---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 300a–8"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "300a–8"
heading: "Penalty for United States, etc., officer or employee coercing or endeavoring to coerce procedure upon beneficiary of Federal program"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/300a-8"
units:
  - "Chapter 6A — Public Health Service"
  - "Subchapter VIII — Population Research and Voluntary Family Planning Programs"
---

# §300a–8. Penalty for United States, etc., officer or employee coercing or endeavoring to coerce procedure upon beneficiary of Federal program


Any—

- (1) officer or [employee](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-5) of the United States,
- (2) officer or [employee](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-5) of any [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f), political subdivision of a [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f), or any other entity, which administers or supervises the administration of any [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) receiving Federal financial assistance, or
- (3) person who receives, under any [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) receiving Federal financial assistance, compensation for [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a),

who coerces or endeavors to coerce any person to undergo an abortion or sterilization procedure by threatening such person with the loss of, or disqualification for the receipt of, any benefit or [service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) under a [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) receiving Federal financial assistance shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 94–63, title II, § 205, July 29, 1975, 89 Stat. 308.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section was enacted as part of the Family Planning and Population Research Act of 1975, and not as part of the Public Health Service Act which comprises this chapter.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective July 1, 1975, see section 608 of Pub. L. 94–63, set out as an Effective Date of 1975 Amendment note under section 247b of this title.