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HR 2478 IH

To direct the Federal Trade Commission to prescribe rules prohibiting deceptive advertising of abortion services.

May 24, 2007

Mrs. MALONEY of New York (for herself, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mrs. CAPPS, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Mr. ROTHMAN, Mr. HOLT, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. WEXLER, Mr. BERMAN, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, and Ms. MCCOLLUM of Minnesota) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

To direct the Federal Trade Commission to prescribe rules prohibiting deceptive advertising of abortion services.

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 `Stop Deceptive Advertising for Women's Services Act'.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITION OF DECEPTIVE ADVERTISING OF ABORTION SERVICES.

(a) Conduct Prohibited- Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Federal Trade Commission shall promulgate rules to prohibit, as an unfair and deceptive act or practice, any person from advertising with the intent to deceptively create the impression that such person is a provider of abortion services if such person does not provide abortion services.

(b) Enforcement- The Federal Trade Commission shall enforce the rules required under subsection (a) as if a violation of such rules were a violation of section 5(a)(1) of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 45(a)(1). The Commission shall enforce such rules in the same manner and by the same means, powers, and duties as though all applicable terms and provisions of the Federal Trade Commission Act were incorporated into and made a part of this Act.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

For purposes of the rules prescribed under section 2, the following definitions apply:

(1) ADVERTISE- The term `advertise' means offering of goods or services to the public, regardless of whether such goods or services are offered for payment or result in a profit.

(2) ABORTION SERVICES- The term `abortion services' means providing surgical and non-surgical procedures to terminate a pregnancy, or providing referrals for such procedures.

(3) PERSON- The term `person' has the meaning given such term in section 551(2) of title 5, United States Code.