The Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act made its way to the Senate this week with very little hope of passage. Our prognostications were correct as we watched a filibuster and a debate that ultimately stymied the bill from ever making it to the floor for a vote.
This bill would amend the federal code and make it a crime for anyone to perform or attempt to perform an abortion if the age of the fetus is 20 weeks or more. Violators would be subject to a fine and/or up to five years in prison. This bill offered exceptions for life of the mother, rape, and incest as well.
The genesis of this bill is based in Science. Science that gave us ultrasound imaging, surgeries in utero, and earlier viability for premature births. This is probably a shock to some as the narrative around this piece of legislation paints its authors as religious zealots, women haters, and regressive.
Fighting this bill defies logic and reason. Oftentimes, when defending my pro-life stance, I am met with the what about life of the mother, rape, and incest argument. I am pro-life in every case, but this law even carved out exceptions to meet these demands and to compromise with those that see abortion as a useful option in these rare cases.
The filibuster and the attack on those that would dare support this legislation further prove the motives of the abortion lobby. They have hidden behind the women’s health motif for far too long. Their motive is clear at this point. It is not about helping women, no, it is about pushing abortion on demand, for any reason, and at any time.
Science, typically championed by progressives, is on the side of life. Doctors are using anesthesia now when performing surgery in utero because we now have proof that babies can, in fact, feel pain as early as 15 weeks.
Ultrasound images now show us that babies stretch, recoil, and suck their thumbs at 20 weeks. Science and research has also shown us that at 20 weeks gestation a baby can see light, hear sounds, and swallow. We must also mention that on top of all of this the baby also has a heartbeat, its own DNA, and ten fingers and toes!
Opposing this legislation is anything but progressive. Opposing this legislation aligns the US with the likes of North Korea and China. We, the shiny city on a hill, are in the dark ages when it comes to abortion.
There are citizens walking around today that were born at 20 weeks. We have advanced in technology and medicine to a point where we should be doing more to protect life, not destroy it. This legislation would have amended our federal statute to illustrate this progress, but unfortunately we still have a number of leaders in D.C. that refuse to allow those in the womb to benefit from the progression being made on their behalf.
The vote this week didn’t surprise me, but it still hurts. It hurts to see so many blinded by political posturing and unwilling to admit when their policy ideas have been proven to be wrong by science, research, and logic.
These uphill battles are customary in our movement, but I believe a new day is coming as more are starting to see what Science has proven to be true. It is beyond time for my generation to stand for a generation lost to abortion and generations to come. This Senate vote, though disappointing, will not curtail our work to see abortion unlawful and unthinkable in a civilized society. Let’s get to work!
-posted by Andrew Wood, Executive Director
