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Respectful Treatment of Unborn Remains Act of 2025
To prohibit fetal remains in publicly owned water systems, and for other purposes.
Summary
The bill adds a provision to federal law prohibiting abortion providers from placing fetal remains into publicly owned water systems. Violations carry penalties including fines and imprisonment of up to 5 years. The bill clarifies that individuals upon whom abortions are performed are not liable for such violations and does not preempt state or local laws addressing the same subject.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Rep. Gill, Brandon [R-TX-26] (R-TX)
5 cosponsors
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Brandon Gill’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- NULL $82,288
- ENTREPRENEUR $21,308
- DSOUZA MEDIA $13,200
- LEXINGTON MANAGEMENT $6,600
- DELTA AIR LINES $6,600
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Brandon Gill → · Outside spending →
Actions (2)
- Jun 25, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. · house
- Jun 25, 2025 Introduced in House
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Text versions (1)
Bills are re-published as they move (Introduced → Reported → Engrossed → Enrolled …). Each stage below is a separate text; pick two to see what changed. Data from Congress.gov.
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 25, 2025
Mr. Gill of Texas (for himself, Mr. LaMalfa, Mrs. Miller of Illinois, and Mr. Stutzman) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
A BILL
To prohibit fetal remains in publicly owned water systems, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Respectful Treatment of Unborn Remains Act of 2025”.
SEC. 2. PROHIBITION OF FETAL REMAINS IN PUBLICLY OWNED WATER SYSTEMS.
Part H of title IV of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 289 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“SEC. 498F. PROHIBITION OF FETAL REMAINS IN PUBLICLY OWNED WATER SYSTEMS.
“(a) In General.—An abortion provider may not cause fetal remains to be placed into a publicly owned water system.
“(b) Penalties for Violation.—An abortion provider who violates subsection (a) shall be fined in accordance with title 18, United States Code, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.
“(c) No Liability for Individual Upon Whom Abortion Is Performed.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an individual upon whom an abortion is performed shall not be liable for any offense related to a violation of subsection (a) with respect to such abortion.
“(d) Relation to Other Law.—Nothing in this section may be construed to preempt a State or local requirement that prohibits an abortion provider from causing fetal remains to be placed into a publicly owned water system.
“(e) Definitions.—In this section:
“(1) Abortion.—The term ‘abortion’ means a procedure involving the use or prescription of a device or substance—
“(A) to intentionally kill the unborn child of an individual known to be pregnant; or
“(B) to intentionally terminate the pregnancy of such an individual, unless such termination is conducted with the intent to—
“(i) produce a live birth and preserve the life and health of such child; or
“(ii) remove a dead unborn child from the body of such an individual.
“(2) Abortion provider.—
“(A) In general.—The term ‘abortion provider’ means an individual who performs an abortion.
“(B) Exclusion.—The term ‘abortion provider’ does not include, with respect to an abortion, the individual upon whom the abortion is performed.
“(3) Fetal remains.—The term ‘fetal remains’ means—
“(A) the remains of an aborted fetus (or a portion thereof); and
“(B) any other medical waste associated with an abortion.
“(4) Publicly owned water system.—The term ‘publicly owned water system’ means a system of facilities owned or controlled by a Federal, State, or local government entity, the purpose of which is to provide, transport, or treat water, including the drains, pipes, and other devices that connect to such system.”. <all>
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