H.R. 7983: Clean Water for All Life Act (119th Congress) Bill Summary

This bill, known as the "Clean Water for All Life Act," proposes amendments to the U.S. Code, specifically targeting the regulation of chemical abortions. Here is a breakdown of what the bill would do:

Prohibition of Chemical Abortions Without Provider Presence

The bill makes it illegal to provide chemical abortions without the physical presence of a healthcare provider. This includes any attempt to offer abortion through a chemical abortion drug under the following conditions:

The healthcare provider must have physically examined the patient.
The provider must be present at the location where the chemical abortion takes place.
The provider must supply a "catch kit" and "red bag medical waste" for proper disposal of medical waste, including clear instructions for the patient to return these items to the healthcare provider.

Penalties for Violations

Anyone violating these provisions could face significant penalties, including:

Imprisonment for up to 5 years.
Fines of up to $50,000 for each occurrence.

Definitions Included in the Bill

The bill provides specific definitions for key terms used, including:

Abortion: Refers to the act of using, prescribing, administering, or selling any means intended to terminate a pregnancy, with knowledge that it will likely result in the death of the unborn child, excluding certain medical circumstances.
Chemical abortion drug: Refers to medications like mifepristone, misoprostol, and any similar drugs used to induce an abortion.
Catch kit: A container designed for holding medical waste.
Red bag medical waste: A container for biohazardous medical waste with specific labeling requirements.
Unborn child: Defined as a human organism from fertilization until live birth.

Clerical Amendments

The bill also includes amendments to update the U.S. Code to reflect these changes, renaming the relevant chapter to "Abortion Crimes" and adding the new section prohibiting chemical abortions without a provider present.