The House passed H.R. 1797 the “District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act”, which makes it a crime for a doctor to perform an abortion on a fetus that is over 20 weeks old.
*Get all the details and more in Congressional Dish episode CD032: The Abortion Bill*
Background
Doctors who perform surgeries will provide anesthesia to a fetus over 20 weeks during a surgery because there is some scientific evidence to suggest that the baby can feel pain by that age.
Section 3
- Doctors can not perform an abortion on a fetus whose post-fertilization age is 20 weeks or more.
- The doctor can be sentenced to a fine and 5 years in prision
- The mother can’t be prosecuted.
Exceptions when an abortion of a fetus over 20 weeks would be allowed:
- If the pregnancy threatens the mother’s life
- If the mother was raped and the rape was reported to the authorities
- If the mother is a minor and a victim of incest.
