of such title IX on 
                        account of the student's determination to carry 
                        a baby to term.
            ``(3) Information dissemination activities.--The 
        information dissemination activities described in this 
        paragraph shall include--
                    ``(A) an email to each enrolled student at the 
                start of each period of study during an academic year; 
                and
                    ``(B) the provision of information--
                            ``(i) in student handbooks, if any;
                            ``(ii) at each orientation for enrolled 
                        students;
                            ``(iii) at student health or counseling 
                        centers, if any; and
                            ``(iv) on the publicly available website of 
                        the institution of higher education.
            ``(4) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this subsection 
        shall be construed to authorize the Secretary to require the 
        dissemination of additional information, or establish 
        additional rights, beyond the information and rights included 
        in this subsection.''.

            Passed the House of Representatives January 18, 2024.

            Attest:

                                             KEVIN F. MCCUMBER,

                                                                 Clerk.
                                                       Calendar No. 310

118th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 6914

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

To require institutions of higher education to disseminate information 
   on the rights of, and accommodations and resources for, pregnant 
                   students, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                            January 23, 2024

            Read the second time and placed on the calendar