Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) is calling on Republicans to repeal a federal law used by the pro-abortion Biden administration to imprison pro-life activists.
Roy and Sen. Mike Lee introduced the bill in September 2023. abolish By enacting the Freedom of Clinic Admissions (FACE) Act, which at the time stated, “Biden's Justice Department will brazenly attack ordinary, everyday Americans across the political spectrum simply because they are pro-life.'' “They are using the FACE Act as a weapon.” Roy also said he believes the law is “an unconstitutional takeover of the powers of state police by the federal government.”
“Obviously, we need to move the bill forward, and it's going to be very important given what we're seeing in terms of the persecution of Americans in prison,” Roy said. He spoke in an article for the Daily Signal. published on wednesday.
“Now that the election is over, we feel like we should make an announcement this year. Please vote to make sure more Americans are not persecuted,” he added. “…I think we should be able to clear the trifecta. We should move forward with it. But look, the Republicans have to have the courage to actually stand up for both free speech and life. yeah.”
The FACE Act, signed by former President Bill Clinton in 1994, Forbidden “Violent, threatening, damaging, and obstructive conduct intended to harm, threaten, or interfere with the right to seek, obtain, or provide reproductive health services.” It would apply not only to clinics, but also to pro-life pregnancy centers and churches.
Meanwhile, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) admitted After the Supreme Court overturned, most abortion-related violence Roe vs. Wade committed by pro-abortion activistssthe Department of Justice used the FACE Act to prosecute dozens of pro-life activists.
From 1994 to 2024, there were approximately 211 FACE Act lawsuits, of which 205 were filed against pro-life activists and only 6 were filed against pro-abortion activists. The Daily Caller reported that. reported said in August, citing data provided by Roy's office. Ultimately, the data shows that since the passage of the FACE Act, 97% of all lawsuits have been against pro-life activists.
At least 55 FACE Act-related cases have been filed under the Biden administration, but only five of them are related to pro-abortion attacks on pregnancy centers, the Daily Caller reported. It claimed the data “confirms conservative concerns” about “Biden's weaponized justice system.”
“In less than four years, Biden's Justice Department has accounted for more than a quarter of all FACE prosecutions, and about 24% of cases targeting pro-life activists, data show.” states.
Some of these cases include an FBI raid on the home of a pro-life activist, the imprisonment of a Christian grandmother, and even the prosecution of an 87-year-old communist concentration camp survivor. Many of the incidents have involved peaceful protests outside abortion facilities, sometimes accompanied by prayers and worship songs.
Some pro-life activists have been sentenced to years in prison, including Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising (PAAU) activist Lauren Handy.
The Justice Department also specifically used a KKK-era law called “conspiracy against rights” to extend the sentences of pro-life activists accused of violating the FACE Act.
Andrew Barth, executive vice president and general counsel for the Thomas More Society, told Breitbart News earlier this year that the FACE Act is “no longer constitutional because the Supreme Court overturned the federal 'right' to abortion.” I don't think so.'' Dobbs decision. “The Thomas More Institute represents several pro-life activists charged with violating the FACE Act, including, among others, Lauren Handy and Mark Houck, a Catholic father of seven who was acquitted. is in charge of
“Under our constitutional separation of powers, powers known as police powers are generally delegated to the states. The Constitution does not give the federal government full police powers,” Barth said. spoke.
“Congress believed it had the authority to legislate in this area based on the 14th Amendment and the Commerce Clause,” he continued. “[Congress] because Roe vs. Wade The right to abortion is recognized…as enshrined in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. ”
“good, [Dobbs] turned over Roe vs. Wade. Therefore, the justification for passing the FACE Act is lost,” he added. “Right now, it's hanging on the thin thread of the Commerce Clause. The FACE Act was passed in 1994, and the Supreme Court has developed Commerce Clause jurisprudence considerably since 1994.”
Breitbart News senior legal contributor Ken Krukowski said the Commerce Clause “gives Congress the power to regulate interstate commerce.”
“However, since 1994, three major cases have narrowed the scope of that broad authority, putting the FACE Act under serious challenge,” Krukowski explained.
Remarkably, current President-elect Donald Trump has announced in 2023 and again in 2024 that, if elected, he will extend prison sentences for all “political prisoners who are being unjustly persecuted by the Biden administration.” He pledged to set up a special committee to review the case and potentially pardon or commute the sentence.
Katherine Hamilton is a political reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her at @thekat_Hamilton.
