H.R. 2874 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the House, sent to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, Apr 10, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryRestores conscience protections for health care providers
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to restore a rule from 2019 that was designed to protect health care providers from being required to perform medical services that conflict with their religious or moral beliefs. The rule would apply to hospitals, clinics, and other health care facilities that receive federal funding. It includes requirements for certification and cooperation, as well as enforcement provisions and penalties for violations.
How it affects you
If you receive care at a federally funded health facility, this could affect which services are available to you, since providers would have the right to decline certain procedures based on conscience or religious objections. Health care workers may experience changes in what they're required to do on the job. The practical impact depends on how the rule is applied in your area and at your health care provider.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Apr 10, 2025)
Defense of Conscience in Health Care Act
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to issue a final rule on protecting statutory conscience rights in health care that is identical or equivalent to the rule titled Protecting Statutory Conscience Rights in Health Care; Delegations of Authority , which was scheduled to take effect on July 22, 2019, but was vacated by courts.
Federal law generally prohibits discrimination based on conscience or religious beliefs with respect to federally funded health care programs, including prohibiting recipients of certain federal funding from requiring health care providers to take actions that they find religiously or morally objectionable (e.g., providing referrals for abortions).
In 2019, HHS issued a final rule revising the applicable regulations, including imposing certification and cooperation requirements, as well as establishing additional enforcement provisions and penalties. However, this rule was later vacated by federal courts and never took effect. In 2024, HHS issued another final rule that generally applied a pre-2019 enforcement framework while also maintaining certain aspects of the 2019 rule (e.g., specifically designating HHS' Office for Civil Rights as the entity with the authority to handle relevant complaints).
The bill requires HHS to reinstate the 2019 rule in its entirety.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionH. R. 2874
A BILL
Defense of Conscience in Health Care Act
Sponsor: Rep. John R. Moolenaar (R-MI-2) · Introduced Apr 10, 2025 · Health · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Apr 10, 2025: “Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.”