WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Reps. Trent Franks (R-AZ) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced H.R. 36, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which would regulate abortion after 20 weeks, when a baby can feel pain. Penny Nance, CEO and President of Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee (CWALAC), the nation’s largest public policy women’s organization responded:
“Holding true to promises to continue their pro-life efforts, Reps. Trent Franks and Marsha Blackburn introduced a commonsense act that the majority of Americans agree with. Polling by Quinnipiac, Huffington Post, NBC/Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post/ABC News reveal a majority of Americans support limiting abortion after 20 weeks. Sixty percent of women think abortion after 20 weeks should be illegal (53 percent of men agree).
“Concerned Women for America’s own focus group of independent pro-choice minded women found that the majority of them were for ‘commonsense regulation’ like ending these types of late-term abortions. Scientific research and advancing technology brings to light the inhumane treatment of babies in the womb, who after 20 weeks (about five months gestation) can feel pain, respond to stimuli and require anesthesia for fetal surgery. Babies at 20 weeks can feel pain, acknowledge their mother’s voice, hiccup, and grow hair.
“It is only those who continue to place politics and so-called ‘progress’ above the health of women who are against defending these babies who flinch away from the devices used to terminate their lives – babies who should get the same protection under our constitutionally granted rights of ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.'”
For more information or an interview with Penny Nance, please contact Alison Howard at ahoward@cwfa.org or 202-266-4816.
Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee is the legislative arm of Concerned Women for America, the nation’s largest public policy women’s organization with 500,000 participating members across the country, over 450 Prayer/Action Chapters and Home Teams, 600 trained leaders, and over 30 years of service to our nation.