FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 12, 2013
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Washington, D.C. – Today, NARAL Pro-Choice America President Ilyse Hogue condemned anti-choice members of the House Judiciary Committee for passing a 20-week abortion ban bill that is now headed to the full House of Representatives for a floor vote.
Introduced by Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ), H.R.1797 would ban abortion care after 20 weeks, contains no exception to protect a woman’s health, no exception for survivors of rape and incest, and would criminalize doctors who violate this ban.
“Today’s mark-up would be laughable if the issue wasn’t deadly serious to millions of women across the country,” Hogue said. “On top of being unconstitutional, this legislation is a cruel attempt to roll back protections of Roe v. Wade. This mark-up is a disturbing gesture to placate the most right-wing and extreme elements of the anti-choice movement.”
Adding to the anti-choice, anti-woman rhetoric, Rep. Franks made the false claim during today’s hearing that the rate of pregnancies from rape is “very low.”
“I am appalled by the arrogance of anti-choice politicians like Rep. Franks,” Hogue continued. “Today, he revealed to America that he knows nothing about the real issues impacted by the proposed bill. What’s even more troubling is that this bill would criminalize the very people women most need to understand their reproductive care: doctors.”
Franks’ 20-week abortion ban bill is part of an alarming, coordinated effort: In just three years, anti-choice legislators in 11 states have enacted similar laws. He and other sponsors are mounting a clear campaign to spur a Supreme Court case that will dismantle the protections established by Roe v. Wade.
“Moving this bill forward before the full House, as Boehner and Cantor have promised, serves as a reminder that Congressional Republican leaders continue to ignore the results of the last election and even further proves that their so-called ‘reboot’ is nothing but a joke,” Hogue continued. “The House of Representatives should be working on legislation to fix our economy, not wasting their time and our money re-fighting 40 year-old battles and undermining the health and safety of women for nothing more than political show.”
NARAL Pro-Choice America and its network of state affiliates are dedicated to protecting and expanding reproductive freedom for all Americans. NARAL works to guarantee that every woman has the right to make personal decisions regarding the full range of reproductive choices, including preventing unintended pregnancy, bearing healthy children, and choosing legal abortion. In recognition of its work defending our constitutional right to choose, Fortune Magazine described NARAL as “one of the top 10 advocacy groups in America.”
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