Josh Hawley Introduces Measure to Protect Churches, Pregnancy Centers from ‘Radical Activists’

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) introduced a measure Thursday designed to protect churches and pregnancy centers from “radical pro-abortion activists” in the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.

The Pregnancy Resource Center Defense Act would essentially strengthen the penalties for attacks on places of worship, as well as pro-life pregnancy centers. According to a summary of the measure from Hawley’s office, the bill would increase criminal penalties “from a misdemeanor to a felony for first-time offenses, and increasing the criminal fine from $10,000 to $25,000” while also increasing the mandatory minimum for arson from five years to seven.

The measure would also ensure that “pregnancy resource centers and religious facilities that successfully sue will receive no less than $20,000,” up from $10,000, according to his office.

“The Biden Administration has turned a blind eye while radical leftists attack pregnancy care centers and houses of worship,” Hawley said in a statement, adding that leftist politicians are “trying to shut them down.”

“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,” he added.

The measure follows a series of incidents across the country following the leaked draft opinion of the Court overturning Roe v. Wade, which eventually came to fruition. Hawley’s office provided a list of over four dozen examples of violence lodged against these facilities and churches — from someone allegedly throwing Molotov cocktails into Wisconsin Family Action’s facility, to the radical pro-abortion group Jane’s Revenge vandalizing churches, and more: