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H.R. 219 (116th): No Abortion Bonds Act

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The text of the bill below is as of Jan 3, 2019 (Introduced). The bill was not enacted into law.

Summary of this bill

Should tax-free bonds be used to help build abortion clinics?

Context

Since 1976, a legislative provision called the Hyde Amendment has prevented federal dollars from being used to provide abortions. It has routinely been extended under Republican, Democratic, and divided Congresses. (Since 1994, three narrow exceptions have been permitted: for cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is at stake.)

However, a loophole has allowed federal dollars to be used to provide “abortion services,” even if not technically funding the actual medical procedure itself.

What the bill does

The No Abortion Bonds Act would discontinue federal tax-exempt bonds from being used to fund abortion clinics. Specifically ...

I

116th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 219

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 3, 2019

(for himself, Mr. Higgins of Louisiana, Mr. Westerman, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Meadows, Mr. Graves of Georgia, Mr. Fleischmann, Mr. Hice of Georgia, Mr. Bost, Mr. Duncan, Mr. Weber of Texas, Mr. Palazzo, Mrs. Hartzler, Mr. Biggs, Mr. Wittman, Mr. Norman, Mr. David P. Roe of Tennessee, Mr. Ratcliffe, and Mr. Long) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

A BILL

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to impose Federal taxes on bonds used to provide facilities owned by abortion providers.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the No Abortion Bonds Act.

2.

Interest on state and local bonds used for facilities owned by abortion providers

(a)

In general

Section 103 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended—

(1)

in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(4)

Bonds for facilities owned by abortion providers

Any bond issued as part of an issue any of the net proceeds of which are to be used to provide a facility owned by an abortion provider or used (for any purpose) by an abortion provider for more than 30 days during any calendar year during which interest is paid on such bond.

; and

(2)

in subsection (c), by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(3)

Abortion provider

(A)

In general

For purposes of this section, the term abortion provider means, with respect to an issue of bonds—

(i)

an entity that, as of the date of such issue, performs abortions, and

(ii)

an entity if any affiliate of such entity is an entity described in clause (i).

(B)

Exemption

For purposes of this paragraph, an entity shall not be considered an abortion provider solely as a result of performing abortions—

(i)

if the pregnancy is the result of an act of rape or incest, or

(ii)

in the case where a woman suffers from a physical disorder, physical injury, or physical illness that would, as certified by a physician, place the woman in danger of death unless an abortion is performed, including a life-endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself.

(C)

Exemption for hospitals

The Secretary may deem that the term abortion provider does not include a subsection (d) hospital (as such term is defined in section 1886(d) of the Social Security Act) by making the name of such hospital available on the public internet website of the Treasury.

.

(b)

Effective date

The amendment made by this section shall apply with respect to bonds issued after the date of enactment of this Act.