,,ii #aagth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #ddfi ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,june #bc1 #bjbb,mr4 ,menendez 7for himself1 ,ms4 ,warren1 ,ms4 ,hirono1 ,mr4 ,schatz1 ,mr4 ,booker1 ,ms4 ,smith1 ,ms4 ,klobuchar1 ,mr4 ,sanders1 ,mrs4 ,murray1 ,mr4 ,merkley1 ,mr4 ,blumenthal1 ,mrs4 ,feinstein1 ,mr4 ,wyden1 ,mrs4 ,gillibrand1 ,mr4 ,markey1 and ,mr4 ,warner7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation ,a ,,bill ,to direct the ,federal ,trade ,commission to prescribe rules prohibiting disinformation in the advertising of abortion services1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,stop ,anti-,abortion ,disinformation ,act or the ,,sad ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,abortion services are an essential component of reproductive health care4 7#b7 ,the freedom to decide whether and when to have a child is key to the ability of an individual to participate fully in our democracy4 7#c7 ,crisis pregnancy centers 7,c,p,cs7 are anti-abortion organizations that present themselves as comprehensive reproductive health care providers with the intent of discouraging pregnant people from having abortions4 7#d7 ,according to the ,journal of ,medical ,internet ,research 7,,jmir7 ,public ,health and ,surveillance1 there are more than #b1ejj ,c,p,cs in the ,united ,states1 though some anti-abortion groups claim that the number is closer to #d1jjj4 7#e7 ,according to #bjbj data from ,,jmir ,public ,health and ,surveillance1 on average1 ,c,p,cs outnumber abortion clinics nationwide by an average of #c to #a4 ,in some ,states1 this statistic is higher4 ,for example1 ,the ,alliance3 ,state ,advocates for ,women's ,rights ,gender ,equality 7,the ,alliance7 found that in ,pennsylvania1 ,c,p,cs outnumber abortion clinics by #i to #a4 ,the ,alliance also found that in ,minnesota1 ,c,p,cs outnumber abortion clinics by #aa to #a4 7#f7 ,c,p,cs routinely engage in a variety of deceptive tactics1 including making false claims about reproductive health care and providers1 disseminating inaccurate1 misleading1 and stigmatizing information about the risks of abortion and contraception1 and using illegitimate or false citations to imply that deceptive claims are supported by legitimate medical sources4 7#g7 ,c,p,cs typically advertise themselves as providers of comprehensive health care4 ,however1 most ,c,p,cs in the ,united ,states do not employ licensed medical personnel or provide referrals for birth control or abortion care4 7#h7 ,by using these deceptive tactics1 ,c,p,cs prevent people from accessing reproductive health care and intentionally delay access to time-sensitive abortion services4 7#i7 ,c,p,cs target under-resourced neighborhoods and communities of color1 including ,black1 ,latino1 ,indigenous1 ,asian ,american1 ,pacific ,islander1 and immigrant communities1 by locating their facilities near social services centers and comprehensive reproductive health care providers4 ,c,p,cs place advertisements in these neighborhoods that mislead and draw people away from nearby providers that offer evidence-based sexual and reproductive health care1 including abortion care4 ,this exacerbates existing health barriers and delays access to time-sensitive care4 7#aj7 ,people are entitled to honest1 accurate1 and timely information when seeking reproductive health care4 #c4 ,prohibition on disinformation of abortion services 7a7 ,conduct prohibited 7#a7 ,rule required ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this section1 the ,commission shall1 in accordance with section #eec of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 promulgate rules to prohibit a person from advertising with the use of misleading statements related to the provision of abortion services4 7#b7 ,enforcement by the ,commission ,a violation of a rule promulgated under paragraph 7#a7 shall be treated as a violation of a rule defining an unfair or deceptive act or practice under section #ah7;a77#a77;,b7 of the ,federal ,trade ,commission ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #eg;a7a77#a77;,b774 ,except as otherwise provided1 the ,commission shall enforce such rule in the same manner1 by the same means1 and with the same jurisdiction1 powers1 and duties as though all applicable terms and provisions of the ,federal ,trade ,commission ,act were incorporated into and made a part of this section4 ,any person who violates this section shall be subject to the penalties and entitled to the privileges and immunities provided in the ,federal ,trade ,commission ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #da et seq474 7#c7 ,nonprofit organizations ,the ,commission shall enforce this section with respect to an organization that is not organized to carry on business for its own profit or that of its members as if such organization were a person over which the ,commission has authority pursuant to section #e7;a77#b7 of the ,federal ,trade ,commission ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #de7;a77#b774 7#d7 ,civil penalty ,in addition to any other penalty as may be prescribed by law1 in an action brought by the ,commission under this section1 the total civil penalty shall not exceed the greater of-- 7,a7 #ajj1jjj2 or 7,b7 #ej percent of the revenues earned by the ultimate parent entity of a person during the preceding #ab-month period4 7#e7 ,independent litigation authority ,if the ,commission has reason to believe that a person has violated this section1 the ,commission may bring a civil action in any appropriate ,united ,states district court to-- 7,a7 enjoin any further such violation by such person2 7,b7 enforce compliance with this section2 7,c7 obtain a permanent1 temporary1 or preliminary injunction2 7,d7 obtain civil penalties2 7,e7 obtain damages1 restitution1 or other compensation on behalf of aggrieved consumers2 or 7,f7 obtain any other appropriate equitable relief4 7b7 ,reports 7#a7 ,report on plan for enforcement ,not later than #fj days after the date on which a final rule under subsection 7a77#a7 is issued1 the ,commission shall submit to ,congress a report detailing a plan to enforce the rule4 7#b7 ,biannual reports ,beginning one year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 and every #b years thereafter1 the ,commission shall submit to ,congress a report that includes1 with respect to the previous year1 a description of any enforcement action by the ,commission under this ,act1 any rule promulgated pursuant to this ,act1 and the outcomes of such actions4 7c7 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,abortion services ,the term abortion services means the provision of surgical and non-surgical procedures to terminate a pregnancy or a referral for such procedures4 7#b7 ,advertise ,the term advertise means offering or providing goods or services to the public1 regardless of whether such goods or services are offered for payment or result in a profit4 7#c7 ,commission ,the term ,commission means the ,federal ,trade ,commission4 7#d7 ,person ,the term person has the meaning given that term in section #eea7b7 of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4