National Right to Life Applauds Supreme Court Decision Protecting Pregnancy Centers’ First Amendment Rights

WASHINGTON — National Right to Life today welcomed the U.S. Supreme Court’s unanimous decision allowing First Choice Women’s Resource Centers to challenge a New Jersey state investigation in federal court.

“The Supreme Court rightly recognized that government power cannot be used to intimidate or silence organizations simply because they offer life-affirming alternatives to abortion,” said Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life. “Pregnancy resource centers exist to support women, provide practical assistance, and affirm the value of both mother and child. State officials should not weaponize investigations to chill protected speech or target donors because they disagree with a center’s mission.”

The case centered on a New Jersey subpoena seeking donor information and internal records from First Choice Women’s Resource Centers, a faith-based pregnancy center. The Court’s ruling ensures that organizations raising legitimate constitutional concerns can seek protection in federal court when faced with potentially abusive government overreach.

Marie Tasy, executive director of New Jersey Right to Life, the New Jersey affiliate of National Right to Life, stated. “The New Jersey Attorney General created a so-called 'Reproductive Rights Strike Force' and used it to target a pregnancy center that had not received a single public complaint. That is government overreach, plain and simple. Today the Supreme Court said: enough. Pregnancy centers have the right to fight back in federal court, and their donors have the right to give without fear of government retaliation.”

Tasy continued, “New Jersey Right to Life will stand with them every step of the way. Pregnancy centers across this state serve thousands of women every year, and we will never stop defending their right to do so — or the right of the people who make that work possible.”

Across the country, pregnancy resource centers provide millions of dollars in free medical services, parenting support, material aid, and emotional care to women facing unexpected pregnancies. These centers should be free to continue their work without political harassment.

“This unanimous decision sends an unmistakable message: Americans do not surrender their First Amendment freedoms when they advocate for unborn children,” Tobias said. “Women deserve compassionate care and real choices. Today’s ruling protects the freedom of those who offer hope, help, and life-affirming support.”