Union Calendar No. 282
118th CONGRESS 2d Session |
[Report No. 118–344]
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 5, 2024
Mrs. Hinson introduced the following bill
January 9, 2024
Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce
January 12, 2024
Additional sponsors: Mrs. Houchin, Mrs. Miller of Illinois, Mr. Williams of New York, and Mr. Langworthy
January 12, 2024
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on January 5, 2024]
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,
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.
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
Union Calendar No. 282 | |||||
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[Report No. 118–344] | |||||
A BILL | |||||
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 12, 2024 | |||||
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed |