Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act

Floor Speech

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 1797. This bill, which would implement a nationwide ban on abortions after 20 weeks, is in direct violation of Roe v. Wade. H.R. 1797 is the latest attempt by House Republicans to undermine a woman's fundamental right to choose.

H.R. 1797 does not provide an exception to protect a woman's health. This dangerous omission would deny a woman the right to an abortion even when her doctor determines it would be necessary to protect her health. This infringement into the relationship between a woman and her doctor is the reason this legislation is opposed by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Women's Association.

Additionally, H.R. 1797 contains a wholly inadequate exception for rape and incest. The threshold that the crime must have been reported to the authorities is arbitrary and cynical considering that it is estimated over half of the rapes in the United States go unreported.

I urge my colleagues to oppose this attack on a woman's Constitutional right to choose.

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