Targeting Pregnancy Centers

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WASHINGTON (ChurchMilitant.com) - Elizabeth Warren introduced legislation that seeks to crack down on pro-life pregnancy centers.

After Roe v. Wade was overturned, the Massachusetts Democrat proposed the "Stop Anti-Abortion Disinformation Act," which calls for the Federal Trade Commission to put an end to pregnancy centers that typically encourage and help women birth their children instead of aborting them.

"These are deceptive outfits that front for groups that are trying to harass or otherwise frighten people who are pregnant to keep them from seeking an abortion, and they do so under the cover of pretending to offer abortion services," Warren said at a press conference last week.

The proposed bill is cosponsored by three other Democrats and claims these crisis pregnancy centers utilize false advertising to "dissuade patients from getting the reproductive care they need, including abortion care."

The bill directs the Federal Trade Commission to issue rules to prohibit deceptive or misleading advertising related to the provision of abortion services.

Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney, D-N.Y., a cosponsor of the legislation, slammed pregnancy centers for dissuading women by using "predatory tactics to undermine reproductive rights."

Echoing Maloney's comments, Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., offered support for the bill, saying it would "prohibit this egregious behavior so people looking for care get accurate information."

Senator Warren complained that there are three times as many crisis centers than abortion mills in Massachusetts. However, in certain states, the ratio is much higher. According to JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, there are over 2,500 pro-life centers across the country. 

Mallory Quigley, a spokeswoman for Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, defended crisis pregnancy centers, saying, "Sen. Warren is willfully ignorant about the incredible work being done by pregnancy centers."

Quigley estimated the United States has 2,700 centers that serve 2 million Americans yearly, providing nearly $270 million in free "high-quality medical care, material items such as diapers, formula, clothing, strollers and more."

She continued listing services typically offered by these centers, which include "classes on childbirth, lactation, parenting and nutrition, as well as help with job searches and GED tests."

Senator Warren stirred up backlash after she announced the bill on Twitter. "With Roe gone," she tweeted, "it's more important than ever to crack down on so-called 'crisis-pregnancy centers' that mislead and deceive patients seeking abortion care," Warren posted, with a link to a Time article covering her pro-abortion bill.

Patricia Heaton, a pro-life actress, defended pregnancy centers and bashed Warren for her abrasive anti-life comments.

Heaton suggested Sen. Warren and other Democrats have forced crisis pregnancy centers to pay for armed security to protect their establishments from vandalism and other attacks.

"Our medical pregnancy clinic serves client families for five years, providing superior services for anyone who asks. We raised $250K for a mobile medical clinic for underserved areas, treating everyone. Because of people like @SenWarren, we now have to hire armed security," the pro-life celebrity tweeted out to her 463,000 followers.

Pro-abortion supporters have claimed Planned Parenthood, a popular abortion provider, provides prenatal and postpartum care similar to pro-life centers. However, a 2017 investigation led by pro-life group Live Action, suggests otherwise.

Live Action reported contacting 97 Planned Parenthood facilities that claimed to offer prenatal care and reported, "With few exceptions, Planned Parenthood staffers stated they did not offer prenatal care. The reason most often given was because Planned Parenthood provides abortions instead."

As Church Militant previously reported, abortion advocates have increased calls for violence and attacks on pro-life centers across the country after Roe v. Wade was overturned.

Catholic Churches and pro-life establishments have been firebombed, vandalized and threatened. For weeks now, protests have been held daily outside the residences of the conservative Supreme Court justices, whose ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization ended federally legal abortion.

Fox News' Timothy Nerozzi called on the Department of Justice to step in and "enforce a federal statute which prohibits protests, pickets and other forms of intimidation outside the home of judges."

Nerozzi referenced 18 U.S. Code § 1507, which states:

Whoever, with the intent of interfering with, obstructing or impeding the administration of justice, or with the intent of influencing any judge, juror, witness or court officer, in the discharge of his duty, pickets or parades in or near a building housing a court of the United States, or in or near a building or residence occupied or used by such judge, juror, witness, or court officer, or with such intent uses any sound-truck or similar device or resorts to any other demonstration in or near any such building or residence, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.

On Wednesday, a mob of protestors congregated outside a Washington, D.C., steakhouse after hearing Justice Brett Kavanaugh was dining inside.

One pro-abortion activist posted the steakhouse's phone number on Twitter and encouraged individuals to harass the steakhouse by calling the number to "tell them it's gross they welcomed Brett Kavanaugh as a diner tonight. Men who take away womens [sic] rights should be shunned."

The restaurant, Morton's steakhouse, believes that the protestors' demonstration was "an act of selfishness and void of decency."

"Politics, regardless of your side or views, should not trample the freedom at play of the right to congregate and eat dinner," a representative commented to the media. "There is a time and place for everything. Disturbing the dinner of all of our customers was an act of selfishness and void of decency."

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