Goodlatte and Franks Applaud House Passage of Bill to Ban Abortions After 20 Weeks
Washington, D.C. – The House of Representatives today approved legislation, in a bipartisan vote of 228-196, which would ban abortions, with limited exceptions, in the United States after 20 weeks post fertilization, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (H.R. 1797). Since the Supreme Court’s controversial decision in Roe v. Wade in 1973, medical knowledge regarding the development of unborn babies and their capacities at various stages of growth has advanced dramatically. Extensive research conducted by Dr. Sunny Anand, an Oxford-trained neonatal pediatrician who has held appointments at Harvard Medical School and other distinguished institutions, shows that unborn children begin to feel pain by 20 weeks post fertilization, and possibly earlier.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Constitution and Civil Justice Subcommittee Chairman Trent Franks (R-Ariz.), chief sponsor of the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, praised today’s vote by the House of Representatives.
Chairman Goodlatte: “House passage of the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act is a victory for the most innocent and defenseless among us, our children. The blatant disregard for human life put on display by the recent Gosnell trial was extremely disturbing and served as a reminder that the taking of innocent life is a practice all too common in this nation. Today the House of Representatives took a stand against such atrocities and passed legislation that protects babies by banning late term abortions. Delivered or not, babies are babies, and it has been shown that they can feel pain at least by 20 weeks. These babies deserve protection.”
Subcommittee Chairman Franks: “With all of the distortions and the bait and switch tactics opponents have hurled at the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act leading up to its historic passage today, the Pain Capable Unborn Child ProtectionAct is very truly and simply a deeply sincere effort to protect both mothers and their pain capable unborn babies entering their sixth month of gestation from heartless monsters like Kermit Gosnell.
“Passage of today's landmark bill marks the first time in history, in either chamber of the U.S. Congress, that affirmative protection has been extended to unborn children. It is my prayer that today also marks a day when America finally opens her eyes to the humanity of these little victims and the inhumanity of what is being done to them.”