Hawley unveils bill making attacks on pro-life pregnancy centers a felony

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Left-wing attacks intensify against pregnancy centers after abortion ruling

'The Ingraham Angle' host Laura Ingraham discusses how the Biden DOJ has turned a blind eye.

First on Fox: Senator Josh Hawley is unveiling legislation on Thursday to protect pregnancy resource centers and houses of worship after a spate of attacks from left-wing protesters in the wake of the Supreme Court's abortion decision. 

Hawley, a first-term Republican from Missouri, said the harassment witnessed in recent weeks was a call to action by lawmakers in Congress.

"The Biden Administration has turned a blind eye while radical leftists attack pregnancy care centers and houses of worship," said the senator. "And now left-wing politicians are trying to shut them down." 

Progressive activists have increasingly targeted churches and pro-life organizations, including pregnancy resource centers, for harassment and violence since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The landmark decision declared that abortion is not a right protected by the U.S. Constitution, essentially throwing the issue back to state elected officials. 

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Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Even before the Supreme Court issued its ruling, abortion activists began targeting churches and other pro-life organizations with intimidating threats and harassment. In many cases, the incidents have turned violent leading to property destruction, physical altercations, and even arson. 

"It’s time to put an end to the attacks and get tough on thugs who engage in violence, arson, and other means of destruction," said Hawley. 

The senator's bill would enhance criminalizes penalties for such attacks by making it a felony punishable with a criminal fine upwards of $25,000. It would also require a seven-year mandatory minimum prison sentence when such attacks result in arson. 

Furthermore, the bill stipulates that pregnancy resource centers and churches subject to such violence would be eligible to receive no less than $20,000 if they opt to pursue legal recourse.  

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Abortion-rights protesters gather outside the Supreme Court in Washington, Friday, June 24, 2022. The Supreme Court has ended constitutional protections for abortion that had been in place nearly 50 years, a decision by its conservative majority to overturn the court's landmark abortion cases.  ((AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana))

The bill faces long odds given that Democrats hold narrow control of the Senate thanks to the tie-breaking vote of Vice President Kamala Harris. It comes as conservatives have increasingly called on the Justice Department to take swift action to crack down on violence against pro-life groups. 

The DOJ did not immediately respond to requests for comment. 

Earlier this week, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the creation of a special task force to push back against state and local crackdowns on abortion. 

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Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks to announce a team to conduct a critical incident review of the shooting in Uvalde, Texas, during a media availability at the Department of Justice , Wednesday, June 8, 2022, in Washington.  (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

The working group is eyeing lawsuits against state and local governments that infringe on federal protections for abortion or impose criminal or civil penalties on federal employees that help individuals get an abortion. As part of that strategy, the task force will also sue states that seek to ban medication used to provoke an abortion.

"The Court abandoned 50 years of precedent and took away the constitutional right to abortion, preventing women all over the country from being able to make critical decisions about our bodies, our health, and our futures," said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta, who is tasked with leading the task force. "The Justice Department is committed to protecting access to reproductive services."