Transforming lives with Good News in the Nation’s Capital

Praying Landed Her In Prison

Feb 4, 2025

It took an executive order from President Donald J. Trump to free Joan Andrews Bell from wasting away in prison. Joan peacefully prayed inside an abortion clinic in America, and for that, she was convicted under the FACE Act (Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances).

Joe Biden’s Department of Justice (DOJ) went after this grandmother and two others. The DOJ threatened Joan and the others with up to 11 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine up to 350,000 dollars.

Just for praying!

Joan ended up being sentenced to more than two years in prison.

Joan’s warden would not even allow visits from her husband for nine months! He was only permitted occasional phone calls that could not be more than 20 minutes total.

All because she prayed — in a nation that has the First Amendment to protect our speech and freedom of religion! How can this happen?

FACE is the reason. We must repeal the FACE Act. Congress is in a position now to repeal FACE with bills in the U.S. House and Senate. Tell Congress to pass the FACE Act Repeal Act of 2025 to stop injustice like Joan faced.

Joan is not violent. She is not a threat. She and her husband have eight children, seven of whom are adopted, and many have special needs. This is a woman who deserves an award and the commendation of our society.

She does not deserve to be slammed into jail for years because she prayed for children and their mothers.

The injustice of this case is unbelievable. And the law that led to Joan landing in prison is still on the books. FACE is a lethal weapon used by state and federal prosecutors to silence pro-life speech. Take no comfort in the fact that the Biden administration is gone because state prosecutors also used FACE.

With President Trump’s pardons and two bills filed in both chambers to repeal FACE, NOW is our best chance to get this done since FACE became law in 1994. We need every voice possible to protect those who are on the front lines of this battle for life.

Urge Congress to pass this repeal of FACE now.

FACE is supposed to only apply to individuals who use “force or a threat of force,” but state and federal prosecutors have used the law to silence the prayers of a grandmother who has personally adopted seven children.

Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) has introduced a bill called the FACE Act Repeal Act of 2025 that in two pages will erase decades of prosecution of pro-life advocates. And Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) has introduced the companion bill in the Senate.

We have the best opportunity in 31 years to finally end FACE. Urge Congress to pass the FACE Act Repeal Act of 2025 right away.

++ Who is really being “protected” by this law?

When pro-life crisis pregnancy centers were firebombed, broken into, vandalized, and threatened, the FACE Act could have applied. However, the government prosecutors did nothing. Of the 96 documented instances of attacks since the Dobbs ruling in 2022, “It took the FBI over six months to issue a public request for information, and even then, only nine of the attacks were included” in their request. Only nine have had arrests. The other 87 cases have gone completely without justice.

In contrast, Joan walked into an abortion clinic, caused no damage, and simply prayed. For that peaceful act she was sent to prison.

The FACE Act is unconstitutional on its face. It has been applied in egregiously expanding ways! FACE has been used against innocent victims, and it is time to bury the FACE Act.

While we have so many answered prayers to be thankful for in the pro-life fight, we are still moving uphill in this battle. Your monthly gifts to Faith & Liberty will go directly to funding our vital ministry efforts this year.

Thank you for standing with us in prayer and financial support at Faith & Liberty. Together, we will continue to challenge our leaders to walk in ways that embrace the righteousness of God, resulting in God’s blessing upon our nation. And we will continue to encourage and disciple the young Capitol Hill staffers and interns who play such a vital role in the federal government.

You can give a recurring or single gift. And remember, our 2025 Challenge Grant will DOUBLE the impact of your gift.

Your missionaries to Washington, D.C.,

Peggy Nienaber, Senior Vice President
Mat Staver, Chairman
Rev. Gregory Cox, Senior Pastor

P.S. Sign your petition today to urge Congress to pass the FACE Act Repeal Act of 2025 right away.

Donate here with a recurring or single gift.

Then spread the word by sharing this message with your friends.



Sources:

Ertelt, Steven, and Grace Porto. “Pro-Life Grandma Joan Bell Released from Prison after Trump’s Pardon.” LifeNews.com, January 24, 2025. Lifenews.com/2025/01/24/pro-life-grandma-joan-bell-released-from-prison-after-trumps-pardon/.

“Tracking Attacks on Pregnancy Centers & Pro-Life Groups.” CatholicVote, January 21, 2025. Catholicvote.org/pregnancy-center-attack-tracker/.

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