First Step to Victory: U.S. House Votes to Ban Late-Term Abortions on Babies Who Feel Pain

Claire Chretien : Oct 4, 2017
LifeSiteNews.com

[Currently, when babies] are operated on in the womb at this age, it's standard medical practice to give the babies anesthesia. However, it's still legal to dismember them in violent, painful abortions.

(Washington, DC)—[LifeSiteNews.com] The U.S. House voted 237 to 189 today to ban most abortions after 20 weeks, when the pre-born baby can feel pain. (Photo: Pre-born baby in utero/ Shutterstock/via LifeSiteNews.com)

The United States is one of seven countries with no federal limits on late-term abortion. Abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy for any reason is legal in many parts of the country.

The bill, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, was sponsored by strongly pro-life Rep. Trent Franks, R-AZ.

Two Republicans voted against the bill. Three Democrats voted for it.

Similar legislation passed the U.S. House in 2013 and 2015. It's never passed the U.S. Senate.

The bill contains rape and incest exceptions. For an abortion to take place, the abortionist must file a medical report with a state or federal agency saying an act of rape or incest conceived the child.

At 20 weeks—halfway through pregnancy—an unborn baby is the size of a small cantaloupe. Mothers can feel their babies kicking. When they are operated on in the womb at this age, it's standard medical practice to give the babies anesthesia.

However, it's still legal to dismember them in violent, painful abortions.

Marjorie Dannenfelser, the President of the Susan B. Anthony List, said she spoke with Trump last week and that he considers signing this legislation "high priority." One of Trump's campaign promises was to sign the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act into law.

Rep. Mia Love, R-UT, pointed out "some of the double standards that we have in this country."

Killing a pregnant woman is considered double homicide, but abortion isn't considered murder, she noted.

"This begs the question—when does the unborn have a right to protection just like their mother?" asked Love.

The Democratic Reps. who defended late-term abortion repeatedly bleated, "we must stop the bans" on abortion. Some of them acknowledged that abortion involves a human baby with human body parts.

Rep. Brad Schneider, D-IL, shared a story from "Jessica" whose "baby had a rare birth defect."

"Having an abortion was the most compassionate choice" available, Schneider said, quoting the post-abortive mom who said her "daughter deserved compassion."

Rep. Liz Cheney, R-WY, noted that in a "very unusual step," the Congressional Budget Office determined the bill would save at least 2,000 lives. Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-VA, mentioned this as well. (Photo: Creative Commons/via Pixabay)

"H.R. 36 is humane legislation, for innocent babies and for mothers," said Rep. Karen Handel, R-GA, mentioning the bill's exceptions for babies conceived in rape and incest. At 20 weeks, babies "can hear music," and "they can even respond to human voices...This bill reflects today's medical understanding about a baby's ability to feel pain."

"The unborn child is a living, feeling human being," Rep. Phil Roe, R-TN, said. Roe is a former OB/GYN who has delivered nearly 5,000 babies.

Rep. Ann Wagner, R-MO, brought a giant poster of her grandchild's 17-week ultrasound onto the House floor, explaining her heartbeat began...

Continue reading here.