During a press conference Monday on tax reform, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced that the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which bans abortion after 20 weeks, has the full support of the Senate.
“It’s supported by virtually all of my members and we expect to have a vote on it at some point,” McConnell said.
The bill will prohibit the abortion of any unborn baby past 20 weeks gestation – the point at which science has established the child can feel pain. The only exceptions will be in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. Abortion providers who violate the law will be penalized and could be sentenced to up to five years in prison.
The legislation recently passed the House by a wide margin of 237 – 189.
It was introduced into the Senate by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on October 5.
“I don’t believe abortion, five months into pregnancy, makes us a better nation,” Graham told The Hill. “America is at her best when she’s standing up for the least among us, and the sooner we pass this legislation into law, the better. We are on the right side of history.”
The White House recently released a statement in support of the bill, saying that the proposed law “would promote a science-based approach to unborn life, as recent advancements have revealed that the physical structures necessary to experience pain are developed within 20 weeks of fertilization.”
It added: “The United States is currently out of the mainstream in the family of nations, in which only 7 out of 198 nations allow elective abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.”
Passage of the bill is still an uphill battle because it must pass the 60 vote threshold. With Republicans holding just 52 seats, this means they would need eight Democrats to vote for passage before the bill could become law.
Thus far, McConnell has given no indication of when the vote will take place.
Contact your Senator today and ask him/her to get behind this bill that will outlaw the inhumane treatment of the unborn!
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