Pledges Scored Vote on H.R. 36, the “Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act”
WASHINGTON, D.C. (05-11-15) – Americans United for Life Action President & CEO Dr. Charmaine Yoest called on members of the U.S. House to vote in favor of H.R. 36, the “Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act” sponsored by Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) and Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and released today. Click here to read the bill. The vote in the House expected this week will be scored. “Limiting abortion at 5 months of pregnancy, as an unborn child becomes able to live outside the womb and as the abortion procedure becomes even more dangerous for women, is a commonsense law long overdue,” said Dr. Yoest. “This type of legislation represents the mother-child strategy that AUL Action recommends because it deals directly with the ugly reality of abortion, which hurts both mother and child who are exposed to an industry willing to harm people for profit.”
H.R. 36 contains new women-centered provisions which are enhancements from the original version of the bill, H.R. 1797, passed by the House in June 2013. Specifically, these provisions include counseling requirements, informed consent and data reporting to the CDC required of providers.
“The health risks of abortion to women are severe and become greater the longer a woman is pregnant,” noted Dr. Yoest. Medical research shows that after 2 months of pregnancy, chances of dying from an abortion increase 38 percent each week.
At 5 months of pregnancy, a woman is 35 times more likely to die from an abortion than she was in the first trimester and after 21 weeks, a woman is 91 times more likely to die from an abortion than she was in the first trimester.
“Not only is big abortion willing to expose women to great risk, abortionists are ignoring the pain experienced by unborn children who may even be able to survive outside the womb, as their lives are ended in agony,” Dr. Yoest said. “Ironically, as the New York Times is reporting that more children are surviving premature births, the abortion lobby fights to kill viable babies, people who could live full lives if born. The U.S. is so radical in abortion policies that we are 1 of 4 nations out of 195 (along with China, North Korea and Canada) allowing abortion through all 9 months, for any reason at all, and sometimes with taxpayer monies.
“I urge the House to swiftly pass H.R. 36 and urge the Senate to do the same,” concluded Dr. Yoest. “Lives are at stake.”
To read more about the harms of abortion to women click here. To learn more about the cutting-edge legislation in the Women’s Protection Project, click here.
