HR 21
· 119th Congress
· Crime and Law Enforcement
Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act
Sponsor
Latest action
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Action timeline
Every recorded action on this bill, newest first. Stage badges color-code the legislative path.
Jan 24, 2025
introduced
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Judiciary Committee
Jan 23, 2025
floor
Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 5. (consideration: CR H335-345)
Jan 23, 2025
floor
DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 21.
Jan 23, 2025
floor
The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
Jan 23, 2025
floor
Ms. Chu moved to recommit to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text: CR H344-345)
Judiciary Committee
Jan 23, 2025
floor
The previous question on the motion to recommit was ordered pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XIX.
Jan 23, 2025
floor
POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on H.R. 21, the Chair put the question on the motion to recommit and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Ms. Chu demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
Jan 23, 2025
floor
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H347-348)
Jan 23, 2025
floor
On motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 205 - 216 (Roll no. 26).
Judiciary Committee
Jan 23, 2025
passed
Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 217 - 204, 1 Present (Roll no. 27). (text: CR H335-336)
Jan 23, 2025
passed
On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 217 - 204, 1 Present (Roll no. 27). (text: CR H335-336)
Jan 23, 2025
passed
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Jan 03, 2025
introduced
Introduced in House
Jan 03, 2025
introduced
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Judiciary Committee
Text versions
Each stage of the bill — official text published by GPO. Click any format to read on congress.gov / govinfo.
CRS summaries
Plain-English summaries written by the Congressional Research Service — neutral, nonpartisan staff who summarize bills as they advance through stages. The authoritative description of what each version of the bill does.
00
Introduced in House
Jan 03, 2025
Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act
This bill establishes requirements for the degree of care a health care practitioner must provide in the case of a child born alive following an abortion or attempted abortion.
Specifically, a health care practitioner who is present must (1) exercise the same degree of care as would reasonably be provided to any other child born alive at the same gestational age, and (2) ensure the child is immediately admitted to a hospital. Additionally, a health care practitioner or other employee who has knowledge of a failure to comply with the degree-of-care requirements must immediately report such failure to law enforcement.
A health care practitioner who fails to provide the required degree of care, or a health care practitioner or other employee who fails to report such failure, is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, up to five years in prison, or both.
An individual who intentionally kills or attempts to kill a child born alive is subject to prosecution for murder.
The bill bars the criminal prosecution of a mother of a child born alive under this bill and allows her to bring a civil action against a health care practitioner or other employee for violations.
via Congressional Research Service · published through congress.gov
Changelog
ⓘ
How a bill moves through Congress. Each stage produces a new official text. The diff between them shows what changed at that step.
ih / is — Introduced in House / Senate. First filed version.rfh / rfs — Referred to a committee for review.rh / rs — Reported back by the committee to the floor (often with amendments — this is where most language changes happen).pcs / pch — Placed on Calendar for floor consideration.eh / es — Engrossed. Passed by the originating chamber. Text is now what was actually voted on.rdh / rds — Received by the other chamber.eah / eas — Engrossed Amendment. The other chamber passed an amended version.ath / ats — Agreed to. Both chambers settled on the same text.enr — Enrolled. Final reconciled text, sent to the President.pl — Public Law. Signed by the President. It's now law.pp — Public Print. Official printing post-enactment.
Most bills die before eh/es. Going from pcs → enr is the full path through both chambers.
ⓘ
How a bill moves through Congress. Each stage produces a new official text. The diff between them shows what changed at that step.
ih/is— Introduced in House / Senate. First filed version.rfh/rfs— Referred to a committee for review.rh/rs— Reported back by the committee to the floor (often with amendments — this is where most language changes happen).pcs/pch— Placed on Calendar for floor consideration.eh/es— Engrossed. Passed by the originating chamber. Text is now what was actually voted on.rdh/rds— Received by the other chamber.eah/eas— Engrossed Amendment. The other chamber passed an amended version.ath/ats— Agreed to. Both chambers settled on the same text.enr— Enrolled. Final reconciled text, sent to the President.pl— Public Law. Signed by the President. It's now law.pp— Public Print. Official printing post-enactment.
Most bills die before eh/es. Going from pcs → enr is the full path through both chambers.
Line-level diff between text versions of this bill — what actually changed at each legislative stage.
+15
−11
13 unchanged
--- Referred (Senate)
+++ Engrossed (House)
@@ -1,18 +1,11 @@
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
-[H.R. 21 Referred in Senate (RFS)]
+[H.R. 21 Engrossed in House (EH)]
<DOC>
+
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 21
-
-_______________________________________________________________________
-
-IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
-
-January 24, 2025
-
-Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
@@ -156,6 +149,17 @@
Attest:
-KEVIN F. MCCUMBER,
+Clerk.
+119th CONGRESS
-Clerk.
+1st Session
+
+H. R. 21
+
+_______________________________________________________________________
+
+AN ACT
+
+To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit a health care
+practitioner from failing to exercise the proper degree of care in the
+case of a child who survives an abortion or attempted abortion.
Cosponsors (159)
Members who signed on to support this bill.
Scalise R
Cammack R
Clyde R
Kustoff R
Thompson R
Estes R
Houchin R
Finstad R
Strong R
Feenstra R
Stauber R
Bost R
Fulcher R
Ezell R
Crenshaw R
Fitzgerald R
Aderholt R
Higgins R
Harshbarger R
Ogles R
Bergman R
Graves R
Moolenaar R
Miller R
Walberg R
Weber R
Balderson R
Burlison R
Moore R
Moran R
Biggs R
Ellzey R
Van Duyne R
Guest R
Hudson R
Carter R
Webster R
Dunn R
Langworthy R
Hill R
Sessions R
Simpson R
Womack R
Bilirakis R
Issa R
Fong R
Grothman R
Hern R
Smith R
Kelly R
Burchett R
Amodei R
Joyce R
Tenney R
Harris R
McCormick R
Lucas R
Brecheen R
Allen R
Rouzer R
Rutherford R
Yakym R
Bice R
Guthrie R
LaHood R
Lee R
Wittman R
Downing R
Scott R
Smith R
Wilson R
Foxx R
Taylor R
Mann R
Onder R
Bacon R
Salazar R
Rose R
Carter R
Latta R
Miller R
Calvert R
Fleischmann R
Hageman R
Owens R
Babin R
Luttrell R
Emmer R
Moore R
Smucker R
Bean R
Barr R
Diaz-Balart R
McDowell R
Meuser R
Pfluger R
Moore R
Luna R
McClintock R
Reschenthaler R
Rogers R
Van Drew R
Mace R
Jackson R
McClain R
Fallon R
Collins R
Fischbach R
Gooden R
Steube R
Cole R
Self R
Murphy R
Tiffany R
McGuire R
Johnson R
Davidson R
Loudermilk R
Cline R
Crank R
Garbarino R
Letlow R
Miller-Meeks R
Timmons R
Newhouse R
Huizenga R
Hinson R
Knott R
Malliotakis R
Smith R
Moore R
Begich R
Arrington R
Biggs R
Franklin R
Fry R
Goldman R
Williams R
Nehls R
Crawford R
Kelly R
Turner R
Gill R
Palmer R
Carey R
Mills R
Fedorchak R
Maloy R
Wied R
Ciscomani R
Haridopolos R
Messmer R
Comer R
Joyce R
Flood R
Bentz R
Westerman R
Gimenez R
Roy R