Rep. Pete Sessions

Ultrasound Informed Consent Act This bill requires abortion providers to conduct an ultrasound before performing an abortion. Specifically, before a woman gives informed consent to any part of an abortion, the abortion provider must perform an obstetric ultrasound on the pregnant woman; provide a simultaneous explanation of what the ultrasound is depicting; display the ultrasound images so the woman may view them; and provide a complete medical description of the images, including the dimensions of the embryo or fetus, cardiac activity if present and visible, and the presence of external members and internal organs if present and viewable. Providers are subject to civil actions and penalties for violations. The bill's ultrasound requirements do not apply in cases where a physical disorder, illness, or injury caused by the pregnancy endangers a woman's life. A woman is also not required to view the ultrasound images; nor may she or the provider be penalized if she declines to do so.

Ensuring Accurate and Complete Abortion Data Reporting Act of 2021 This bill requires states, as a condition of federal payment under Medicaid for family planning services, to report certain abortion data to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (Currently, reporting is voluntary.) The CDC must develop standardized questions for states with respect to specified variables (e.g., maternal demographics and methods of abortion).

Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2021 This bill restricts federal funding for Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc. or any of its affiliates or clinics for one year. Specifically, it prohibits funding those entities unless they certify that the affiliates and clinics will not perform, and will not provide funds to entities that perform, abortions during that year. If the certification requirement is not met, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture must recoup any federal assistance received by those entities. However, the bill's funding restriction does not apply to abortions performed in cases of rape or incest or when necessary to resolve a physical condition that endangers a woman's life. The bill also provides additional funding for community health centers for the one-year period. These funds are subject to the same abortion-related restrictions and exceptions.

Protecting Life and Integrity in Research Act of 2021 This bill prohibits the Department of Health and Human Services from conducting or supporting any research that involves the use of human fetal tissue from an induced abortion. The bill also prohibits soliciting or acquiring a donation of human fetal tissue from an induced abortion, other than for purposes of an autopsy or burial. The bill applies requirements on the research of transplantation of fetal tissue for therapeutic purposes to research on fetal tissue in general.

Support And Value Expectant Moms and Babies Act of 2021 or the SAVE Moms and Babies Act of 2021 This bill prohibits the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from approving any new drug (either as a brand-name drug or a generic) intended to terminate a pregnancy and imposes additional restrictions on such drugs that are already approved. Under the bill, an already-approved drug intended to terminate a pregnancy may be dispensed to a patient only with a prescription. Furthermore, the FDA may not approve any labeling change that would authorize (1) using the drug after 70 days of gestation, or (2) dispensing the drug by any means other than in-person administration by the prescribing health care practitioner. The FDA must also impose additional restrictions on such already-approved drugs, including by (1) requiring the prescribing health care practitioner to receive a special certification, (2) prohibiting the practitioner to also act as the dispensing pharmacist, and (3) requiring the practitioner to have the ability to provide surgical intervention to the patient. The bill also rescinds any investigational use exemption already granted to such a drug if the bill would have prohibited the FDA from granting the exemption. (Currently, the FDA may grant an exemption to certain market approval requirements if a drug is intended solely for use in safety and effectiveness investigations.)

Protecting Americans from Unnecessary Spread upon Entry from COVID-19 Act of 2021 or the PAUSE Act of 2021 This bill maintains immigration restrictions put in place under public health emergency authorities to prevent the introduction of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) from foreign countries. Specifically, the bill prohibits the Department of Health and Human Services from rescinding or reducing the stringency of the restrictions. It also prohibits the Department of Homeland Security from stopping or reducing enforcement of the restrictions. These prohibitions remain in effect until (1) federal and state COVID-19 emergency orders are lifted, and (2) the risk of introducing COVID-19 in or from Canada and Mexico is minimal.

Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act This bill prohibits the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from awarding family planning grants to entities that perform abortions or provide funding to other entities that perform abortions. To receive a grant, an entity must certify it will refrain from those activities during the grant period. The bill provides exceptions for abortions (1) in cases of rape or incest; or (2) when the life of the woman is in danger due to a physical disorder, injury, or illness. It also exempts hospitals unless they provide funds to non-hospital entities that provide abortions. HHS must report annually on this prohibition.

Women's Public Health and Safety Act This bill allows a state to exclude from participation in the state's Medicaid program a provider that performs an abortion, unless (1) the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest, or (2) the woman suffers from a physical issue that would place her in danger of death unless an abortion is performed. Under current law, a state plan for medical assistance must provide that any individual eligible for medical assistance may obtain required services from any provider qualified to perform them.

Protecting Life in Crisis Act This bill specifies that federal funds allocated for COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) response efforts may not, in general, be used for abortions. Current law generally prohibits the use of federal funds for abortions through language included in appropriations bills, such as the Hyde Amendment. The bill also restricts the use of federal tax credits or other federal funding for health insurance coverage if the coverage includes abortions.

Save Democracy Act This bill addresses issues involving voter registration, casting of ballots, and tabulation of ballots in federal elections. Specifically, regarding voter registration for federal elections, the bill prohibits the use of automatic voter registration systems, requires individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote, requires individuals to provide their full Social Security number on their voter registration application, and requires courts to notify state election officials when an individual is recused from jury duty because the individual is not a U.S. citizen. Next, regarding the casting of ballots in federal elections, the bill requires individuals to provide proof of identification for absentee and in-person voting, prohibits states from mailing unrequested absentee ballots, prohibits the use of a drop box for collecting voted absentee ballots unless it is located inside of a building that serves as an office for the election official, restricts the delivery of ballots by third parties (i.e., prohibits ballot harvesting), requires that absentee ballots be received before the polls close on election day, and requires states to use Social Security numbers to verify the identification of each individual who casts a ballot. Finally, regarding the tabulation of ballots in federal elections, the bill requires states to permit poll watching by at least two campaign representatives per campaign, requires continuous counting of ballots after the closure of polling places on election day, and requires an audit of voting systems.