WASHINGTON, DC - Under new legislation, women seeking family planning information, including information about abortion, would no longer have to worry if they are being lured to a radical anti-choice Crisis Pregnancy Centers.

Rep. Carolyn Maloney (NY-14) today, along with eleven co-sponsors, introduced the Stop Deceptive Advertising for Women’s Services Act (SDAWS), which would enforce truth-in-advertising standards for reproductive centers (text of legislation: http://maloney.house.gov/documents/reproductivechoice/033006CPCbill.pdf).

Recently, there has been windfall for Crisis Pregnancy Centers from Bush administration funding. Some of these centers have adopted the brazen tactic of advertising and presenting themselves as legitimate family planning centers, in order to lure women seeking abortion information and talk them out of getting an abortion.

Maloney was joined in announcing the bill today by representatives of leading pro-choice organizations, including NARAL Pro Choice America, Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the National Abortion Federation, as well as the American Civil Liberties Union.

"When women are making a health decision, they should never be subject to deceit and trickery," said Maloney. "Some of these Crisis Pregnancy Centers should be called ‘Counterfeit Pregnancy Centers.’ They have the right to exist, but they shouldn’t have the right to deceive in order to advance their particular beliefs."

"We applaud Rep. Maloney's leadership in support of unbiased, medically accurate information for women," said Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America. "It's time for Congress to step in and hold fake clinics accountable and protect women from false advertising. Americans value honesty in advertising and the so-called crisis pregnancy centers should not be exempt from living up to this basic principle."

"Deception and lies don’t help women make informed choices," said Joan Malin, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of New York City. "Too often women are given incomplete or even inaccurate information that leaves them misinformed, confused and afraid. I applaud these lawmakers for introducing federal legislation that would guarantee critical health care information is given to women so they can make informed decisions about their health."

"Women need access to accurate medical information and this bill is a major step forward in protecting women from the misleading, deceptive advertising practices of Crisis Pregnancy Centers," said Vicki Saporta, NAF President and CEO.

"Women deserve truthful, accurate information about their reproductive health care choices," said Caroline Fredrickson, Director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office. "We applaud Congresswoman Maloney for taking steps to address a deceptive practice that undermines women’s constitutional rights. False advertising, especially when it comes to one of the most personal decisions a woman can make, must not be permitted."

SDAWS directs the Federal Trade Commission to create rules that prohibit any organization from advertising services with the intent to deceive the public into believing that the organization is a provider of abortion services if it does not in fact provide abortion services. Maloney’s bill makes it clear that the FTC has the authority to penalize or take corrective action against organizations that purport to provide abortion services even if they are non-profits and provide their services for free.

The legislation is sponsored by: Reps. Carolyn Maloney (NY-14), Maurice Hinchey (NY-22), Joseph Crowley (NY-7), James McGovern (MA-3), Bernie Sanders (VT), Gary Ackerman (NY-5), Jan Schakowsky (IL-9), Dennis Kucinich (OH-10), Henry Waxman (CA-30), Robert Wexler (FL-19), Raúl Grijalva (AZ-7) and Lois Capps (CA-23).

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