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October 06, 2017 09:11 AM UTC

ICYMI: 20-Week Abortion Ban Passes U.S. House

  • 25 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols
Let’s hear it for the boys.

It would be impossible to wrap up this frenetic week of political and other riveting news without mentioning this week’s vote by the GOP-controlled U.S. House to pass the so-called Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act–a measure that bans abortions after an arbitrary 20 weeks of gestation. As The Hill reports, the measure is moving to the U.S. Senate after passing the House with all four Colorado Republicans voting yes:

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) introduced a 20-week abortion ban in the Senate on Thursday with the support of 45 GOP senators, two days after a similar bill passed the House.

The “Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act,” which faces long odds in the upper chamber, would make it illegal for any person to perform or attempt an abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy with the possibility of five years in prison, fines or both…

The legislation is likely to face a tough sell in the Senate. A similar bill passed the House in 2015 but was blocked by Democratic senators.

With only a 52-seat majority, it would be unlikely Senate Republicans could gather the 60 votes needed to move the legislation to President Trump’s desk. Graham still said he’s “100 percent confident” Senate leadership would bring the bill to the floor for a vote.

Still from Rep. Mike Coffman’s 2014 ad using Planned Parenthood’s logo.

President Donald Trump has said repeatedly he would sign this bill if it made it to his desk, so it’s only the Senate requirement of 60 votes to pass most legislation keeping this bill from becoming the law of the land. Trump has also called many times for the Senate to do away with the 60-vote requirement, but an abortion ban bill is probably not the right vehicle for such a radical change, assuming Mitch McConnell ever works up the nerve to try. The bottom line is that the policy is not supported by authoritative science, no matter how many times supporters claim otherwise.

Nevertheless all four Colorado Republican House members voted for the bill, though only the two safe GOP seats issued statements about their vote. Rep. Ken Buck of Greeley was ebullient:

“Science shows us that unborn children not only experience pain but also may have a chance to survive if born at 20 weeks,” Congressman Ken Buck stated. “We have a responsibility to the unborn babies, our families, our communities, and humanity to end the injustice of late-term abortion.”

Rep. Doug Lamborn managed to get just about every canard into a single quote:

“Babies born at 20 weeks are one step closer to protection from abortion now that H.R. 36, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, passed in the House. I am pleased to vote “yes” on legislation that defends the most vulnerable people in our society. The United States is in the unfortunate company of only six other countries, including China and North Korea, in allowing elective abortion so late in a pregnancy. Science has proven that babies in the womb feel pain more acutely than even adults, and a bill that is estimated to save close to 3,000 lives a year is worth fighting for.”

As The Hill reported above, the legislation has 45 GOP cosponsors. Interestingly that list of cosponsors does not include the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado as of this writing! That won’t be good for Gardner’s flagging credibility with his Republican base, but it does show how Gardner’s repeated stumbles on the issue have forced him into a more muted position–this, after all, being a man who once bragged about having circulated petitions for Colorado’s failed “Personhood” amendments at his local church. So that will be another interesting angle on this to see resolved. Or in Cory’s case, see him dodge right up to the vote.

And no, it’s most likely not going to pass. But it’s going to come closer than ever to passing, with only a Senate rule already under threat keeping this abortion ban bill from becoming law. Therein lies an important lesson about the fragility of abortion rights in America today. And if it doesn’t instill a sense of urgency in supporters of abortion rights going into the 2018 elections, it’s tough to see what could.

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25 thoughts on “ICYMI: 20-Week Abortion Ban Passes U.S. House”

    1. Who gives a rat's ass about what you want?

      It changes so frequently. Remember #NeverTrump? Rubio for President? Cruz for President? Trump for President?

        1. My sister-in-law had one 6+ months. The much-anticipated fetus died within her but did not spontaneously abort. If Moddy and his ilk had their way, she would have had to continue carrying it, until her whole body went septic and it killed her.

           

      1. Well then, he’s probably like the other “pro-lifers” in Congress who are publicly agin’ it for everyone else excepts themselves unless or until an inconvenient circumstance secretly arises . . . 

        The Flagrant Sexual Hypocrisy of Conservative Men

        http://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/06/opinion/sunday/conservative-men-abortion-hypocrisy.html

        . . . but then, as we all know time and again, Fluffynutz has shown himself here to be nothing if not a complete, full-bore hypocrite.

         

         

    4. FAKE NEWS Moderatus.  Produce one credible poll that suggests that the majority of Americans want changes to our public health policies regarding abortions.  Of course you have no shame and won't reply to my request but that is OK.  Pro-Death gun idolators have no moral standing to lecture anyone on what it means to be Pro-Life.  Fuck off machine gun lover.

  2. Inspiring how our Republican representatives stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Scott DesJarlais and Tim Murphy. Good Christian men who are committed to the sanctity of human life from the time of conception.

  3. Motor Anus is playing fast and loose with terminology. (Which, of course, is nothing new with him.) Polls show that most Americans oppose third trimester abortions provided there is an exception for the health of the mother. Plus the House bill bans abortions after 20 weeks part of which falls in the second trimester.

    This is not a serious piece of legislation. The Senate will never approve it. It is the reproductive choice equivalent of voting to repeal Obamacare prior to January 20, 2017. Easy to do, appease the base and no consequences.

  4. Ken Buck wouldn't know science if it walked up to him, introduced itself, shook his hand, dropped trou, and took a massive, steaming, malodorous, exceptionally noisy dump on his shoes.

      1. Yup, ever since Buck adopted a "cowboy" persona. Like George Bush, Ken Buck has found it politically convenient to adopt a western persona. In his official bio, Buck says that he learned the value of hard work from his grandfather , who ran a shoe store in Greeley. That may be true, since Buck's mother moved to Greeley when she retired from the law, but Buck is a blueblood East Coast boy.

        Both GW Bush and Ken Buck were born and raised in the New England area, raised by corporate lawyers, went to Ivy League schools, then came out west and decided that was what real Republicans had to become to get elected. They changed their accents, adopted casual dress, and got photographed with big guns.

        For Ken Buck, Dick Cheney was probably more of an influence than his shoe-selling grandpa; Cheney hired Buck to work (cover up for) the Iran Contra investigation in 1986.

        If little Kenny had bragged to his mom about having real bullshit on my boots”, she would have probably washed his mouth out with soap – or maybe just had the maid do it – as well as clean said boots.

        2. New York ??!!!?? . . . 

          That finally kinda’ explains that weird Brophy thing he had for a time?? — every swaggering tough-guy New York Midnight Cowboy needs his Ratso, huh ??? . . . 

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