House Advances Bill to Repeal FACE Act

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
June 10, 2025 
CONTACT: Carina Pacheco, [email protected] 

The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act is a federal law enacted in 1994 in response to escalating violence targeting abortion providers, including large-scale blockades and the murder of NAF member Dr. David Gunn in 1993. The legislation imposes federal penalties for using force, threat of force, or physical obstruction to block the provision of, or access to, abortion care. After the FACE Act was signed into law, anti-abortion violence dropped by 30%, and there was an increase in convictions against anti-abortion extremists.

Today, the House Judiciary Committee marked up anti-abortion lawmaker Chip Roy’s FACE Act Repeal Act of 2025 and voted to advance the bill.

Julie Gonen, Chief Legal Officer at the National Abortion Federation (NAF), issued the following statement in response:

NAF has been tracking anti-abortion violence since 1977, and we know this for certain: when the FACE Act is being enforced, it is an effective and important tool to keep abortion providers and their patients safe. It is unconscionable to see anti-abortion legislators trying to repeal a law that has been keeping people safe for decades.

In January, the Trump administration announced it would no longer be enforcing the FACE Act and went so far as to pardon individuals who were convicted of FACE Act violations. Since then, NAF has already heard from providers that they are seeing an increase in violence at their clinics, as extremists start to test what they can get away with. 

NAF provides a number of critical security resources to our members, including advocating on their behalf, conducting on-site security assessments and trainings, running security drills, and helping others understand the persistent and terrifying violence and harassment that abortion providers and their patients confront. Abortion is essential health care, which every individual should be able to access without harassment or intimidation by outsiders.

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NAF remains committed to helping as many people as possible access high-quality and affordable abortion care. Anyone in any state can call the National Abortion Hotline at 1-800-772-9100 to understand their options and get the assistance they need, whether that’s help finding a provider, arranging travel to another state, or funding for their care.