Legislation and Late Term Abortion

 

Call to Action: Urge Senators to Cosponsor the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act

By Susan T. Muskett, J.D., Senior Legislative Counsel

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)

National Right to Life is issuing a call to action to all pro-life citizens nationwide to make two calls – one to each of their U.S. Senators – to urge them to cosponsor a nationwide ban on abortions on pain-capable unborn children at 20 weeks fetal age.

Next week, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) will introduce the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act in the U.S. Senate. This landmark legislation will ban abortions on unborn children who are capable of feeling pain, beginning at 20 weeks fetal age (which is the beginning of the sixth month of pregnancy), except in limited circumstances.

The bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives in June by a vote of 228-196. It now has to get through the Senate.

Senator Graham is in the process of gathering cosponsors. Senators need to hear from their constituents that this bill is a priority bill that they need to cosponsor. For more information, see National Right to Life’s letter below.
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October 31, 2013
RE: Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act

Dear Senator:
The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), the nationwide federation of state right-to-life organizations, urges you to cosponsor the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, soon to be introduced by Senator Lindsey Graham.
This vital legislation contains legislative findings and operative language very similar to bills already enacted in ten states, beginning in 2010. Like those state laws, Senator Graham’s legislation contains findings of fact regarding the medical evidence that unborn children experience pain at least by 20 weeks after fertilization (which is 22 weeks in the “LMP” system, or about the start of the sixth month), and prohibits abortion after that point, except when an acute physical condition endangers the life of the mother, or in cases of rape and incest reported prior to the abortion to appropriate authorities.

Some of the extensive evidence that unborn children have the capacity to experience pain, at least by 20 weeks, is available on the NRLC website at www.nrlc.org/abortion/fetalpain/
Because of coverage surrounding the trial of Kermit Gosnell and subsequent revelations about other abortionists, many Americans are becoming aware for the first time that abortions are frequently performed late in pregnancy, on babies who are capable of being born alive, and on babies who will experience great pain while being killed.

Late abortions are not “rare.” NRLC estimates that at least 140 abortion providers offer abortions past the point that this legislation would permit. These late abortions are performed using a variety of techniques, including a method in which the unborn child’s arms and legs are twisted off by brute manual force, using a long stainless steel clamping tool. A medical illustration of this common method (“D&E”) is posted here: www.nrlc.org/abortion/pba/deabortiongraphic/

In a nationwide poll of 1,003 registered voters in March, The Polling Company found that 64% would support a law such as the Pain‑Capable Unborn Child Protection Act prohibiting abortion after 20 weeks — when an unborn baby can feel pain — unless the life of the mother is in danger. Only 30% opposed such legislation. Women voters split 63%‑31% in support of such a law, and 63% of independent voters supported it.

The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act passed the House of Representatives on June 18 by a vote of 228-196, with six House members crossing party lines in each direction. The National Right to Life Committee urges you to join the campaign to protect pain-capable unborn children by becoming an original cosponsor of the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, and by working for its expeditious enactment. To accomplish this, please contact David Glaccum in Senator Graham’s office, at (202) 224-5972 or david_glaccum@lgraham.senate.gov, by 10 a.m. on Thursday, November 7, 2013.

Should you have any questions, please contact Susan T. Muskett, NRLC’s Senior Legislative Counsel, at 202-626-8820, or via e-mail at federallegislation@nrlc.org. Thank you for your consideration of NRLC’s requests on this vital legislation.
Respectfully,
David N. O’Steen, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Susan T. Muskett, J.D.
Senior Legislative Counsel

Source: NRLC News