Reps. McGarvey, Williams Lead Democrats from Abortion Ban States to Demand End to Growing Criminalization of Miscarriages

Reps. McGarvey, Williams Lead Democrats from Abortion Ban States to Demand End to Growing Criminalization of Miscarriages

Lawmakers urge HHS and DOJ to address alarming trend of pregnancy-related arrests, citing 400+ criminal charges since Dobbs decision

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 24, 2026) - Today, Reps. Morgan McGarvey (KY-03) and Nikema Williams (GA-05) led lawmakers representing states with severely restrictive or near-total abortion bans in a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche regarding the growing criminalization of miscarriages across the country.

Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, prosecutors and law enforcement agencies have increasingly treated pregnancy loss as a potential crime rather than a deeply personal medical tragedy.

During the first two years after Dobbs, prosecutors across the country filed more than 400 criminal charges related to pregnancy, pregnancy loss, or birth, and 15 states have maintained century-old criminal bans related to "concealing" a pregnancy loss.

The letter highlights recent cases where women were criminally charged after a stillbirth or miscarriage, including a 26-year-old in Nevada and a 24-year-old in Georgia.

"These cases are not isolated," the Members wrote. "They show a national pattern where miscarriage is treated as intentional, and individuals are subjected to criminal investigation and prosecution for events that are unavoidable and naturally occurring."

In the letter, lawmakers warn of a growing climate of fear where "patients are afraid to seek medical care, physicians are afraid to provide it, and families are caught in the crosshairs of politicized enforcement."

"No one should be afraid to go to jail during what could be one of the most devastating moments of their life," the Members concluded. "No family should face police interrogation when experiencing a health crisis."

Read the full letter to Secretary Kennedy and Acting Attorney General Blanche here.

The letter was also signed by Reps. Steve Cohen (TN-09), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Terri Sewell (AL-07), and Marc Veasey (TX-33).

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Congressman Morgan McGarvey represents Kentucky's Third Congressional District, including Louisville and Jefferson County. He serves on the House Veterans Affairs, Small Business, and Budget Committees.