Press Releases

WASHINGTON — Today, United States Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04), Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government, held a hearing, “Revisiting the Implications of the FACE Act.”

The hearing highlighted the sharp and alarming rise of violence and vandalism against crisis pregnancy centers and churches, and examined the reasons the DOJ has refused to prosecute those responsible. Committee members heard directly from victims of this vandalism, as well as Mark Houck, a victim of the DOJ’s weaponization of this legislation, who had law enforcement agents descend on his home following the Dobbs decision.

“This committee is concerned with the apparent unequal application of the FACE Act by the Biden administration. It is our job to monitor this. The application and enforcement of this act is an important matter of congressional oversight, and this hearing will provide members of our committee and our full committee. and the Judiciary Committee, with the opportunity to reexamine the FACE act and explore ways that Congress might reform the statute,” Johnson said in his opening statement.

“The problem is the Biden administration has rarely enforced the statute to protect these organizations that are covered,” Johnson continued. “For example, on June 7th, 2022, last summer, vandals associated with a group called Jane's Revenge firebombed the Compass Care Pregnancy Services in Buffalo, New York. Half a million dollars in damages were done to that facility. And to this moment, the FBI has done nothing to bring charges in the Compass Care case.”

“Pregnancy resource centers serve millions of women annually across this country with a multitude of services virtually free of charge,” Johnson continued. “Most of them are nonprofits, of course, and they should be able to operate without fear. They provide care to pregnant women and distribute necessary items like clothing and diapers to mothers. And the women that seek these services should not be able or should be able to do so, obviously, without facing any danger. Church goers should be able to exercise their First Amendment right to religious freedom at places of worship without being terrorized.”

To watch the Congressman’s full opening statement, click here. 

To watch the Congressman’s questioning, click here. 

To watch the Congressman’s 2^nd round of questioning, click here.