House Action on FACE Act Repeal
The House of Representatives is poised to take action this week regarding a bill aimed at repealing the Freedom of Access to Clinical Entrance (FACE) Act, linked to the rulings of Roe v. Wade.
This Wednesday, lawmakers will review HR 589, known as the FACE Act Abolishment Act of 2025. Reportedly, Representative Chip Roy (R-TX), the bill’s sponsor, anticipates a vote by the House Judiciary Committee this week.
The proposed legislation seeks to eliminate laws enacted in 1994 that prohibited “violent, threatening, damaging, and obstructing conduct” intended to interfere with the right to seek or provide reproductive health services. Although originally designed to protect both abortion clinics and pregnancy resource centers, data show that around 97% of related legal actions since the law’s inception have targeted pro-life advocates.
Roy, along with Senator Mike Lee (R-UT), initially introduced the bill in September 2023, arguing that it represents an unconstitutional overreach of federal power into state law enforcement. They reintroduced it in January shortly before President Trump’s administration sought clemency for over 20 pro-life activists charged by the Biden Department of Justice.
In a recent statement, Roy expressed concerns over the judicial system’s use of FACE laws to imprison individuals defending life rights. “It’s not just about ending bias during the Biden-Harris administration; we need to prevent selective and unfair legal actions under this law,” he remarked.
Roy also noted that he is pleased to see progress on the bill through the committee, emphasizing the urgency for Congress to abolish FACE acts and reduce the harassment faced by pro-life advocates.
Data from Roy’s office indicates that since Biden’s DOJ started prosecuting under these laws, there have been over 210 prosecutions, with more than a quarter attributed to this administration alone. Of the 55 prosecutions during Biden’s term, only a few seem to involve cases against those aligned with pro-abortion positions.
The Biden administration also reportedly intensified legal scrutiny by invoking historical civil rights violations, potentially leading to harsher sentencing. This includes actions such as early morning raids on pro-life advocates, often affecting individuals in distressing situations. Some notable cases include an 89-year-old holocaust survivor and activists from varied backgrounds.
Earlier this year, Trump’s Department of Justice issued a memorandum pledging to end the perceived “weaponization” of FACE laws and to dismiss certain active cases. The memorandum highlighted these prosecutions as part of broader concerns regarding law enforcement’s historical misuse of power.
In concluding remarks, the memo suggested that many prosecutions under the FACE Act overwhelmingly target those supporting life, raising questions about fairness in legal treatment.
