House votes to ban abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy

K. Rambo

On Tuesday, the House of Representatives voted to ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

The bill would criminalize abortions after 20 weeks and carry the possible punishment of up to five years in prison and a fine for doctors who would perform the abortions.

Although the bill has exceptions for victims of rape or incest, it likely will not pass the Senate, as a similar bill was voted down by the Senate in 2015. There is also an exception if giving birth would cause life-threatening complications.

Sponsored by Rep. Trent Franks, R-Arizona, the bill faces heavy partisan resistance and only 52 Senate seats are currently held by Republicans. The bill would need 60 votes to pass the Senate.

The White House released a statement Monday in support of the legislation.

“The administration strongly supports H.R. 36, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, and applauds the House of Representatives for continuing its efforts to secure critical pro-life protections.”

A portion of the title of the bill, “Pain-Capable Unborn Child,” is related to a hotly debated belief that fetuses can begin feeling pain at 20 weeks. There is no medical consensus on whether or not this is true and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has never validated any studies claiming so.

In 2009, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that only 1.3 percent of all abortions are performed after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

Dana Singiser, the Planned Parenthood vice president for government relations, released a written statement in opposition of the law.

“It is unbelievable that politicians in Congress are once again attempting to interfere in a woman’s ability to make personal decisions about her pregnancy in consultation with her doctor and others she trusts,” Singiser said.