Lauren believes that providers should not be faced with criminal prosecution and jail time for doing their jobs and helping patients and families.
Prevent providers from facing criminal prosecution or jail for providing reproductive health care.
Occurrences
Evidence
Lauren believes that providers should not be faced with criminal prosecution and jail time for doing their jobs and helping patients and families.
Full title: "To protect a person’s ability to determine whether to continue or end a pregnancy, and to protect a health care provider’s ability to provide abortion services." The cosponsors list includes Ms. Underwood.
The bill was introduced in the House and referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on the Judiciary.
Underwood announced that her legislation to rename the Plainfield Post Office passed committee with unanimous bipartisan support; the press release page also categorizes her reproductive-rights posts under Health Care and Reproductive Rights, but contains no enacted federal protection barring criminal prosecution of reproductive-health providers.
The campaign page says Underwood supports the full range of reproductive health services and states that providers should not face criminal prosecution or jail time for helping patients and families.
GovInfo lists H.R. 12 as introduced in the House, with a title protecting a health care provider's ability to provide abortion services. The action text includes Ms. Underwood among supporters and says the bill was referred to Energy and Commerce and Judiciary.
H.R. 12 would give health care providers a right to provide abortion services before viability, preempt inconsistent federal or state laws, and allow a defense in legal or administrative actions. The text states the Act takes effect on enactment.
Congress.gov lists Rep. Underwood as an original cosponsor of H.R. 12 on March 30, 2023. The bill's latest action was referral to the Health Subcommittee on April 7, 2023, and its tracker status was Introduced.
The Clerk's Roll Call 360 records the House vote on H.R. 8296, Women's Health Protection Act, as passed 219-210 on July 15, 2022, and lists Underwood, Democrat of Illinois, voting Yea.
Congress.gov says H.R. 2907 would protect providers and those assisting them when they offer lawful reproductive health care, including limits on legal cases and adverse licensing proceedings. The bill's latest action was referral to the Health Subcommittee, and its status was Introduced.
Assessments
Underwood made concrete federal legislative efforts aligned with the promise, including cosponsoring the Women's Health Protection Act in the 118th and 119th Congresses and voting for an earlier House-passed version. But the relevant provider-protection measures did not become law, and the record does not show an enacted federal shield preventing criminal prosecution or jail time for reproductive-health providers. Because the promised legal protection was not delivered despite serious legislative effort, this is a failed outcome with an effort badge.
The promised federal outcome was to prevent providers from criminal prosecution or jail for providing reproductive health care. The evidence shows Underwood cosponsored the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2023, which would protect providers’ ability to provide abortion services, but the bill was only introduced and referred to committee and was not enacted. No evidence shows an enacted federal protection delivering the promised provider-prosecution shield. Because she made a serious legislative attempt but the outcome was not delivered, this is a failed promise with effort credit.