[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 105 (Thursday, July 14, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1325]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




INTRODUCTION OF THE STOP DECEPTIVE ADVERTISING FOR WOMEN'S SERVICES ACT 
                                (SDAWS)

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 14, 2011

  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, today I along with my colleagues 
Representatives Moore, Norton, Connolly, Conyers, Hirono, Grijalva, 
Jackson, Rangel, Towns, Lowey and Lee, am reintroducing important 
legislation that will protect the rights of women seeking information 
on family planning services. Too often, women who are facing the 
difficult consequences of an unintended pregnancy are being deceived 
and intimidated. No matter how one feels about the question of legal 
abortion, everyone can agree that deception has no place when a woman 
is seeking information about her pregnancy. Called Crisis Pregnancy 
Centers, CPCs, they advertise as a source of unbiased pregnancy 
counseling using neutral-sounding names. However, some CPCs 
deliberately use marketing practices which cloak their offerings in 
medical buzzwords to bring in clients, and then use deceptive 
propaganda to dissuade women from considering comprehensive birth-
control options or legal abortion.
  If a woman enters a pregnancy center with full knowledge of the 
limited services and the center's bias that is entirely her choice. 
However this becomes an issue when a center knowingly uses 
misinformation, intimidation or coercion to cause and capitalize on her 
confusion.
  In response to the deceitful practices of these centers, I am 
introducing the Stop Deceptive Advertising for Women's Services Act. 
This legislation directs the Federal Trade Commission to promulgate 
rules under the Federal Trade Commission Act, declaring it an unfair or 
deceptive act to advertise as a provider of abortion services if the 
entity does not provide abortion services. This legislation also states 
that an organization providing abortion services must not advertise 
that it does not provide these services.
  Yesterday, a judge enjoined a New York City ordinance requiring CPCs 
to post signs disclosing the limited nature of their services. My bill 
only applies to CPCs that engage in deceptive and misleading 
advertising. The signage requirement (as adopted by NYC) tackles this 
issue in a different way. While I support those efforts, my bill is 
different because it gives a Federal agency the ability to investigate 
reports on misleading claims in the same way it can for other products 
and services.
  Together, with this legislation, we can help women facing an already 
difficult and personal decision gain access to the best and most 
comprehensive healthcare without facing intimidation and deception.

                          ____________________